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Leadership Tools to Build Company Culture
During a recent Trainers Warehouse Show & Share session, facilitation expert Cornelius “Nelius” Dowdell shared practical tips on how leaders can uncover and shape company culture. His approach is straightforward: start with honest input, create space for dialogue, and pay close attention to the behaviors you reinforce.
SET UP “AHA” MOMENTS
Dowdell started the conversation by asking the group to describe their culture in one word. Using Aha Slides to synthesize results into a word cloud, in real time, he could then direct the conversation to the most common and/or pressing responses. What emerges is not the polished version of culture found in mission statements, but a more candid reflection of how people actually experience the organization.
If leaders want to influence culture, they first need to understand it—and that requires broad, unfiltered input.
TRY A FEELINGS WHEEL
Another effective way to deepen the conversation is by asking people how they’re feeling. While the question sounds simple, many struggle to find the right words. A Feelings or Emotions Wheel provides the language people need to express themselves more precisely. Keep it simple with the Emotions Wheel available on the Zoom whiteboard templates, or go deeper with a more detailed feelings wheel. Alternatively, grab an Emotions Card Deck, where players choose a card that describes how they’re feeling right now, or how they wish they felt at work.
Whether using a basic visual or a more detailed tool, a quick emotional check-in can set the stage for more meaningful dialogue later.
START A DIALOGUE & LISTEN TO WHERE PEOPLE ARE
GET THEM TALKING… AND LISTEN TO THEIR RESPONSES!
After a quick feelings check, one of Neil’s favorite ways to kick off a leadership culture session is to use a Trainers Warehouse Thumball. Even before introducing himself, he might set a ball or two play to get people thinking, connecting, and talking about the learning topic. With the Thumball, he simply tosses the ball and asks the catcher to read the topic under their right thumb. “Wherever the thumb lands is the topic we discuss,” he says. Alternatively, he’ll play a rapid-fire game, asking each person to respond to the prompt in just 10 seconds before tossing the ball to another player. In bigger groups, he might break into smaller teams.
It’s yet another way to initiate dialogue so people feel more comfortable sharing deeper thoughts as the session progresses.
Just as important as getting people talking is what leaders do next. As Dowdell puts it, “imagine the impact on culture if a leader simply takes the time to find out where people are—and listens.
MODEL SHARING AND VULNERABILITY
Part of getting employees to open up and share is creating a psychologically safe environment to make that happen. Those environments don’t just happen, however. They result when organizational leaders open up and share their own foibles, mistakes, and frustrations. If you want others to share, then begin by demonstrating your own errors, learning moments, or needs for assistance.
PRACTICE ASKING AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS
When talking about organizational culture, coaching people to ask questions, answer, and listen is critical. Rather than simply saying “yes” all the time, healthy corporate cultures welcome conversation and questioning as a way to build clarity and understanding. For this, Dowdell often turns to UNZIP-it! Card Decks. Participants can answer a simple question about “favorites,” and partners can practice asking follow-up questions to learn more. Sure, a facilitator could talk about the importance of coaches asking questions, but using tools to help participants get to the meat and potatoes of the substance on their own is generally more effective, he explains.
EXPLORE WHAT BEHAVIORS YOU ARE REINFORCING
BEHAVIOR CHANGE
At the heart of Dowdell’s message is a critical truth: company culture is revealed through behavior. Organizations often define their values clearly, but the real question is whether those values show up in practice. Where does the culture break under pressure? What behaviors are tolerated, even when they contradict stated values?
Culture is not what we say—it’s what we reinforce. What gets rewarded, ignored, or repeated ultimately defines how people behave.
UNWRITTEN RULES
One effective way to explore this is by examining unwritten rules. These informal norms—what people really do and expect—offer valuable insight into how the organization operates.
Some may be lighthearted (i.e. food left on the counter is for sharing; if it’s in the fridge, it’s not), but others reveal deeper truths about expectations, communication, and accountability. Surfacing these rules helps teams identify gaps between stated values and lived experience, making company culture more visible and actionable. They can also be good new-hire tips, that wouldn’t be found in an employee handbook!
MAKING CULTURE REAL
Dowell explains four steps necessary to make culture real. First, you need to identify the goals. Perhaps, for instance, it’s showing up to meetings on time. If you don’t know what you’re striving for, it’s impossible to get there.
Next, identify how that behavior will be modeled and reinforced—through processes, accountability, or peer support. Encourage individuals to self-assess how they’re performing with regard to company values. Ask where they feel their strengths lie, and where they see room for improvement. Don’t forget to reward those successes and cultural shifts using I Noticed notes, Kudos for Values, or peer-to-peer recognition tools. And, suggest that individuals treat themselves when they’ve hit a personal goal.
Equally important is giving people time to practice. Scenarios, team challenges, and structured activities create opportunities to build new habits and reflect on outcomes. Save time using Trainers Warehouse’s WorkPlays scenarios and ready-to-go teambuilding games that promise rich debriefs–about process improvement, roles, communication, team dynamics, and the like.
OVERCOMING LEADERS’ RESISTANCE TO CULTURE CHANGE
Culture change frequently faces resistance, not just from teams asked to abide by the company culture, but also from leaders themselves. When asked why, the top response is typically ambiguity. When cultural initiatives lack clarity, ownership, or measurable outcomes, they are difficult to sustain. To overcome this, organizations must connect company culture to strategic priorities. Define the behaviors, track them consistently, and measure their impact.
Engagement is not a one-time event. It’s an ongoing leadership commitment.
CONCLUSION
Company culture is often discussed in broad, aspirational terms, but Dowdell’s approach brings it back to something far more concrete: conversations, behaviors, and reinforcement. When leaders take the time to listen, model openness, and align what they reward with what they say they value, culture begins to shift in visible ways. The real work of culture isn’t found in statements or slogans—it’s found in the everyday moments where people choose how to speak, act, and respond. Over time, those moments add up, shaping not just how work gets done, but how people experience being part of the organization.
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