At Black Creek Coaching, we know this truth: Culture isn’t created in the boardroom and handed down. It’s built, day by day, by every single person on the team. It’s co-created—and it’s alive.
Your workplace culture will evolve whether you plan it or not. That’s why the most resilient, healthy organizations recognize that every voice matters in shaping what it becomes.
Culture is Co-Creation
When people feel they have permission—and responsibility—to contribute to the culture, they’re more likely to engage fully. They point out what’s working, they help solve what isn’t, and they bring forward ideas that make the workplace better for everyone.
One of my favorite examples of this came years ago when a team member was about to get married and wanted to get in shape for her wedding. She asked my dad (our CFO) and me if she could learn to run with us—since we’re both triathletes, we jumped at the chance for a new running buddy.
What started as one afternoon run a week turned into something bigger. We opened it up to the whole team, and everyone wanted in—turns out, a lot of people wanted to get more active after sitting at a desk all day. That casual invite evolved into a twice-weekly run club. Not only did our team get healthier and take fewer sick days, but those runs became some of our best brainstorming time. People would bring issues they were stuck on, and by the end of the run we almost always had a solution—or at least a clear next step.
That’s culture co-creation in action: someone asks for something small, and together it grows into something that shapes how your team connects, works, and solves problems.
Create a Safe Environment
A healthy culture starts with an environment where people feel safe enough to speak up—whether they’re offering a fresh idea or raising a concern. If your people don’t feel safe, the culture you think you have and the culture that actually exists can be two very different things.
One way we protect this at Rock Paper Scissors is through our mentoring program. Every team member has a standing monthly one-on-one with me—an open space to share what’s going well and what isn’t. It’s not about judging or fixing on the spot. It’s about listening to what they’re experiencing and what they need to thrive.
Again and again, these conversations have helped people clarify what they love, what drains them, and how their roles might evolve to keep them growing and engaged.
Good Communication is Essential
Even with trust and safety, healthy co-creation demands skill. This is where frameworks like Crucial Conversations make all the difference.
One of the most practical tools from the book is the “STATE” model—Share your facts, Tell your story, Ask for others’ paths, Talk tentatively, Encourage testing.
When something’s sensitive or controversial, it’s easy to shut down or blow up. But “STATE” gives everyone—no matter their title or experience—a simple way to bring up a hard topic and be heard.
In our team, we’ve seen junior and senior people alike use this framework to raise issues about workloads, deadlines, or project pivots. Instead of bottling it up or venting to the wrong person, they can calmly share the facts, explain how they see it, invite others’ perspectives, and work toward a solution together.
Tools like this level the playing field. They make sure everyone has a voice, and that tough conversations don’t derail culture—they strengthen it.
Keep Culture a Shared Responsibility
A culture that stays healthy and resilient is one that’s everyone’s job. Leaders model it, but every team member owns it. The result? A living culture that adapts, grows, and works for the whole team.
Up Next: Friendship at Work — You need people you actually like working with. When friendships flourish, people stay longer, work harder, and bring their full selves to the job.
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