Culture is as important at home and in the office.
When my daughter Vivi returned from her two-week adventure out east with her dad’s family last summer, we both felt the “missing” deeply. But we turned that longing into something positive by creating a list of all the things we couldn’t wait to do together. Top of the list? Grabbing ice cream at our local Scoop, hiking our favorite trail with Rosie, and diving into dragon stories at bedtime. These little rituals are part of our unique family culture.
Just like families, companies have their own cultures too.
Tim Ferriss’ put on a great podcast featuring Reed Hastings on Netflix’s legendary culture. (If you haven’t listened yet, add it to your playlist!) Years ago, I had the chance to work with an executive think tank and got to know Patty McCord, Netflix’s former CHRO. Patty, alongside Reed Hastings, co-authored the famous Netflix culture deck that’s been viewed millions of times.
There’s a lot to admire about Netflix’s approach, but three aspects really stand out to me:
➡ Team, Not Family: Unlike Salesforce’s “Ohana” approach, Netflix sees the company as a team, not a family. While you’d go to great lengths to support a family member in distress, a company’s responsibility is to nurture star players—rewarding and developing them to excel, rather than just bailing them out.
➡ Context, Not Control: Netflix believes in providing the context needed for informed decision-making, not dictating every move. When your team is filled with star players, they thrive with an objective and the freedom to find their own way to achieve it.
➡ Farming for Dissent: Reed and Patty often emphasized the importance of seeking out and understanding dissent before moving forward with an idea or project. This practice ensures that decisions are made with open eyes and the agility to pivot if needed.
Understanding company culture is essential, but when it comes to deepening customer relationships, it’s just as important to understand THEIR culture. What drives them? How do they define success? And how can we align our values with theirs to create a shared vision?
When I was at IDEO we deeply tried to understand our clients and their customer’s culture. We didn’t just read annual reports, we walked the halls of their offices and spent time in their customer’s homes. We definitely farmed for dissent, and we also farmed for desire. We needed to deeply understand core needs and behaviors. Once we did we could innovate in the same direction as their passions.
Patty and Netflix often reference a line from Le Petit Prince when discussing culture, and I think it sums up the essence perfectly:
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the people to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”
In the end, it’s all about cultivating that shared passion—for family, for business, and for the vast possibilities ahead.
