How Healthy Is Your Company Culture? 3 Questions to Ask

In business, company culture isn't a nice-to-have. It's oxygen. 

Think about it: When everyone’s on the same page, hopeful, and moving toward the same goal, challenges don't derail you. They sharpen you. That's the kind of culture that creates momentum and helps you build a business you actually love leading.

So, how’s your company’s culture doing? Whether you’re an owner, a manager, or an HR professional, now is the perfect time to ask these three questions:

1. How’s My Connection to My Team?

People don't bring their job titles to work. They bring their wins, stresses and lives. Whether that means they're having money issues or their kid scored the game-winning goal in their soccer game over the weekend, they need to know you care. 

So, if you're not making space to connect regularly and sincerely, trust will break down, their focus will slip, and they won't own your business priorities the way you need them to for growth.

What can you do?

• Understand that connection is your secret weapon. That doesn't mean prying—it means caring.
• Lean in and show gratitude to your team members.
• Ask real questions and communicate with them in a way that builds trust. 

When your team knows you're for them, they'll give you their best. Strong connection also helps you earn trust and buy-in to your vision.

2. Is My Vision Contagious?

Every team needs a clear vision to stay focused on where you're going and why. Otherwise, they'll drift, and so will your business. That's why you need a clearly defined vision statement you communicate regularly to your team.

Take it from Ramsey CEO Dave Ramsey, “As a leader, you have to share your vision with your team early and often. It is impossible to talk about it too much.”

Your role is to model the vision, repeat it until it sticks, and show your people the part they play in reaching your big, hairy, audacious goals (BHAG). That's how ownership and momentum build. Without it, they’ll drift into silos, lose focus, and underperform.

• So, ask yourself, Has my team caught the vision?
  If you're not sure, ask them to explain it back to you in their own words. If they can't, it's time to recast it. 
   
• Then ask, Is my team aligned?
  If they’re not, the lack of unity will cost you—and your team won’t move together toward the future you see.

Without vision, culture cracks and growth stalls. With it, you build a company people want to be part of. But even with vision, people still need something deeper: to know they matter to you and to the mission.
 

3. Do My People Know They Matter?

Let's be honest, everyone wants to know their work matters and they matter too. But appreciation that fuels your culture is more than an occasional pat on the back. It's consistent, intentional and meaningful gratitude.

Simple moments to show your employees that they matter include thanking them personally or honoring their hard work in front of the rest of the team. You could also say thank you by taking them to lunch, getting them a coffee, or celebrating their work with a trophy or poster for their desk. Afterall, who wouldn’t love a golden goat for being GOAT of the Month? Bigger investments like financial wellness programs and profit sharing also communicate company values and how much you appreciate your team.

So, what’s the takeaway? It's not the size of the gesture—it's the consistency and sincerity. And when you invest in people, they invest back in the mission.

Healthy Culture Is Built on Healthy Relationships

At the end of the day, culture isn't a program. It's the overflow of strong relationships between leaders and their teams.  Here’s how it comes together:

• When you connect consistently with your team, trust grows.
• When trust grows, your vision takes root.
• When the vision sticks, people know they matter to the mission—and to you.

Lead this way over time (aka lead by serving), and your business won’t just be a place to do a J-O-B. It will become a mission your team is proud to join—and a place they want to build their careers. That’s the heart of building a business you love.