Culture Is Not Built by Events. It’s Built by Leaders.

Culture Is Not Built by Events. It’s Built by Leaders.

Working across different team environments has taught me something powerful:

Culture is not created by HR initiatives alone.

Not by wellbeing days. Not by monthly lunches. Not by employee awards.

Those amplify culture. They don’t create it.

Culture is built at the micro level — between a team and their direct leader.

Through:

• Proximity
• Shared experience
• Emotional modelling
• Participation

If a leader encourages the team to bond but doesn’t participate, the signal is clear.

Connection becomes optional. And teams feel it. The most cohesive teams I’ve experienced weren’t defined by perks. They were defined by leaders who were present — not just operationally, but relationally.

Leadership, to me, is not about hierarchy. It’s about emotional tone.

And the culture I hope to build — wherever I work next — will always prioritise:

High standards. Shared ownership. Human connection.

Because belonging precedes performance.