Aligned or Misaligned: Team Culture Decides
Book Giveaway!!
20 copies available!!
Leave a comment on this guest post by Keith Lucas to become eligible for one of 20 complimentary copies of his new book, Impact: How to Inspire, Align, and Amplify Innovative Teams.
Deadline for eligibility is 08/24/2025. International winners will receive electronic version.
When I left Roblox after 10 years, I took with me some very meaningful friendships. This didn’t surprise me because we had built those relationships in the trenches, forged by a shared experience of setbacks and triumphs. But what did surprise me was how different I soon learned we were outside of work.
I had assumed we were much closer in worldview because of how well we worked together—how we gelled as a team, faced challenges, and served our audience. I was wrong.
This was just another lesson in why team culture matters.
Core Beliefs
My comrades and I shared a core set of beliefs: A vision of the world we wanted to create, a mission to bring that world into being, and a set of values for how we operated.
Those shared beliefs converted a group of very different human beings into a cohesive team. And the stronger those beliefs—the more concrete, relevant, and lived—the stronger the team.
Personal vs. Professional Agendas
Multi-disciplined teams are made up of people with different personal agendas, but they are also composed of people with different professional agendas—the engineer, the product manager, the analyst. These differences divide teams when the culture is weak.
5 Ways to Reinforce Cohesion
To ensure a team operates cohesively, I regularly reinforce a few things:
- Vision and mission — Are they clear, compelling, and shared?
- Values — Are they concrete, actionable, and relevant?
- Strategy — Are we on the right track, and will we succeed?
- Friction — Are we converting effort into impact efficiently?
- Urgency — Are we operating at a healthy pace?
Nothing fuels division more than these being off track—a team that’s unclear on where it’s going and why it’s going there, and unconvinced in its ability to succeed, will not gel.
But when these things are clear and compelling, individuals transform into teams.
Which idea for building team cohesion resonates with you?
What builds team culture?
BIO
Keith Lucas is a startup advisor specializing in product, growth, people, and culture. Keith advises startups in gaming, creator platforms, entertainment, social, AI, and enterprise. He also advises non-profits. His book, Impact: How to Inspire, Align, and Amplify Innovative Teams (August 2025), presents a two-tiered framework that examines culture as a system and leadership as a discipline.
Excited to learn more. We are on a journey to move the needle in our culture and would enjoy reading!
Belize Mission Society leads short term mission teams with common values. I’d love to get more information from this book. Keeping teams on task for the same goal is imperative.
Values. Are they just words on the walls of our hallways or demonstrated by the actions of our people? We’re working incredibly hard to ensure what we say, is aligned with how we behave.
Agree 100%. There’s a children’s bible song that encourages the child to be careful what you hear, what you see, what you do, and where you go. a great lesson on the importance of communication, work ethic, and values within the organization you work for.
Never experienced this in the corporate culture. Only during my 20 year service in the Marine Corps have I experienced this type of culture.
Looking forward to learning more. We have been on a path to making sure people feel they belong to our school culture.
Culture is more than pizza on Wednesdays. Culture is how you, as a leader, interact with those above and below you on the org chart. Management has the biggest influence on culture and can drive the business forward, or off a cliff.
Definitely want to learn more as our admin team leads an amazing group of special educators and therapists!
Just recently took over leading a small institution and finding the battle to try and move the culture in a more positive direction is tough! It is hard work to move away from the “But, that’s not how we used to do it…” Hard work and time of consistent moving in the right direction.
When individuals separate themselves from your culture, how do you reengage and pull them back in? Interested in reading more about this to tackle our challenge.
Would be good to read more
Team cohesion is so important the success of organizations!
Great information! Awareness is the key!
Culture is sos important and sometimes so elusive
When I think about culture I am reminded of these 3 things – it acts like an invisible string which give a sense of belonging; it gives identity of an organization and it clarifies behavioral approaches and strategies.
With RTO mandates increasing, and so many teams who’d prefer to find a new job rather than RTO, culture is more important now than ever
I work in Nutrition Services for a large school district. In the last few years, our district created our Strategic Roadmap:
Mission: Our Core Purpose with Distinction
Vision: What We Intend to Create
Core Values: Drivers of our Words and Actions
Strategic Priorities: Focus of our Continuous Improvement. (There are four which relate to our eight core values.)
I would love the opportunity to learn more. I would appreciate any tools that could help us building culture as our district continues to grow.
I think determining core values that you actually emulate and believe in, rather than aspirational core values is the key. No one can get on board with something that is not actually being demonstrated in the organization’s day to day.
Knowledge is power😊
This resonates with me: “These differences divide teams when the culture is weak.” I’m working to build culture with a team that has been so siloed from the rest of the teams. I’m up to the challenge, but appreciate this insight to help along the way.
I’d love a copy! We are really trying to dig in to culture and rebuild our team to the level I know they are capable of!
We just had a meeting where we shared this thought with out school principal, that we are not all on the same page with the mission/vision, etc.. I sure wish I had had your words to express it so succulently at that meeting!
Being part of a start-up building a positive, productive and mission aligned culture is one of our primary goals!
Speed of the Leader is important but the Walk of the Leader impacts the core. Cohesion, community, caring, commonality.
I have been exposed to the concept of company culture, but what I like about this author’s discussion is the extension of applying it to teams by building cohesiveness and *converting* (not eliminating) friction – since that difference in individual thought can bring innovation.
“Culture is what binds us together…” incredibly timely! My group is literally walking through this fire at the moment. It’s hard to let go of what is comfortable to build something new.
I have always stated that the values should be visible in the culture or in the staff actions. Shouldn’t need them poste don a wall.
Culture is all inclusive of the company values, skills and focus. Staying true to the work is what leadership is all about.
I’d really like a copy of this text as I lead a team in school leadership. Relationships matter!
You notice the culture of the company when you act against the unwritten rules…
This is such a great post highlighting how different people can come together and work cohesively. I feel like it is only the tip of the iceberg and the art is in how to achieve that cohesiveness!
I have found building cohesive teams can be one of the biggest challenges as a leader. It is nice to have the vision, ideas and even tools, but bringing all together where each individual member can relate and see those visions is the test of a good leader, especially in this day and age when you so much generational differences.
Culture is what’s kept me at my current place of work for 13 years. It’s changing and I think it’s important to evolve, but not overturn the apple cart too far (keeping focus on core values and foundation). Evolving to the changes of society is imperative, but you don’t have to lose sight of the values and focus that got you to where you are. Culture checks from the top down are key.
A good leader needs to be open to feedback. He/she needs to be willing to listen regarding what’s off-track and not just the ‘good’ stuff and has to able to take that information and use it to transform the individuals into a team that sees the vision and wants to be a part of it. It’s not easy but so worth it when it comes together.
As I progress through my career, I realize that I haven’t done a good job of communicating a clear vision. Something I’m working on this year!
I couldn’t agree more with your take on culture, especially as it related to the functioning of multidisciplinary teams.
I was so happy when someone who works for me disagreed with me this morning on a topic. This made me realize that person felt safe to share her opinion. This post resonates with me and I would love to read this book.
We are working hard to align our entire team with our values, even if it means elimination of those who truly do not, and will never, align. It’s not easy, but vital for our team’s success. Would love to read more!
I work for a company that prides itself on culture. What makes it even better is that individual teams are encouraged to develop their own within the context of company culture. It gives the teams autonomy and pride in what they’ve created and foster.
In my unique role in public education, I spend (too much) time explaining the nuances of student behavior and the culture of the school. Think of the IMPACT having this book could have on my organization! I would love to learn more about Mr. Lucas’s “two-tiered framework that examines culture as a system and leadership as a discipline.”
How do you align the culture to support the strategy? Very important topic. I would like to get your insights.
Culture is a huge piece of your identity and longevity as a team that is constantly growing and changing. How do you change a culture when it has been entrenched in the organization for decades and it is not a healthy one of team work and lifting one another up, while still moving forward to an ambiguous or unclear goal for the ministry team? I’m searching to find ways to adapt and lead to more success, but doing so in that difficult “middle management” level of positioning. Maybe this book can help me find answers and create intentionality within the areas I have influence?
Culture is reinforced through not only repetition but in living it out in every single detail until it is hard wired in your team and then you must make sure they live it out in every single detail. Culture is the hardest endeavor for a leader to change.
Thank you. Needed reminded of those ways to create cohesion. Gonna work on answering those questions today
I liked the five questions and also appreciated that the team members have various roles and therefore various viewpoints. Look forward to hearing more about these ideas!
All of these are great. I’ve also found making sure elements of the team aren’t working in a stovepipe, moving forward on their own. Even if there are common goals, regular interaction is critical for the team to “gel”.
Mr. Lucus does an effective job in reinforcing the importance of impact. We impact each other, and sometimes we forget the importance of internal customer service, which is impacting the experience of each other. That is how we inspire each other to become part of culture. Still working on it in a large school system. Thank you for the reminders. Would enjoy reading the book…
Excellent post! Vision resonates most for me – when people share a vision for the future, they can align goals and perspectives knowing that, even if they have a different approach, they’re on the same team.
Nothing fuels division more than these being off track—a team that’s unclear on where it’s going and why it’s going there, and unconvinced in its ability to succeed, will not gel.
This makes me think about orienting staff. The focus on most orientations is on orienting new hires to the organization as a whole, how may people include a time during that orientation for orienting the new hire to the team they are on? And, what intentional steps are taken by the team members to not only help the new person “get along with team members,” but also reinforce the vision, goals, etc. of the team? Are team members oriented to how valuable this is to the success of the team and what their role is in making sure it happens? I’d love a copy of the book! Pick me!
Vision.
Team culture is built by open communication, as well as trust and respect.
Cohesive culture defines how the mission will survive during difficult times and how it will grow during emerging markets.
I’d love to read this as I think about our district team helping to build school teams, especially our schools that are in turnaround status.
I appreciate you daily reading.
I could use a new book to read!
Culture is interesting in many ways. It’s so hard to define, but you know when you see it (or feel it). It’s also so very hard to get it back once it starts to slip, or even to recognize that it has started to slip.
This looks like a great read.
“Are we converting effort into impact efficiently?”
As a new leader in an educational setting, firm foundations and culture in my Team is everything. The culture we develop as adults, filters into the way we teach our young people. I would love to learn more.
Culture is everything. Need to have happy and productive employees. I would love to learn more about this.!
Having clarity about where our team is heading and how we work together is critical. As a Team lead I would appreciate learning more on this subject.
Culture is a way of living, working, make friendship and relationship and
Culture is a way of living, working, developing friendship and relationship, leading, thinking, eating, creating, …it’s a total way of life, it’s a guideline for us as human beings, it connects us in certain ways but divides us under different conditions, it is fabric of society and culture as an essential part of a society makes continuation of society possible which means a society without culture can not exist! Each individual in a society not only belongs to the main stream culture but the same time is member of different sub-cultures, now a days we also are members of global culture. Being member of different cultures and subcultures itself can cause conflict and hostility but it’s up to us how being members of different cultures and be able to use the beauties of each cultures at the maximum level for positive relationship, cooperation, and benefits of us and others.
Each profession and organization within a society develops its own culture to promote the profession and organization’s services and products providing cooperative relationship among professionals and employees. Building a good team or different good teams within any organization is a big step forward which may secure the success of the organization.
No social unit/social organization (family, group, organization, larger society) exists without its own culture but it does not necessarily mean all cultures and sub-cultures can help the respective social unit, we can talk about conflictual sub-culture or criminal sub-culture or non-democratic political culture which as ,you can guess, May ruin the respective social unit whether it’s family or group, organization or larger society.
Any social unit needs leadership or council of leadership to have vision/ be visionary to lead the social unit including organization. There different types of leadership which includes humanistic leadership, Democratic leadership, non-democratic leadership, charismatic leadership,… and they are not mutually exclusive which I mean a leader can be charismatic, Democratic and humanist at the same time but no organization can operates properly, survives for a long period of time without wise, experienced, visionary, team-player, innovator, people-oriented, and ambitious leaders.
I am living in the United States. If I win the book I like to have printed copy and electronic one as well. Upon reading it I may be interested to see if translate it into a foreign language with the permission of author and/or publisher.
Thanks and best,
Culture is what you do not what you say – great line! working in the NGO sector for many years I was able to, over time, influence the culture of the organisations that I led. Working now in a government context I am struck by how much more difficult it is to influence the culture of the organisation beyond my own small team.
Good stuff. I’m interested to learn more.
I know I am chiming in late but wanted to say that your daily posts have really been inspirational to me. I feel that being a season leader, we tend to overlook the culture of the department. You settle in and expect your team to settle in as well. Daily challenges tend to just be there, and you work through. Culture changes daily and we as leaders need to make sure that we are open to those daily changes and work with our teams to make sure they are open to them as well.
Thanks Dan
Would love to learn more!
Culture is a shared ecosystem, with every person contributing. There are established norms and ways of operating and interacting. It’s not a set of beliefs on the wall, but rather, how everyone chooses to show up on a daily basis. An organization needs to consistently examine and re-examine its culture and norms.
I’ve always believed that innovation and culture are closely linked.
Such a great perspective! Would love to learn more.
It’s hard to overstate the power of team culture, whether it’s the whole company or a small part of it. I have (fortunately or not) been in various teams in most of the 15-odd companies I’ve worked for over the years. I feel I’ve helped the culture at every one. The list of friends I’ve made at most of them seem to tell a story: culture – when you take the time and effort to make it – lasts longer than your tenure at the company, sometimes longer than the company itself. And for a person like me who (for whatever reason) has a peripatetic career, those friends prove valuable.
Thank you! I just launched a new year with a redesigned team and we started with purpose/ vision/ goals and understanding each other as teammates before we dug into any work. This post so aligns with why the prior team was not working – we were NOT on the same page, folks had their own agendas, work was being siloed and intentionally not shared (even with me) and the culture was heavy and unproductive, and toxically shared outside of our team. We have a fresh start this year and the veteran members have commented that the intentionality of focusing on our work *together* is refreshing and motivating. Some other managers are skeptical of how we might spend our time and want us to have ‘highly productive business meetings’. We’re going to read this perfectly timed post together tomorrow to reinforce why the vision and goal setting and team building are critical to getting anything else done! Appreciate you!
The emphasis on values really resonates with me. I’ve seen firsthand how clearly defined and consistently reinforced values shape the everyday behaviors that build culture. When values are actionable and visible in decision-making, they become the glue that holds a team together—especially during times of change or pressure.
This could not have dropped at a better time for me. Many organizations speak of their culture, but actions don’t reflect that. I have found that to live in one’s culture requires a great deal of courage, honesty and kindness. It’s an every day intentional effort that pays dividends in all that we do. Thanks!