CULTURE AND COMMUNICATIONS
Culture and communication form the fabric of your company - we can help strengthen it.
At its heart, culture is shaped by conversation.
The way people talk with each other—the words, the tone, the way they listen, the stories that are shared—this creates the fabric of how an organization feels and functions.
That’s why culture and communications can’t be separated. When they’re aligned, people feel connected, trust grows, and the whole organization moves more smoothly toward its goals. When they’re not, the road to your goals is anything but smooth - think Chicago-style potholes every few feet.
We help leaders strengthen both—by defining and refining the foundations of culture (mission, vision, values, purpose) and making sure internal communications actually support and reinforce that culture.
As Edgar Schein once said, people are the architects of culture. And we believe a strong culture, like a well-designed building, is both durable and beautiful—something people feel proud to be part of, and something that lasts.
When teams clash, information gets stuck, outcomes don’t match intentions—we can step in to help. We can work with you to repair what’s broken, smooth the rough edges, and create new ways of communicating that rebuild trust and connection.
The result: a culture that feels intentional, resilient, and that helps your organization get where it’s meant to be.
Culture and Communication Case Studies
We remove our clients’ names from case studies to honor confidentiality. Reach out to learn more about the challenges faced by these clients and our solutions.
#1: IDENTIFYING MISSION, VISION AND VALUES
An executive director recognized that his staff, of a Chicago-area park district, had gone above-and-beyond to provide incredible services to the community throughout the pandemic. Their contributions had shifted the organization culture, and the executive director wanted to ensure a clear vision for the future, focused on strategy and shared cultural values that supported their organization’s mission in enriching community life.
Once established, the mission, vision, and values could be the backbone of the team’s culture—and also offer expectations that could shape employee hiring and training.
Our team began by working with the local community to identify the district’s values. Through focus groups and staff interviews, we identified 30 values that were evident when the district was at their best.
Then we brought staff together to discuss the interrelationships of these values. Together, the staff identified three values that were most central to their work:
We are welcoming,
We are caring,
We are extraordinary.
With these values identified, we worked with the district’s senior leaders to refine the mission and vision, and later to identify strategies that evolved from the values.
The simple language of the values was memorable for all staff, and became part of the hiring and training expectations for the organization. The executive director and his team implemented a successful strategic plan, drawn from the values, and have returned to our consultants in an effort to remain a values-driven organization.
#2: FINDING COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS THAT WORK FOR ALL
“It turns out, less messaging was better for our staff,” reported one executive. “Simple messaging that was heard was more important than complex messages that were overlooked.”
Engagement survey results indicated communication was a challenge for the staff of a healthcare system. With team members and providers working across multiple shifts, and few people sitting at a desk for long, finding easy ways to communicate important messages felt impossible. Because of these challenges, some team members felt uninformed and disconnected. How, the CEO wondered, could important messages reach everyone?
Our team spent multiple days onsite in the healthcare system, conducting interviews with staff and health care providers across all three shifts. We observed how they were able to receive messages, identified obstacles, and collected ideas for improving communications.
Next, we delivered recommendations for improving internal communications that focused on both tone and channel. We provided senior leaders with tools for simplifying and clarifying intention, and recommended training managers on the responsibility of communication. We offered technical recommendations that provided immediate solutions to the communications gaps.
After implementation, the organization saw a notable improvement in survey results and executives reported a greater sense of connection and strengthened culture.
#3: RESTORING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN STRUGGLING TEAMS
“The situation has become intolerable,” said the director on the phone as he explained the dynamics between three teams in his organization. Though their work was interrelated, the team members struggled to get along.
One team was under pressure from executives to increase revenue and provide exceptional customer service, leading them to take on more work than could be managed by the rest of the organization. Making matters worse, negative attitudes and commanding tones created friction where strong relationships were needed.
First, our team met individually with team members to hear their concerns and assess the concerns. There were some technical challenges—like knowing who was on call, or what form of communication was best for a message—that could be solved with better processes. But to really increase fulfillment and decrease frustration, we knew hard-working staff members needed to feel appreciated by their colleagues.
After bringing the initial recommendations forward, we gathered the teams for a meeting to design solutions together. The time included honest conversation about the tone of messaging and the need for respectful, appreciative approaches. Then work groups formed to resolve technical challenges while strengthening relationships.
“We felt heard,” said one team member about the process. “And we have a plan for moving forward.”
Today, the teams are working together with greater ease, in part thanks to this process. The recommendations led to process improvements and improved relationships among staff members.