The Culture Skills that could Change the World
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It was another Monday morning at a fast-growing tech company. On the surface, everything looked fine: revenue was climbing, new products were shipping, offices were hives of activity.
But under the surface, something else was happening:
Teams were working in silos.
Talented people were exhausted.
Decisions were made in corners, not openly.
Ideas were left unsaid because people weren’t sure if it was safe to speak up.
And the leadership team kept asking the wrong question: “What do we need to transform next?”
The truth? They didn’t need another product launch or change initiative. They needed to work on the business itself — to build the skills that shape thriving cultures: listening, feedback, inclusion, creativity. Everyday actions, not big rollouts.
Scenarios just like this are playing out in workplaces around the world…
The State of the Workplace in 2025
The numbers are sobering:
66% of employees feel burned out this year. Two-thirds of the workforce running on empty
Isolation is rising — hybrid and remote workers often feel invisible or excluded
Productivity growth is slowing, even as technology accelerates
Gallup estimates disengagement is costing the global economy $8.9 trillion annually
These aren’t just workplace statistics. They’re signals of something bigger:
When people are burned out, they don’t have the energy to contribute ideas, volunteer in their communities, or nurture their families.
When employees feel isolated, innovation dries up, and society becomes more fragmented.
When businesses underperform because of disengagement, economies slow down, opportunities shrink, and inequality widens.
In short: the state of our workplaces is holding back the state of our world.
And yet, the solution doesn’t lie in more technology or another strategy playbook. It lies in something deceptively simple: building the skills that nurture thriving workplace cultures.
Lessons from leaders who realise culture fuels growth
Cummins: The global power systems company realised their machines and strategy were only as good as the culture powering them. Under CHRO Marvin Boakye, they embedded inclusion, respect, and fairness into leadership behaviours and decision-making. The result: Cummins now ranks top of its industry for culture and values. Their secret? Small, consistent reinforcements of core skills over time.
Airbnb: In its early years, the company nearly stalled because trust and belonging were missing. Brian Chesky recognised that without psychological safety, innovation would stall. By embedding skills like candid feedback, transparency, and listening, Airbnb built resilience and growth that continues today.
HubSpot: Famous for its “Culture Code,” HubSpot didn’t just write values — they taught and reinforced them as daily skills. Leaders practised them in meetings, managers embedded them in feedback loops. That’s why culture became a magnet for talent and a driver of scale.
Across these stories the pattern is clear: leaders who treat culture skills as core unlock growth others can’t.
The 8 Culture Skills that could change the world
In today’s climate of burnout, complexity, and constant change, eight skills matter most:
🧘 Protect Balance & Energy
🌍 Include Every Voice
🎧 Listen & Act on Feedback
🗣 Give Candid, Caring Feedback
💡 Learn Every Day
🌐 Connect Across Silos
🌎 Lead with Human Transparency
🔄 Share Decisions & Autonomy
These aren’t lofty concepts. They’re practical skills you can build — in small, everyday steps.
A simple way to start
Pick one skill. And start small...
Ask a new question in your next meeting: “What’s one idea we’re not hearing?”
Protect one hour a week as “no-meeting time.”
Share one piece of feedback in the moment, not weeks later
Download our 1-pager for a breakdown of each skill and ideas on how to get going developing them – yourself, in teams and across workplaces:
Download 1 Pager: 8 Culture Skills That Could Change the World
These nudges feel tiny, but they build momentum. And momentum builds culture.
Culture isn’t transformed by grand statements. It’s built by everyday skills, repeated often enough to change how people feel and work together.
When leaders and teams realise it’s this simple, the shift is powerful:
People feel seen and valued.
Teams collaborate more and burn out less.
Businesses innovate faster and grow stronger.
And society benefits too: healthier communities, stronger economies, more hopeful futures.
That’s how culture skills change not just workplaces — but the world.
