The 5 Key Elements of a Strong Culture

What does it take to build a strong culture? Cassandra Gordon, founder of Growth Culture, has dedicated her career to answering this question. With 20 years of experience driving change in corporate and government roles across Sydney, Perth, and Canberra, she specializes in helping startups design and cultivate their unique cultural frameworks. After leaving the corporate world, she committed to creating a new way of working that empowers individuals to thrive rather than just survive.

Why Culture is So Important Today

Many traditional companies still focus heavily on KPIs set by boards to meet shareholder interests, but this often overlooks a key point: when people are supported and empowered, they naturally achieve more, which ultimately leads to greater success for the entire organization.

Over the past few years, Cassandra has noticed a shift in the workplace, especially with movements like the Great Resignation reshaping priorities. She sees Generation Y, for example, seeking employers who stand clearly on important issues like gender equality, environmental sustainability, and social responsibility. This shift has placed pressure on companies to actively demonstrate these values, rather than just talking about them. 

Reflecting on her experiences, Cassandra sees five essential elements as the blueprint for a successful company culture, which we dive deep into below. 

“People are starting to see that working for a brand or a corporation is not who they are and they want to leave a bigger legacy or have a greater purpose in the world.”

Creating A Thriving Culture

Cassandra sees the traditional command-and-control hierarchy fading as workplaces evolve into spaces that value collaboration, purpose, and individual empowerment. For her, creating a thriving culture means fostering a space where people feel comfortable being themselves at work—without putting on a “game face” or hiding behind a professional facade. 

A thriving workplace is one where capable adults have the freedom and autonomy to pursue their goals and contribute in meaningful ways. It's about being clear on your purpose, knowing what you’re here to achieve, and having the flexibility to accomplish that in your own way. This blend of autonomy, purpose, and respect is what makes up a “thriving formula” for today’s workplaces.

The 5 Elements of A Strong Culture

Cassandra shares her insights into how companies can evolve beyond traditional structures, fostering an environment where employees feel engaged, supported, and inspired. Building a great company culture comes down to five essential elements that create a supportive and inspiring environment where people can thrive.

Purpose

A strong culture starts with a clear purpose. It’s more than a vision statement; purpose gives the company direction and inspires people to do their best. Purpose resonates deeply when it’s developed by those actively contributing to the company’s goals, not just handed down from the top. It should grow and adapt alongside the company, making it meaningful and motivating for everyone. 

LinkedIn’s purpose, for instance, is “to create economic opportunities for everyone in the global workforce.” It’s simple, clear, and it empowers people to engage with it on a personal level.

Freedom

Freedom within a company’s structure is another crucial element. Instead of rigid hierarchies that can limit growth and cause internal competition, imagine the organization as a self-sustaining ecosystem, where teams are empowered to collaborate and take initiative. Leaders here focus on supporting teams by providing the tools, guidance, and resources they need. This approach allows teams to connect directly with customers, understand their needs, and even experiment with new solutions, all without the need for constant oversight. 

When people are trusted to make decisions and manage their work, they feel more confident and invested in the results.

Creativity

Creativity flourishes when people have the freedom to innovate. In a global market where change is constant, creativity keeps a company fresh and competitive. 

For instance, Google encourages its software engineers to spend a day each week exploring new ideas—this time for creative thinking and experimentation fuels ongoing innovation. When mistakes aren’t punished but seen as learning experiences, it encourages people to be open to new ideas and to keep pushing the boundaries, moving the organization forward.

Diversity

Diversity keeps the organization agile, adaptive, and competitive. Alongside this diversity, aligning on core values helps ensure that everyone contributes positively. A truly thriving culture values diversity, which means more than hiring for a traditional “cultural fit.” 

For Cassandra, a thriving organization needs to embrace a wide range of backgrounds, genders, experiences, and ages. She notes that new technologies, like natural voice recognition, can help reduce unconscious bias in hiring. 

Safety

Psychological safety is the foundation that allows these other elements to thrive. When people feel safe at work, they can do their best without fear of judgment, exclusion, or retaliation. Studies, like Google’s Project Aristotle, show that psychological safety is one of the most critical factors for high-performing teams. 

In a supportive, respectful environment, employees can voice ideas, make suggestions, and even take risks without worry. A culture of safety reduces workplace tension and politics, allowing people to focus on what really matters—growing together and making meaningful contributions.

The Thriving Formula

Cassandra created "The Thriving Formula," a framework that combines key elements of a positive workplace culture: freedom, creativity, purpose, diversity, and safety.

The formula is simple:

(Freedom + Creativity + Purpose) ÷ Safety × Diversity = Thriving Individuals and Teams

In this model, freedom, creativity, and purpose are the core ingredients that drive success. However, these elements need a solid foundation of safety to truly flourish. When safety is compromised, it can weaken these essential factors, making it crucial to maintain a strong and consistent safety net.

Diversity plays a vital role in this equation, acting as a multiplier that enriches the workplace with a variety of ideas and perspectives. This diversity is what sparks innovation and creativity among teams.

Cassandra has witnessed this formula in action, seeing firsthand how these elements work together to foster a vibrant, human-centered workplace. It resonates with everyone, offering a practical approach to building a thriving workplace ecosystem where individuals and teams can truly thrive.

Starting From Scratch

Cassandra thinks that the best way to transform an organization’s culture is often to start from the ground up. In large corporations, this might mean breaking down existing structures before building them back up in a healthier way. While many organizations look for quick fixes to cultural challenges, genuine change requires the courage to reevaluate and embrace new ways of working together. 

Smaller or newer businesses have a fantastic opportunity to establish a strong cultural foundation right from the beginning. By doing this, they can set themselves up for success as they grow.

Cassandra highlights that effective leaders, especially CEOs, need to be honest and humble. This means putting their egos aside and truly listening to their teams. Such openness not only fosters trust but also allows boards to rethink their strategies and include all areas of the organization in decision-making.

Key Takeaways

Three key takeaways stand out here.

• Effective leaders are proactive; they focus on cultivating a positive culture from day one. 

• Effective leaders avoid workplace politics, recognizing its destructive impact on teams.

• Effective leaders create reliable and repeatable systems based on their own experiences.

Cassandra's journey in developing her thriving formula reflects the depth of her experience and the values she stands for: integrity, respect, and justice. 

If you want to dive deeper into my conversation with Cassandra, tune in to the podcast episode here: The 5 Key Elements of a Strong Culture

Are your values challenged in your workplace, and what actions are you taking in response? Let me know your answer and your thoughts on this topic in the comments.