In today’s fast-moving workplace, company culture isn’t just about perks or ping-pong tables — it’s the foundation of how people feel, behave, and perform at work. But here’s the problem: many professionals don’t realize culture is off track until the signs are loud, disruptive, and already costing talent.

If you’re in a leadership role or plan to grow into one, it’s worth asking: How do I know when culture is working — and when it’s quietly falling apart?

Let’s break it down.

1. Listen for What’s Not Being Said

Culture issues rarely start with shouting — they show up in silence. When employees stop speaking up, avoid giving feedback, or seem disengaged during meetings, that’s a red flag. Leaders should create intentional space for honest, two-way conversations. Anonymous surveys, listening sessions, or even casual one-on-ones can uncover truths you may not hear in the boardroom.

2. Check Your Alignment Between Values and Reality

It’s one thing to say your company values “innovation” or “transparency,” but are those values actually lived out day to day? Professionals, especially Millennials and Gen Z workers, notice when company values are performative. If decisions, communication, and recognition don’t match what’s written on the wall — trust starts to erode.

3. Look at How You Handle Conflict

Healthy cultures don’t avoid conflict — they manage it well. If your team is either constantly in chaos or pretending problems don’t exist, your culture needs a reset. Pay attention to how disagreements are handled. Are people punished for raising concerns, or are issues discussed with mutual respect?

4. Evaluate Your Burnout Triggers

High performers are often the first to burn out when culture isn’t supportive. If productivity is up but morale is down, take a closer look at workload distribution, unclear boundaries, or lack of psychological safety. A sustainable culture respects the whole person, not just the bottom line.

5. Be Honest About Your Leadership Impact

Culture starts at the top, but it’s shaped by everyone. If you’re a team lead, manager, or aspiring executive — ask yourself: Am I reinforcing the kind of culture I want to work in? Your daily actions, tone, and consistency matter more than any formal policy.

Career Takeaway

You don’t need to be a CEO to influence culture — but you do need to be aware of how it shows up. Whether you’re managing people now or preparing for a leadership role in the future, understanding company culture is part of your career brand. The more aligned you are with healthy values and communication, the more trust, growth, and impact you’ll create.

As Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) undertakes a significant expansion in Phoenix, Arizona, it faces the complex task of integrating its established corporate culture with American workplace norms. This cultural convergence is not just a matter of operational logistics but a profound organizational transformation that offers valuable insights into managing cross-cultural dynamics within multinational corporations.

The Cultural Confluence

TSMC’s corporate ethos, deeply rooted in Taiwanese values, emphasizes a rigorous work ethic, humility, and a company-first mindset. These principles have been instrumental in TSMC’s global success but present challenges when transplanted into the American work environment, which often prioritizes individualism and work-life balance.

Initial phases of the Arizona project revealed cultural clashes and differing work expectations. Some American employees found the intense work culture demanding, while others thrived, appreciating the clarity of purpose and commitment to excellence. Jefferson Patz, an early hire who trained in Taiwan, observed varying problem-solving approaches between the two cultures, highlighting the need for mutual understanding and adaptation.

Leadership’s Role in Cultural Integration

Rose Castanares, President of TSMC Arizona, acknowledges that the company’s high standards may not suit everyone but emphasizes that those who embrace the culture have found it rewarding. Leadership plays a pivotal role in facilitating cultural integration by setting clear expectations, providing support, and fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are valued.

Implications for Organizational Culture

TSMC’s experience underscores the importance of cultural adaptability in today’s globalized business landscape. Organizations expanding into new regions must navigate cultural differences thoughtfully, balancing the preservation of core values with the need for local responsiveness. This involves open communication, cultural sensitivity training, and inclusive policies that respect and integrate diverse work practices.

Conclusion

TSMC’s journey in Arizona serves as a compelling case study on the complexities of organizational culture in multinational expansions. By proactively addressing cultural differences and fostering an inclusive environment, companies can not only mitigate potential conflicts but also enrich their organizational culture, driving innovation and global success.

It’s one of the most talked-about workplace values—and one of the hardest to get right: feedback.

We say we want it. We promise to give it. We build systems for it. But in many organizations, feedback is still filtered, softened, delayed—or avoided altogether. And when that happens, teams don’t just lose out on growth. They lose trust.

The way your workplace handles feedback—both giving and receiving it—says more about your culture than your mission statement ever will.

Feedback Isn’t Just a Tool. It’s a Culture Signal.

When feedback flows freely, it tells employees:

• It’s safe to speak up

• Growth is expected, not punished

• Mistakes are part of the process

• You don’t have to be perfect to be valuable

On the other hand, when feedback is rare, vague, or overly cautious, people learn to play it safe. They stop asking questions. They stop sharing ideas. They start protecting themselves.

That doesn’t just affect performance—it erodes trust over time.

Why Most Feedback Cultures Fall Flat

Many organizations get stuck in one of two places:

1. Feedback as performance review theater – where “feedback” only happens once or twice a year, wrapped in corporate language and HR forms.

2. Feedback as conflict – where it’s either too blunt, too personal, or weaponized instead of developmental.

In both cases, employees aren’t getting what they really need: timely, clear, human feedback that helps them do better—not just feel judged.

What a Healthy Feedback Culture Actually Looks Like

You’ll know you’re building the right kind of culture when:

• Feedback happens in real time, not just in meetings

• Managers ask for feedback as often as they give it

• Praise is specific and tied to behaviors, not just effort

• Constructive feedback is delivered with respect—and received with curiosity

• Peer-to-peer feedback is encouraged, not awkward or off-limits

And most importantly, when mistakes or tensions arise, the team handles them through communication—not silence or avoidance.

Want to Build That Kind of Culture? Start Here.

1. Normalize Micro-Feedback
Encourage short, specific feedback exchanges regularly—after a meeting, a presentation, or a project. It lowers the stakes and builds comfort.

2. Train Managers to Model It
If leaders can’t receive honest feedback, no one else will either. It starts at the top.

3. Make Feedback Part of the Workflow
Don’t isolate it. Build it into team huddles, project retros, and even onboarding.

4. Reward Psychological Safety
Recognize and reward behaviors that create openness: speaking up, asking tough questions, or admitting when something didn’t work.

Final Thought

You don’t need a fancy tool or a new HR policy to build a culture of feedback. You need consistent behavior, clear expectations, and the willingness to be a little uncomfortable—for the sake of growth.

Because in a strong culture, feedback isn’t personal—it’s a sign that we care enough to help each other improve.