Culture As a Soundtrack

Do you have music playing while reading this? How is your choice of music affecting how you feel now? Are you feeling relaxed and wishing to read something light? Are you moved to dance to the music? Do you read/work quicker when you listen to music with a faster tempo? Are you someone who sings along to the music (and knows every lyric)? Are songs with lyrics distracting when you need to work (and you play only instrumentals during those times), or is your focus the same with any type of music?

Think of an organization’s culture as an online soundtrack of the work environment. It’s constantly playing in the background in a continuous loop (whether you’re actively listening to it or not, whether you’re unconsciously mouthing the words or not, whether you’re stirred to action). It sends subliminal and direct messages to those within hearing range (remember that hearing and listening are not the same).

That’s why the culture you choose and nurture is really significant for the ultimate success of the company.

All the questions I asked at the beginning have a counterpart in the work environment. Do your company’s verbal communications and leadership behaviors set the tone that might yield the results you desire? Are your employees energized and eager to get out of their seats and take action? Does your company’s performance improve when you introduce initiatives that are meant to ‘speed up’ efficiency? Are you creating distractions that prevent people from doing their best for your organization?

As with all business decisions, you need to start with the end in mind. What is the most crucial thing your company must accomplish? What needs to happen to make it so? What values, actions, beliefs, and traditions (culture) will help your organization achieve your goals? Is your culture working for you? If not, what needs to change?

Your company’s culture holds a great deal of power.

Listen to what it’s telling you. If it’s getting your business to dance, that’s great. Otherwise, it may be time to switch to a different soundtrack and leverage your unique organizational culture to gain a competitive advantage.

Manuel Marino

Manuel Marino is a seasoned Senior Producer, Music Composer, and Artist with over a decade of experience. He specializes in branded entertainment across various mediums, including video games, films, and advertising campaigns. With 20+ years as a game music composer, Manuel has worked on numerous platforms, creating diverse orchestral soundtracks. HIRE ME