S is for Symbols: Clues to Your Culture

I’m in the middle of two culture assessments, and one question always sparks fascinating insights: What are the symbols of your culture?

At first, people often need a little help to get started. But once they do, the examples come pouring out—providing golden insights that often don’t surface elsewhere.

Symbols are everywhere in your workplace:

• Who gets the corner office or prime car park.
• The exclusive ‘milk club’ signs plastered on the lunchroom fridge.
• Outdated logos or branding still hanging around.

Symbols leave clues to your culture. They reveal unspoken rules, priorities, and behaviours—sometimes things no one has consciously articulated.

Our brains process symbols differently than words. Often subconsciously, we interpret the signs, images, and cues around us, and they shape how we feel about our environment.

Conduct a Mini Symbols Audit
Take a look around your workplace today:

• What signs, images, and pictures are visible?
• What message are they sending?
• Are they reinforcing the culture you want—or one you’ve outgrown?

Shift your symbols. Shift your culture.
I recommend a spring clean of your symbols:

1. Notice them. (Hot tip: ask a new team member—they’ll have fresh eyes.)
2. Clear out the old. Refresh and renew your symbols to align with the culture you’re shaping.

Small changes in symbols can create a ripple effect, signalling what matters and energising your team.

Now’s the perfect time to start!