This One Question Is Key to Maintaining Culture at Wistia

"Will I be more or less likely to want to work here after this decision?" 

Answering this question has guided Brendan and me over the years as we've made big and small decisions that could impact the culture at Wistia. 

We've faced explicit decisions that will significantly impact our culture, such as how to give employee feedback, define our core values, and structure our organization. 

But it's the tiny pivots, those more minor decisions we make each day that often go unnoticed, that truly shape culture.

While it's easy to focus on bigger issues, compromising on these smaller choices can lead to an incremental shift in our culture, making it something unrecognizable over time.

As a startup founder, it's easy to become so invested in your company's success that your passion overshadows other considerations, leading to poor decisions that compromise work culture. Reflecting on our early days, Brendan and I realized we needed to change our approach. We began to view our company from a new perspective, asking ourselves: "If this weren't our company, would we want to work here?"

This shift in perspective helped us make better decisions and foster a culture we truly wanted to work in. We learned that culture isn't just about the founders or the early team—it's about how everyone's decisions shape the environment around them. By questioning how our actions affect the company culture, we create a positive feedback loop where individual values become company values, leading to a community eager to come to work each day.

Enjoying your work leads to better results and a longer-lasting commitment. Impressive growth comes from a remarkable culture requiring constant vigilance and daily effort. By prioritizing culture, we enhance our company's chances of success. 

Want a great company culture? Go out there and build the company you want to work for—one decision at a time.