Company Culture Lessons From Sitting On The Beach

In March I took a vacation to Rincón, Puerto Rico. As I sat on the beautiful warm and sunny beach watching surfers, I couldn’t help but think about the many lessons travel teaches us about culture. Travel is one of the best ways to learn about the human experience and life on this planet. And then we can then take those lessons and apply them to the micro-cultures of organizations. 

So, here are 4 company culture lessons from my trip…

1. Leave the bubble to see the bubble

One of the transformational things about travel is how it allows people to leave their day-to-day routines behind and witness, experience, and participate in different ways of life from their own. Sometimes we don’t even realize we’re in a bubble, but stepping outside of it makes it obvious. When we participate in cultures different from our own we often make comparisons, which prompts us to reflect on our own ways of being, thinking, and knowing. It can expand our understanding of what’s possible and how we define life on this planet. 

When we think about company culture, taking the time to leave whatever business bubble we may be in is essential for growth. If we don’t witness what else is possible, it's so much harder to imagine and create new realities. 

2. How we gather is a container for culture

Maybe it’s because I’m reading The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker, but as I sat on Playa Maria in Rincón, Puerto Rico and witnessed the surf culture there, I couldn’t help but think about how much culture is informed by coming together. Where do we gather? Who gathers? When? For what purpose? The answers to these questions determine what is collectively valued and practiced, and therefore how culture is expressed.

Company culture initiatives that don’t look at gathering are, in my opinion, incomplete. Any time two or more people come together, especially in the workplace, we’ll be navigating power and relationship dynamics. How we communicate (verbally and nonverbally), how we celebrate together, and how we navigate conflict with each other are all significant contributions to culture.

3. Place is a powerful and frequently overlooked factor

Gathering is also largely informed by the land and waters of a place. Humans tend to gather around certain landscapes - bodies of water, bases of mountains, valleys, high spots with views, etc. Depending on the geography of a place, humans will gather accordingly. In Rincón, the beach and ocean are a huge part of the culture. Whereas, in Burlington, Vermont (where I live) the lake and mountains are a focal point. Both are outdoor oriented cultures, but we practice different activities because there are different geographical features and climates available to us. We learn to value and express ourselves based on these environmental factors, which informs the uniqueness of each culture.

The places we’re in are constantly influencing the way we shape our businesses. Sometimes this connection is easy to make and sometimes it’s more difficult (particularly for fully online businesses). But we can at least consider the ways we as individuals are shaped by the places we live in and how that translates into our businesses. We exist in places and our businesses do too.

4. Culture is a whole-body experience

Part of what makes travel such an effective way to learn about culture is the fact that our whole body is along for the ride. We can think about and analyze a culture all we want, but ultimately our assessment of a culture is how our whole body feels when experiencing it. In the U.S. mainstream culture we’re taught to ignore our body as a source of valid information. But the expression of a culture is communicated through all the senses, so the bodily information is not only valid, but really essential. 

Oftentimes I see people equate company culture with HR and while company culture can certainly include HR, it doesn’t end there. Cultivating a well-rounded company culture requires us to ask the question - what whole-body experience do we want people (our team, customers, and community members) to have when interacting with this organization? And then backing into the tangible action steps required to create that experience.

So my question for you is…

What whole-body experience do you want people to have when interacting with your organization? What would it look like for people to have that experience? What would they think, feel, and do? 

In Rincón I sat on the beach and watched surfers… and then I tried surfing. I entered into that culture and practiced it. And my whole-body loved it. It was an experience I’ve thought about each day since I returned home because it felt so good. That’s what I want to see more of - cultural experiences that inspire, elicit joy, and stay in people’s minds and bodies in positive ways.