Understanding Company Culture During Interviews

I watched a team miss a $250,000 opportunity because of a simple communication breakdown As a team dynamic coach working with organizations across industries, I've seen this scenario play out countless times. Recently, a client was struggling to meet client expectations. They had talented individuals, strong expertise, and a clear strategy. Yet something wasn't clicking. After observing their interactions, the issue became clear: they weren't speaking the same language. Their director was focused on timelines and results, communicating in direct, no-nonsense terms. The creative lead communicated through possibilities and relationship-building, often skipping details. Their data analyst shared concerns in complex reports few took time to understand while the client liaison concentrated on maintaining harmony. Different communication styles. Different priorities. All valuable, but completely misaligned. ✅✅ Understanding these four distinct communication styles is transformative for any team: 1. Controllers: Direct, decisive, and results-oriented. They value efficiency and bottom-line impact 2. Promoters: Enthusiastic, imaginative, and people-focused. They thrive on possibilities and building relationships 3. Analyzers: Methodical, detail-oriented, and data-driven. They seek precision and logical solutions, and prefer to thoroughly evaluate before deciding 4. Supporters: Empathetic, patient, and team-focused. They prioritize group harmony and ensuring everyone feels valued. They often ask "How does everyone feel about this approach?" What transformed this team wasn't a new project management system or restructuring. It was awareness of these styles. When I helped them recognize and adapt to these patterns, something remarkable happened. 🌟🌟 The director started providing context behind deadlines. The creative lead documented specific action items. The analyst delivered insights in more accessible formats. The liaison created space for constructive challenges. 🌟🌟 Within weeks, their efficiency improved by 30%. Client feedback turned overwhelmingly positive. And they secured a contract renewal worth three times their previous agreement. This pattern repeats across every successful team I work with. The differentiator isn't talent or resources – it's communication awareness. Understanding your natural style and recognizing others' preferences creates the foundation for exceptional teamwork and professional growth. What's your natural communication style? Sign up for my newsletter for weekly insights on elevating your communication effectiveness: https://www.lift-ex.com/ #communication #team #performance #professionaldevelopment #leadership #cassandracoach

I’ve trained in rooms where people speak English, but think in Marathi, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil Same company, same goals, but completely different communication styles. We love patting ourselves on the back for being diverse. But when a South Indian team feels a North Indian manager is "too aggressive," or a Gen Z employee thinks their Gen X boss is "dismissive", we call it a "communication gap." When really it's India's invisible boardroom barrier. Because while communicating, you’re navigating: 🔹 Cultural nuances 🔹 Generational gaps 🔹 Language preferences 🔹 Urban vs regional perspectives And if you're not adapting, you’re alienating. Here's my 3A’s of Cross-cultural communication framework: 1. Awareness: Recognize that your communication style is shaped by region, generation, and upbringing. It's not universal. 2. Adaptation: Match your message to your audience. One style doesn't fit all rooms. 3. Ask: When in doubt, clarify: What does yes mean here? How do you prefer feedback? What's the protocol for disagreement? India's diversity is incredible. But if we are not actively learning to communicate across cultures, not just languages, we're wasting it. P.S. What's your biggest cross-cultural communication struggle? #CrossCulturalCommunication #AwarenessAdaptationAsk #3AsFramework #Awareness #Adaptation #Ask #CommunicationGaps

🌍 Too Direct or Too Diplomatic? When Global Teams Talk Past Each Other If you lead a global team, these moments probably feel familiar: 📌 A message meant to be efficient lands as harsh. 📌 Silence is mistaken for disengagement. 📌 What you see as professionalism, someone else experiences as disrespect. This isn’t about personality. It’s about cultural differences in communication—specifically, low-context vs. high-context communication styles. 🚩 In low-context cultures (like the U.S. or the Netherlands), clarity and directness are valued. 🚩 In high-context cultures (like Japan or parts of the Middle East), meaning is often conveyed through tone, relationships, and what’s not said. Decades of cross-cultural research confirm this isn’t preference—it’s culture. 😣 The Impact Leaders Feel Every Day Global team leaders feel the strain when: ❇️ Cross-cultural miscommunication slows projects. ❇️ Feedback is misinterpreted, causing withdrawal instead of improvement. ❇️ Psychological safety erodes across regions. ❇️ Leaders worry about saying the “wrong” thing—and start avoiding hard conversations. Research from Harvard Business School has shown that psychological safety is critical for team performance. When communication norms clash, safety is often the first thing lost. 🧭 What Culturally Competent Leaders Do Differently Leaders who are mastering cultural differences don’t try to “fix” people—they adjust systems and behaviors. Here’s what works: ✅ Make communication norms explicit Don’t assume professionalism looks the same everywhere. Discuss feedback and meeting preferences openly. ✅ Adapt feedback style without losing clarity Direct doesn’t have to mean blunt. Context and relationship matter. ✅ Respect silence In many cultures, silence signals reflection or respect—not disengagement. ✅ Build psychological safety intentionally Model curiosity, invite multiple ways to contribute, and reward respectful challenge. ✅ Lead with cultural humility Research shows leaders who acknowledge learning curves build more trust than those who aim for perfection. 🚀 The Results When leaders build cultural competence: 🌟 Trust increases across borders 🌟 Collaboration improves 🌟 Conflict decreases 🌟 Innovation rises 🌟 Deadlines are met with fewer setbacks 📌📌📌 Global teams don’t fail because of diversity. They struggle when leaders aren’t equipped to lead across it. 🌍Ready to go deeper? If this message resonates, it may be time for a Cultural Clarity Call — a brief, no-pressure conversation to identify where cultural misunderstandings might be hindering your team's progress. 📍You’ll find the link right on my banner. #MasteringCulturalDifferences #CulturalDifferences #CulturalCompetence #InclusiveLeadership #GlobalTeams #PsychologicalSafety 

What are the hidden signs of a great company culture? A growing workplace isn’t about fancy perks or office spaces. It’s about trust, growth, and a sense of belonging. Here’s how you can recognize a strong company culture: 1. Psychological safety comes first Employees should feel safe to share ideas, take risks, and voice concerns without fear of judgment. When people feel secure, innovation thrives.   2. Communication is open and honest The best workplaces encourage transparent conversations at all levels. When employees feel informed and heard engagement skyrockets. 3. Turnover is low for a reason People don’t leave jobs where they feel valued, supported, and see long-term growth. A low turnover rate is a sign of a positive, healthy culture. 4. Recognition and growth go hand in hand Employees who are appreciated and given opportunities to advance stay motivated and perform at their best. 5. Work-life balance is a priority, not a perk A culture that respects personal time and well-being leads to happier, more productive employees. 6. Teamwork is at the core When success is shared, collaboration strengthens, and a true sense of belonging is created. 7. Leadership is transparent and accountable Great leaders lead with honesty and integrity, fostering a culture of trust and respect. 8. Employees feel heard and valued When feedback is welcomed and acted upon, employees feel like they truly matter and that makes all the difference. A strong company culture isn’t built overnight; it’s nurtured every single day.

STOP asking "What's the culture like?" in interviews. You'll get the same answer every single time. I've been recruiting for 18 years, and candidates who ask better questions always stand out. Here are 10 questions that will reveal the REAL culture: Questions that uncover truth: → What do new employees find most surprising after they start? → Tell me about a time you supported someone's growth here → How do you handle employee feedback - can you give an example? → Walk me through your actual onboarding process → What happened the last time someone disagreed with leadership? → How are wins celebrated? What about when projects fail? → What's one thing that's changed since you joined? → How do employees here continue learning and developing? → Can you share when company values influenced a tough decision? → What would help me understand how people work together here? Remember: The way they answer tells you more than what they answer. Do they light up? Hesitate? Give vague responses? Your gut will know if this is where you belong. Don't make the mistake of accepting an offer without truly understanding if the team aligns with "your" values. Got a favourite culture question? Drop it below 👇 Joshua Talreja #culture #interviews #jobseekers #hiring #jobs

𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻. 𝗜𝘁 𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. The more I observe teams, the clearer it becomes that culture is shaped across a spectrum of conversation formats: 1️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗴, 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Townhalls, monthly performance reviews, leadership reviews. These define clarity, ambition, and direction. 2️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 1:1s, feedback loops, mentoring moments. These shape mindsets and build capability. 3️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 “𝗥𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲-𝘁𝗵𝗲-𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱” 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Calling out lapses, challenging habits, insisting on the right way. These are the conversations where culture actually shifts. 4️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Thank-you messages, appreciation rounds, celebrating tough cases. These signal what the organization truly values. 5️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 When emergencies peak and emotions rise. How people speak then reveals the real culture. 6️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼-𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 (𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱) The corridor check-ins. The 3-minute post-procedure alignment. The lift-ride assurance. The impromptu “How are we doing?” The late-evening “We’ll fix this tomorrow.” 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼-𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁, 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽. Because in the end: 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗿, 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. #Leadership #OrganizationalCulture #ConversationsThatMatter #LeadWithEmpathy #PeopleAndPerformance #CAREHospitals

Negotiated the salary, the role looks good on paper, the team seems sharp, and still, something doesn’t sit right. 🤔 You feel “I just don’t know if this is the right place for me.” And when you think about it more, it’s clear that what you’re struggling with isn’t the role or the pay. It’s the culture. But here’s the tricky part: we ask “How’s the culture at this company?” as if it’s universal. It’s not. Culture is personal. → What one person finds inspiring, another might find suffocating. → What looks like “ownership” to someone might feel like a lack of support to someone else. → What feels like “fast-paced” for one person might be chaotic for another. So when you ask someone, “How’s the culture?” the answer you get is about them, not you. That’s why the better question is: Do the values and ways of working here match how I want to work and live? And to find that out, you need to ask deeper, more personal questions when you’re evaluating an offer: → Can I be myself here without pretending or performing every day? → How do people handle stress or failure? Do they talk about it? → What kind of people get rewarded here, and for what kind of behaviour? → What kind of conversations happen in meetings? Is it safe to disagree? These aren’t things you’ll find in a Glassdoor review or a recruiter’s pitch. 😶 →You find it by asking current employees how they feel on a rough day at work. →You find it by paying attention to what’s not being said in interviews. →You find it by checking in with how you feel after each conversation. It’s not always a clean, logical process; sometimes it’s just a quiet “this doesn’t feel right.” And that’s valid. That’s enough. 💯 If you’re in that stage right now, wondering whether to say yes, don’t just look at the offer letter. → Look at how it makes you feel. → Look at what your day-to-day might feel like six months in. And trust that it’s okay to walk away from a good-on-paper offer if it doesn’t feel like home. Because culture isn’t a line in the JD. It’s what shows up when things go wrong. And you deserve to be in a place where, even on your worst days, you feel safe. It’s okay to take your time. You don’t need to justify that feeling to anyone. ✨

Stop asking “what’s the culture like?” in interviews. it won’t get you the answers you need. Every time you ask, you’ll hear the same generic, rehearsed lines: “we have a great culture. we’re like a family.” “our values drive everything we do.” “it's pretty great.” None of that tells you what it’s actually like to work there. Instead, ask questions that reveal the real culture. Pick on of these next time you are in a interview: 1️⃣ what do new employees typically find surprising after they start? (this exposes culture shock moments.) 2️⃣ can you share a recent example of how you supported an employee’s personal or professional growth? (good companies invest in people.) 3️⃣ how does the company handle and implement employee feedback? (is it just a “suggestion box,” or do they take action?) 4️⃣ how are successes and milestones celebrated? (do they actually recognize wins?) 5️⃣ how does the company encourage employees to bring their unique perspectives and experiences to work? (diversity isn’t a buzzword—it’s a behavior.) 6️⃣ what learning and development opportunities are available? (real growth isn’t just about promotions.) 7️⃣ how does leadership ensure open and transparent communication? (a culture of trust isn’t automatic.) 8️⃣ can you share an instance where the company’s core values influenced a real business decision? (values should drive action, not just marketing.) 9️⃣ how has the company changed since you joined? (good companies evolve.) 🔟 what resources would help me better understand the team and company before I start? (great workplaces set you up for success.) If you want to know what it’s really like to work somewhere, ask better questions. What’s your go-to interview question? Drop it below! 👇

Talk is cheap, actions speak volumes. Right now, the candidate experience sucks. Every day, I hear stories from candidates (especially Gen Zers) who feel they were misled about how “inclusive” or “flexible” or “{insert other important value}” organizations really are. One story was so horrifying - a friend of mine once survived 10 interviews for a seemingly remote job in big tech, and was then told they had to relocate from New York to Texas. Having been there, there’s one thing that I’ve found useful to employ: Cultural Investigation 🕵️♀️ So here’s how I advise my closest friends on doing corporate cultural investigation: 1) Create a list of three workplace nonnegotiables- these are things you don’t compromise on, no matter how cool the opportunity. 2) Create a list of companies that you think would fit these criteria. Use “best places to work” lists as a REFERENCE, do NOT let them be the only research you do. Additional: Fishbowl/Glassdoor, Reddit, Inc. 3) Always be proactive about your search. Take calls from recruiters at companies that interest you, reach out to folks for informational interviews. 4) Reach out to current and former employees at said companies — friends are a great resource — and ask them specific questions about HOW the org is DOING (or not doing) what they SAY, in terms of workplace culture. 5) Trust your gut. If something feels off when you’re chatting with an employee, during an interview, or general chatter is mixed, your intuition can be a great guide. There’s definitely more to deciphering company culture, but these are a few steps to help you started. What would your tips be for getting to the REAL bottom of company culture? #futureofwork #recruiting #culture #culturalinvestigation #talent #hiring #jobsearch

Tense. Awkward. Confrontational. And yet… that moment changed everything. I was once brought in to run a communication skills session for a global team. People from different countries, different time zones, different work cultures… all trying to build one product together. From the outside, they looked like a dream team. But once the session began, it became clear , something wasn’t right. Two senior team members were clearly not getting along. There was tension. Awkward silences. Eye rolls. One finally spoke up: “I keep asking for clear updates, and all I get are vague replies.” Another responded, a little hurt: “I thought I was being polite. I didn’t want to come across as too direct or rude.” That’s when it hit me: This wasn’t a performance issue. It was a communication style issue. So I stopped the session and did something simple , I introduced them to the idea of cultural communication styles: Some cultures are more direct , they say exactly what they mean. Some are more indirect , they soften their message to be respectful. In one part of the world, “We’ll try our best” means yes. In another, it might actually mean no , just said more politely. And suddenly… the room changed. They started laughing. One said, “So when you said that, you didn’t actually mean it was confirmed?” The other smiled, “No, it meant probably not , I just didn’t want to say no.” Everyone laughed. The air cleared. They began to understand each other. Not just work with each other. They didn’t need a team restructure. They needed a shared understanding of how they communicate. ⸻ 💡 The Learning: Most communication problems in global teams don’t come from ego. They come from cultural blind spots. It’s not about who’s right or wrong — it’s about knowing what the other person actually means when they speak. Soft skills like these aren’t “nice to have.” They’re the reason some global teams thrive — and others fall apart. ⸻ 💬 If your teams work across countries, cultures, and continents… Make sure they’re not speaking different languages in the same language. I help teams decode communication habits and build stronger, more culturally intelligent conversations. Let’s talk if your team could use that. #CommunicationMatters #CrossCulturalTraining #SoftSkillsForLeaders #GlobalTeams #ExecutivePresence #LeadershipDevelopment