Each day just rolls right into the next, doesn't it? It’s so easy for business leaders to get completely absorbed in the the intricacies of daily operations, the metrics and the bottom lines. You blink and it's been five or ten years and there's your company, fully formed, doing its thing and set in its ways, just like you! So how can you stay awake and intentional about nurturing the living, breathing, and ever-evolving heartbeat of the organization - its culture? It's going to take more than a set of values written on a wall or a list of perks offered to employees. It's all about the Who, of course (not the band, but your people, your organization's soul!). But another powerful contributor to you're company's culture is the intentional rhythms you follow and choices you make every single day as a leader.

Here are a few simple tweaks you can make, every day or every week or every month, to ensure you're building the positive culture you want for your company - starting right now.

Want to foster a culture that emphasizes community?

Your people are the engine running your company, right? Make sure they know that you know it. Here's one simple change you can make to shift the energy in the room, even if it's so subtle no one consciously notices: stop saying "I" and "me" so much. Stay alert to the words you choose, and aim to think, and speak, from the "us" and "we" perspective as much as humanly possible.

And another daily choice you can make to build a culture of community in your organization: get invested in community yourself! Instead of modeling a lone-wolf, Mountain Man leadership style, dedicate some time each week or each month to your church community, your neighborhood, a leadership peer group, a sports team, or a volunteer group to show your team members that you can be a team member too. (And there's no better team than the Acumen community, in our humble opinion.)

Want to foster a positive, purpose-fueled culture?

Lean into affirmations. Express your honest and specific feelings of gratitude to those around you on the daily. In a society so focused on productivity, we rarely take the time to celebrate the people hard at work on whatever's produced - so let them know you notice them with a simple, from-the-heart thank-you. It's a habit you can start practicing immediately, the benefits are astronomical, and it'll cost you nothing.

And here's another daily, weekly, or monthly choice you can make to light the fire in your organization: tell more stories. Whether you're throwing them in casually or setting aside time for story-telling as you celebrate a win or dive in to deep, strategic planning, nothing carries your culture upward or downward like a story. So what stories are you telling those around you? Make them good ones, and watch them seep outward and make a difference.

Want to foster a culture of intentional joy and calm?

Every day, several times a day: pause, and encourage those around you to do the same. Incorporate moments of intentional quiet and stillness into the workweek. In the midst of all the haste, make space for some peace. This could look like asking team members throughout the organization to observe three minutes of prayerful silence at the start of the day. It could mean beginning every meeting by encouraging everyone to take a brief moment to breathe and remember what matters, allowing everyone present to quietly collect their thoughts instead of immediately announcing, "Let's dive right in!" 

And while you're at it, keep an eye out for yellow Jeeps. In other words, if you're looking for something, you'll see it everywhere; so start looking for the good in every day, and encourage your team members to do the same.

Interested in more resources on cultivating a positive organizational culture? Check these out:

• 3 Ways to Create a Valuable Culture Inside Your Business
• The ROI of Coaching: A Culture of Trust, Creativity, Confidence, and Productivity (free, downloadable ebook)
• Setting the Table for the Next Generation (The Sharpen Podcast episode)