Culture isn’t about including everyone—it’s about creating a space where the right people thrive. When we try to accommodate everyone, we end up with a diluted environment where nobody feels truly at home.
The strongest cultures are self-selecting. They don’t bend to include those who don’t share their values; they establish clear boundaries that allow the right people to recognize themselves in your mission.
This isn’t about exclusion for its own sake. It’s about clarity that creates belonging. When people know precisely what you stand for, they can make an informed choice about whether they want to be part of it.
Think about the organizations you admire. They don’t try to appeal to everyone. They boldly declare their principles and let the market decide.
Southwest Airlines doesn’t apologize for its no-frills approach. Patagonia doesn’t compromise its environmental stance to attract customers who don’t care. Netflix explicitly states it’s not for everyone with its “keeper test” culture.
The paradox: When you stop trying to be for everyone, you become far more valuable to someone.
Your culture becomes a magnet rather than a net. It pulls the right people toward you with enough force to stay through challenges, rather than trying to catch everyone passing by.
The alternative is exhausting—constantly shape-shifting to accommodate different values and expectations until your organization stands for nothing.
Define what you stand for. Make it apply to everyone who joins. Then trust that the right people will self-select, stay committed, and build something remarkable together.
