In this episode of "The Humble Throne," Todd Robatin invites leaders to take a deep dive into the true essence of their organizational culture. "Culture Check" challenges you to look beyond polished mission statements and well-designed org charts to uncover the emotional residue of your leadership. Discover how culture is shaped not by what you say, but by what you leave behind. Through insightful reflections and practical questions, Todd guides you to evaluate the trust, safety, and clarity within your team. Tune in to learn how to conduct a meaningful culture pulse check and transform your leadership impact. Transcript: Welcome back to the humble throne, where leadership isn't just what you say, it's what you leave behind. I'm Todd Robatin, and today we're pulling back the curtain. This is episode 10, Culture Check. Today we're evaluating what's lurking beneath your leadership, because every leader creates culture. The question is, do you know what yours is really made of? Let's be honest. You can have a polished mission statement, a well-designed org chart, even a team that hits their numbers every single time. But beneath all of that fluff, there's a culture. And culture isn't what you preach, it's what people feel when you're not in the room. It's the emotional residue of your leadership, the tone you set, the behaviors you tolerate, the values you reinforce intentionally or not. And so today, we're doing a culture check, not to judge, but to reveal.Here's the real question. What's lurking beneath your leadership? Is it trust or tension? Is it clarity or confusion? Is it psychological safety or silent resentment? Because culture isn't built in meetings. It's built in moments, in how you respond to mistakes, in how you handle feedback, in how you treat the people who have nothing to offer you. It's not just what you say. It's about what you signal. Let's break it down. If your team hesitates to speak up, your culture might be cautious. If people avoid conflict, your culture might be conflict-averse, not peaceful. If feedback is rare, your culture might be polite, sure, but not honest. And here's the kicker. Culture is shaped by tone more than tools. You can have all the right systems in place, but if your tone is tense, dismissive, or inconsistent, that's what people remember, whether you like it or not. A senior leader once told me, I don't understand why my team's so quiet all the time. I've given them freedom. But when we dug a little bit deeper, we found something completely different.He gave freedom in a sense, but not safety. People were afraid to speak up, and it wasn't because of policy, it was because of tone. The leader was sharp, efficient, and results-driven, but they rarely asked questions. They rarely invited dissent, and they rarely paused simply just to listen. The culture, it wasn't toxic per se, it was just timid. And that's just as dangerous. Because when people feel unsafe, they don't challenge ideas. They don't innovate. They don't grow. They simply survive. And here's the truth. Culture is the shadow of your leadership. It follows you. It reflects you. And sometimes, it reveals what you didn't mean to create. That's why humble leaders do regular culture checks.not just performance reviews, but emotional audits. With that, here are today's humble truths. Number one, culture is shaped more by tone than by tools. You can't systemize safety. You must embody it. Number two, what's unspoken often speaks the loudest. Silence isn't neutrality, it's feedback. And number three, a humble leader asks, what am I not seeing? Because blind spots, they're not failures, they're invitations. Now these truths, they aren't just insights, they're mirrors. And if you're willing to look, you'll see what's really shaping your team and driving your culture. Now before we close, let's talk about what this actually means. What an actual culture check looks like.not just a guess at what it looks like. Because culture, it's not a vibe, it's a pattern. And patterns can be measured if you're willing to ask the right questions. So today, we'll call this our culture pulse check. It's simple, but it's not always easy. Because it requires humility. It requires humility, curiosity, and a willingness to hear what you didn't expect.start with three questions you can ask in your next team meeting in a one-on-one or even anonymously. And you can always ask more. These are just three to get you started. Question number one. What's one thing that we do well as a team? Maybe it's how you celebrate wins. Maybe it's how you support each other during tough seasons. Maybe it's humor, empathy, or transparency. Whatever it is, put a name to it, protect it, and build on it. That's what makes your team strong. two, what's one thing we tolerate that hurts our culture? And this is where the gold is, because every team has their blind spots. Maybe it's passive aggressive communication. Maybe it's favoritism. Maybe it's burnout that no one wants to talk about. But when you name what's being tolerated, you start reclaiming your culture and you have to start somewhere. Question three, what's one thing I could do differently right now to create more safety? Now this one, it's personal because it invites your feedback not just on the team but on your personal leadership. And yes, it's probably gonna sting. It usually does.but it's also the most important question you can ask because it says to your team, I'm not above the culture, I'm part of it. Now regardless of the question or the questions that you ask, here's the key. When you ask them, don't rush, don't defend, don't even explain, just receive the honest, true answers from you and your team.Because, let's face it, culture isn't built by control, it's built by curiosity. Let the silence do its work. Let the answers breathe. And let your team see that you're not just asking to check something off of some corporate HR checklist requirement because you had to. You're actually listening to understand and to grow as a leader. Because the moment you become defensive, your culture completely shuts down and closes off. But when you stay open, your culture expands and grows into something beautiful. And here's kind of a bonus move, if you will. After you gather your responses, share what you've heard with your team. Not every detail, of course, but the themes. And ask the team, hey, did I get that right? And that one question, did I get that right?is the difference between performative listening and transformative leadership. So this week, try the culture pulse check. Not to fix everything overnight, it's not gonna happen. But to start a conversation that's been waiting to happen, but no one knew where to start. Because when leaders listen with humility, cultures begin to heal. Ask yourself, what's the emotional climate of my team?right now. What's being tolerated that shouldn't be? And what's being missed that deserves my attention right now? And when you get those answers, address them immediately. Next time, we'll explore how true mentorship is rooted in humility, presence, and the art of guiding without overpowering. But for today, lead with awareness, audit your impact, and remember,Culture isn't what you say, it's what you leave behind. Thanks for joining me today on the Humble Throne. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-humble-throne--6701475/support.
