Values → Culture → Everything: Why Company Culture Actually Matters

It Depends: Lessons in Technology Leadership

Kevin Goldsmith revisits his influential 2013 keynote on engineering culture, expanding the conversation beyond just engineering teams to address anyone navigating workplace dynamics. This episode breaks down the real mechanics of how organizational values create culture, and how culture shapes everything from hiring decisions to performance reviews.

What you'll learn:

• The difference between stated company values and actual values (and a simple test to tell them apart)
• Why culture "eats strategy for breakfast" and how it can accelerate or sabotage company success
• How to build systems that reinforce positive culture through career ladders, hiring, and onboarding
• When and why firing for culture fit is necessary
• How to evaluate company culture during job interviews (especially what happens when companies face pressure)
• Why team culture vs. company culture tensions arise and how to navigate them
• What to do when company culture shifts rapidly due to acquisitions or leadership changes

Drawing from his experiences at Microsoft, Adobe, and Spotify, Kevin shares both successes and failures in culture building, including why he stayed at some companies for years and left others. He offers practical frameworks for managers building strong team cultures and individuals seeking workplaces aligned with their values.

Whether you're a team lead trying to strengthen your engineering culture, an individual contributor evaluating your current role, or someone interviewing for new positions, this episode provides actionable insights for understanding and navigating the often-invisible forces that shape our daily work experience.

• Taking a Thoughtful Approach to the Job Search Process (https://itdependspod.com/episodes/taking-a-thoughtful-approach-to-the-job-search-process/)
• Building a Strong Engineering Culture Keynote https://www.kevingoldsmith.com/talks/building-a-strong-engineering-culture.html
• LeadDev New York (Use code KEVIN25 for 25% off registration)
• Listener Survey: https://forms.gle/JVeKHsHJKhEM3dvK6
• The book: It Depends: Writing on Technology 2012-2022
• Your host: Kevin Goldsmith