Reflections on Performance, Relationships, and Navigating New Norms
For an entire decade, I invested my working life in a company whose culture became not just a professional environment, but a formative part of my identity. Ten years is long enough for the rhythms of an organisation to become second nature, for the values of a team to seep into your instincts, and for the unwritten rules of conduct to become as familiar as your morning routine. Looking back, I realise how deeply this experience shaped my perspective—not just on work, but on people, performance, and the very nature of collaboration.
Embracing a Performance-Based, Fact-Driven Culture
The company I called home for those ten years was grounded in a culture of performance. It was a place where results spoke louder than intentions, and where arguments were considered valid only if they were backed by evidence. This was not a culture of empty rhetoric; rather, it demanded that everyone prove their points with real, verifiable facts.
I quickly understood that in this environment, preparation was everything. You couldn’t walk into a meeting armed only with opinions and expect to persuade anyone. Every proposal, every critique, every new initiative had to be underpinned by data, case studies, or proven examples. This expectation wasn’t designed to stifle creativity, but to ensure that decisions were made rationally and collectively, based on what could be demonstrated rather than what could merely be imagined. Working within this structure gave me confidence. Knowing that my arguments would be judged on their merit, not on my position or my relationship with decision-makers, created a sense of fairness. Accountability was high, and so was the sense of achievement when your well-researched idea gained traction. Over time, I began to appreciate how this approach encouraged clarity of thought, fostered continuous learning, and built a culture of trust in the integrity of our processes.
The True Nature of Relationships: Not About Favors, But About Respect
One common misconception about performance-based environments is that they are cold or impersonal. My experience was just the opposite. Relationships in my team were incredibly important—but not in the transactional sense of quid pro quo or doing favours to get ahead. Instead, they were built on respect, mutual support, and a shared commitment to the truth.
In our company, helping a colleague wasn’t about currying favour; it was about advancing the collective mission. People invested in one another’s success because they understood that the team performed best when everyone did their part well. The culture fostered an environment where constructive criticism was not only welcomed, but expected. Disagreements were common, but they were almost always civil, rooted in a desire to find the best answer, not to win personal battles.
Through this, I learned that strong relationships do not require strategic favour-giving or politics. Instead, they grow from shared values, open communication, and a commitment to fairness. I thrived in this environment, finding both personal and professional satisfaction in contributing to something larger than myself.
Stepping Into New Worlds: The Challenge of Opinion-Based Cultures
After ten years, for a variety of reasons, I decided it was time to move on. I was excited to see what other companies had to offer and to learn from different environments. What I wasn’t prepared for, however, was just how challenging it would be to adapt to cultures so different from the one I had come to understand so well.
In my new roles, I encountered organisations where the rules were far less clear. Instead of decisions being grounded in facts and evidence, they often depended on the opinions—sometimes the whims—of a few key individuals. In some cases, it wasn’t about having the best argument, but about reading the room, intuiting what the group might want, or simply avoiding conflict to keep the peace.
At first, I found these environments disorienting and, frankly, uncomfortable. I was used to a certain predictability: if you did your homework and presented a solid case, your proposals would be taken seriously. Now, I found myself in meetings where facts could be brushed aside, and decisions were sometimes made to appease personalities rather than to serve the best interests of the business.
This shift revealed to me just how much I had internalised the norms of my previous company. I realised that not everyone values the same things in a workplace, and that culture influences behaviour far more than we sometimes realise. For the first time, I was forced to question my own assumptions about what makes a team effective, and to consider how I could adapt without compromising my core values.
The Importance of Understanding Cultural Backgrounds When Integrating New Team Members
These experiences taught me an invaluable lesson about integrating newcomers into a team. Too often, we expect people to simply “fit in,” without considering the profound impact of the cultures they come from. Whether someone has spent years in a performance-based environment like mine, or has worked in places where harmony and consensus are prized above all, their habits, expectations, and communication styles will reflect those backgrounds.
I came to believe that it’s essential, when welcoming new colleagues, to take the time to understand their prior experiences. Ask about the kinds of cultures they’ve thrived in, what norms they’re used to, and how they expect to engage. This isn’t about forcing them to abandon their ways, but about helping them navigate the transition.
Equally important is being explicit about your own team’s norms. Don’t assume that the unspoken rules are obvious. Take the time to explain how your team makes decisions, how disagreements are handled, and what values are non-negotiable. The more transparent you are, the easier it becomes for new members to adapt—and the less likely you are to encounter misunderstandings down the line.
Conclusion: Navigating Change While Honoring Your Roots
Ten years in one company can shape you in ways you don’t fully appreciate until you leave. I am grateful for the training, discipline, and sense of fairness that my performance-based, fact-driven workplace instilled in me. But I am equally grateful for the discomfort I experienced when stepping into new environments, as it forced me to reflect, adapt, and grow.
Today, I try to bring this understanding to the teams I coach: the rigour of evidence-based decision-making, and the humility to recognise the value of different perspectives. Most of all, I believe that integrating new people successfully depends on respecting where they come from, openly sharing where we are, and working together to build a culture that is both inclusive and effective.
If you’ve spent years in one company, or are navigating new professional worlds, my advice is simple: honour your roots, but stay open to change. True growth happens at the intersection of comfort and challenge—and that’s where the best teams, and the best people, are made.
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