When teams say they have a culture problem, they usually don’t.
They have a comfort problem.
Things aren’t toxic. People get along. The work is fine.
But deep down, there’s a quiet resignation: “This is just how things are.”
There’s no crisis, but there’s also no spark.
And in that in-between space—where things are ‘good enough’—performance flatlines.
The Real Culture Killer? Comfort Without Challenge
We all tend to think the opposite of a strong culture is a dysfunctional one.
But more often, the real threat is a comfortable one.
Comfortable cultures are stable. Predictable. Easy to navigate.
They’re also incredibly resistant to change.
I've worked with teams where:
- Everyone was nice—but no one gave honest feedback.
- Leaders said they wanted innovation—but protected legacy ways of working.
- Collaboration was high—but only within silos that never challenged each other’s assumptions.
This kind of culture doesn’t blow up. It wears down.
When everyone feels safe but no one feels stretched, the result is a team that’s content, but not curious. Collaborative, but not courageous. Friendly, but not focused on outcomes.
And slowly, over time, potential gets replaced by politeness.
What Growth-Oriented Cultures Do Differently
I often describe a strong culture as one where people are empowered, connected, and motivated by a shared purpose. But there’s something more important: a culture that encourages stretch.
Not stress.
Not burnout.
Stretch.
The kind that comes from tackling problems no one has solved before.
From being trusted to lead something you’ve never led.
From having clear expectations and high standards.
It’s why I talk so much about empowering culture and elevating leadership—because leadership sets the tone for how much discomfort a team is willing to tolerate in service of growth.
Want to know if your culture is built for breakthrough work? Ask these questions:
- Do people push back on each other respectfully, or just nod along?
- When was the last time someone changed their mind because of new insight?
- Are your rituals (retros, check-ins, feedback loops) helping you improve—or just helping you feel good?
If the answer is “it’s all pretty smooth,” that might be your warning sign.
How Design Sprints Break the Comfort Cycle
One of the reasons I love running Design Sprints is because they temporarily interrupt comfort.
We take teams out of their daily patterns.
We compress decision-making into five days.
We expose ideas to real users before they’re “perfect.”
And what happens?
- People realize they’ve been overthinking.
- Silos get exposed—and then dismantled.
- Feedback gets sharper, faster, and more useful.
Design sprints aren’t just about speed. They’re about momentum. They reignite teams who’ve been doing good work, but not great work. They create an environment where people are challenged and supported—which is the sweet spot for real culture change.
“Good Enough” Is the Enemy of Great Teams
Culture doesn’t improve when people feel good.
It improves when people care enough to be uncomfortable for the sake of something bigger.
If you’re waiting for your culture to magically become innovative, collaborative, or high-performing—without changing what people tolerate, expect, or reward—it’s not going to happen.
Comfort doesn’t create breakthroughs.
Challenge does.
And the best cultures? They make that challenge feel worth it.
Final Thought
If your team has been plateauing—not because of dysfunction, but because of comfort—it’s time to stretch.
Not with more perks.
Not with another vision statement.
But with clear goals, high standards, and the right support structures to push your team forward.
