Day 41: Culture Is Measured One Interaction at a Time

Today is Day 41 since I requested a Nextdoor study.

It's Saturday, so I'm going to assume I won't receive a response today. I'll also assume Day 42, Sunday, will likely pass the same way.

That doesn't change anything.

If there's one lesson this experience has reinforced, it's this:

Persistence matters.

I'm still asking the question.

I'm still documenting the journey.

I'm advocating for better communication and accountability.

While doomscrolling today, I came across this short Facebook Reel about car sales:

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/18xmmVf8Ee/

The message wasn't really about selling cars.

It was about culture.

The speaker talked about doing a "vibe check." Walk around. Observe how people are treating one another. Are they smiling? Are they engaged? Are they happy? What does the culture feel like?

That immediately made me think about Nextdoor.

Over the past several weeks, I've left feedback, recommendations, and questions on Nirav Tolia's X posts, Sarah Leary's posts, and Nextdoor's social media channels. I assume those notifications were received, but I haven't seen an acknowledgment from the CEO. The same pattern has continued with my request to Jacob Chavis for a study that remains unanswered.

It brings me back to a simple question:

How do you treat people?

A while back, I wrote that I try to treat the environmental engineer with the same respect I'd give the CEO.

That isn't just something I write.

It's something I try to live.

When I go to Regal Cinemas, I thank the employees who carry my oversized popcorn and Pepsi Zero because one hand is occupied with a cane.

At White Horse Auto Wash, I spend time getting to know the staff. Connor and I recently talked about The Odyssey and seeing it on the giant IMAX screen in Pooler, Georgia.

When I bring an AA meeting into a detox facility, I ask residents their names, thank them for being there, and try to make them feel seen.

None of those moments make headlines.

But they shape culture.

Culture isn't created during an annual leadership summit.

It isn't built during a podcast interview.

It isn't defined by a mission statement hanging on a wall.

Culture is built one interaction at a time, one conversation at a time, and one decision at a time.

That's why I keep asking questions.

Because every unanswered email, every ignored request, and every missed opportunity to engage is also part of a company's culture.

Join the discussion at NielFlamm.com/blog. Leave some feedback—I'd love to hear from you.