I've interviewed over 1,000 people.
And the best ones all ask the same question during their interview:
"What does your culture actually look like day-to-day?"
They don't mean ping pong tables.
They want to know if the words match the actions.
Here are 7 phrases I hear weekly in healthy company cultures.
1️⃣ “How can I support you?”
↳ Said before deadlines slip.
↳ A good manager notices pressure early and steps in, instead of waiting for things to break.
2️⃣ “Let’s figure it out together.”
↳ Said when someone shares a rough idea or admits a mistake.
↳ It reinforces that ownership doesn’t mean being left alone.
3️⃣ “Great job on that.”
↳ This is specific and timely.
↳ People know exactly what worked and can repeat it.
4️⃣ “Your growth is important to us.”
↳ Backed by stretch projects, feedback, and actual time for development.
↳ Not just something said during annual reviews.
5️⃣ “Take a break when you need it.”
↳ Only matters if it’s respected in practice.
↳ People aren’t punished for resting.
6️⃣ “We trust your judgment.”
↳ Autonomy is real, decisions aren’t second-guessed later.
↳ Trust shows up through freedom, not words.
7️⃣ “It’s okay to make mistakes. Let’s learn from them.”
↳ Mistakes are handled without blame.
↳ The focus stays on improvement, not fear.
Healthy cultures are built through small, repeatable behaviours.
When support and accountability coexist, performance follows naturally.
Which one of these do you hear most often at work?
Drop a comment 👇
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