In a discussion with Nina Bondarook we talked about strategies that companies practice to achieve results. Here are eight ideas for you:

1. Small group/team meetings to provide new employees with lunch 'n learn style background, through discussion, of company values, culture, client overviews, competitor analyses, professional development skills training, etc. 
2. Quarterly or more frequent all-hands meetings in one location with video conferencing for remote staff. 
3. Internal listservs pushing out periodic information
4. Internal employee Craig's list style forums for personal info sharing, not of a business nature, to separate the two yet still provide employees a method through which to communicate and strengthen interpersonal relationships with co-workers, colleagues, etc. 
5. Informal social gatherings to build employee relationships that would strengthen potential outcomes in future interactions on cross-team, cross-functional projects
6. Sharing progress reports on planning that's underway, collecting employee feedback into ideas and eventually conducting meetings to share/explain/review the final plans developed by management, etc. 
7. Off-site trips to resort locations for work-reward style meetings among senior managers/company leadership, etc. 
8. Buddy Programs/Mentor programs for line of business employees and executive-level company leaders who have mentoring built-into their responsibilities and reviews, etc.

So often a picture is painted that the culture of all companies is this cookie-cutter thing. This thing that looks and acts the same across the board no matter what industry you are in. If this was true then all people would have to be the same as well—thus we would all be drones. Very clearly that is not the case. What one person likes or desires maybe considered a nightmare for another. The same is true for companies. There are companies that are run like an exact replica of the government, companies that if you blink you miss something, companies that take those motivational posters just a little too seriously and everything in-between.

There is no ‘one way’ to create or maintain a culture, but there are foundations to making your culture successful. The three words that make up this foundation are open, listen, and change. Regardless of what culture is a good fit for your company these words go hand in hand to command its success.

Change is inevitable. Knowing when and what to change is the key. Studies have been done to show a company should not implement more than three changes a year and they should be done slowly. This along with every other rule has exceptions.

Allowing yourself to be open and to listen will allow opportunities to present themselves to you that you never thought—and usually from the most unlikely source.