Culture is What You Allow – How to Identify & Address Unspoken Problems

Culture isn’t about fancy mission statements or team-building retreats. It’s about what actually happens every day—the behaviors that get tolerated, the problems that get ignored, and the unspoken rules that shape how your team functions. If you’re a practice owner wondering why your “great culture” still has major issues, it’s time to look at what you allow.

What Really Defines Culture?

Culture isn’t just what’s written in your handbook or plastered on your website. It’s not even just about leadership. It’s built in the messy, everyday interactions between you and your team. It’s how you handle (or don’t handle) issues, what behaviors you let slide, and how people show up when no one’s watching.

Why “Good Vibes” Aren’t Enough

A lot of practice owners mistake culture for “team bonding” and positivity. Sure, those things help, but culture isn’t defined by a pizza party or a trust fall. It’s shaped by consistency, accountability, and the unspoken expectations that guide behavior. If your team knows they can show up late, ignore emails, or push deadlines without consequence—that’s your culture.

Unspoken Rules: The Silent Culture Killers

Every workplace has its official policies, but the real culture is shaped by the unwritten rules your team follows. Some of these rules might be healthy—like always having each other’s backs. Others? Not so much. If there’s an unspoken rule that feedback isn’t safe or that “some people” don’t have to follow the same standards as everyone else, you’ve got a problem.

Red Flags You Can’t Ignore

Culture issues don’t show up overnight. They start as small, uncomfortable patterns that snowball. 

Watch out for:
⚠ Inconsistent accountability – Rules apply to some people but not others.
⚠ Passive-aggressive communication – Eye rolls, sarcasm, and avoidance instead of direct conversations.
⚠ Negativity that spreads – If one or two people are always complaining, it’s not just their issue.
⚠ Fear of speaking up – If your team isn’t bringing concerns to you, they’re talking about them somewhere else.

How to Reinforce the Culture You Actually Want

✔ Address issues head-on – Don’t let small things fester into major problems.
✔ Recognize and reward the right behaviors – Reinforce what you want to see.
✔ Communicate clearly and consistently – No one should have to guess what’s okay and what’s not.

What’s Next?

Culture isn’t built in a day, but every day is shaping your culture. In the next part of this series, we’ll dive into the Energy Audit—a tool to help you assess how different team members impact the overall practice (spoiler: some people might be draining your business more than you realize).

Want More? Let’s Build a Stronger Practice Culture Together.

If you’re ready to actually fix your culture and stop running in circles, join the Culture Focused Practice Membership. It’s where we go deep into real strategies, live Q&As, and support to help you build a culture that works.

Let’s stop tolerating bad culture and start building something sustainable. 🔥

About the Author

Dr. Tara Vossenkemper is a gently-candid consultant who’s been in the trenches of group practice ownership since 2017. With a hearty blend of depth, irreverence, and a solid dash of humor (or so she hopes), Tara helps practice owners navigate the can-be-messy process of hiring, culture-building, vision generating, people-y issues, and all the other things that keep you up at night. When she’s not consulting, she’s probably wrangling her animals or homeschooling her kids—because why not add more chaos to the mix?

Ready to dive deeper into practice culture? Join the membership and get access to the tools and insights that make thriving, sustainable practices more than just a pipe dream.