We exist to help leaders turn culture into a real operating system, not a poster on the wall. We believe culture should guide behavior, decisions, and results, every single day.
How CultureWise Began
CultureWise began with lived experience, not theory.
In the 1980s, founder David Friedman was building RSI, an employee benefits firm that grew into one of the largest independently owned agencies in the country. Along the way, something became clear. Awards, growth, and recognition followed, but they were not the cause of success. They were the result of a strong, intentional culture.
During that time, David began studying organizations known for operational excellence and customer service, including Ritz-Carlton. What stood out was not perks or slogans, but clear behavioral standards that were practiced every day.
At RSI, David began writing and teaching a set of behaviors designed to solve real problems, align expectations, and guide decisions. These became known as the RSI Fundamentals. They were reinforced through simple weekly practices and created a shared language for how work actually got done.
After selling RSI, David turned his focus to teaching and refining this approach. Through books, workshops, and hands-on work with leadership teams, the system evolved into a repeatable way for organizations to build culture on purpose.
That system became CultureWise.
Why We Believe Culture Must Be Designed
Most leaders have been misled about what culture really is and how it actually works.
For years, organizations have been told that building a great culture is about hiring the right people or running engagement programs. In practice, both approaches fall short. Most companies already have capable people. What they lack is a clear system that helps those people consistently work better together.
At CultureWise, we believe culture works when leaders define the specific behaviors that drive success, make those behaviors clear, and reinforce them consistently. Not through slogans or posters, but through simple, repeatable practices that guide decisions and shape daily actions.
When behavior is clear, accountability becomes shared. Teams raise the bar for each other. Results follow, not because people are pressured to perform, but because they know what good looks like and how to achieve it.
This belief is the foundation of everything we do.
That clarity of belief, and the system built around it, is also why Persistently Management Holdings acquired CultureWise. Persistently invests in organizations that understand strong culture and operational excellence are inseparable, and they saw in CultureWise a proven, behavior-driven approach that helps companies build durable performance over time.
Our belief is simple: Culture should guide behavior, decisions, and results, every single day.
We use a set of 30 Fundamentals to define the behaviors that drive our high-performing culture. These are six that represent us most authentically. Together, they form part of a larger system that helps our team align expectations, solve problems, and improve continuously.
Deliver Legendary Customer Service
Do the little things, as well as the big things, that blow people away. Create extraordinary experiences they'll tell others about. Mere customer satisfaction is for lesser companies. Create customer loyalty by doing the unexpected.
Find a Way
Take personal responsibility for making things happen – somehow, someway. Respond to every situation by looking for how we can do it, rather than explaining why it can’t be done. Be resourceful and show initiative.
Be Relentless About Improvement
Regularly reevaluate every aspect of your job to find ways to improve. Don’t be satisfied with the status quo. “Because we’ve always done it that way” is not a reason. Keep getting better.
Practice Blameless Problem Solving
Apply your creativity, spirit, and enthusiasm to developing solutions, rather than pointing fingers and dwelling on problems. Identify lessons learned and use those lessons to improve our processes so we don’t make the same mistake again. Get smarter with every mistake. Learn from every experience.
Get Clear on Expectations
Create clarity and avoid misunderstandings by discussing expectations upfront. Establish mutually understood objectives and deadlines for all projects, issues, and commitments. Where appropriate, confirm your communication by asking others to repeat back their understanding to ensure total clarity and agreement.
Listen Generously
Listening is more than simply “not speaking.” Be present and engaged. Quiet the noise in your head and let go of the need to agree or disagree. Create space for team members to express themselves without judgment. Listen with care and with empathy. Above all, listen to understand.
