David J. Friedman Releases 3rd Edition of Culture by Design, a Playbook for Engineering High-Performing Cultures

Concord, MA, February 25, 2026 – CultureWise today announced the release of the third edition of Culture by Design, the acclaimed leadership book by founder and CEO David J. Friedman. The updated and expanded edition reflects more than a decade of implementation across 1,000+ organizations and addresses the growing challenges leaders face competing in increasingly commoditized environments. 

As companies continue to navigate questions around accountability, engagement, and performance, Friedman argues that many issues attributed to remote work are not new; they are simply more visible. 

“No single factor—not sales, marketing, finance, strategy, or operations—has more influence over the ultimate success of an organization. And yet, understanding exactly what culture is, and more importantly, what to do about it, has always been so murky,” Friedman says.

“Good companies have good cultures by chance. World-class companies have world-class cultures by design,” he writes. 

The new edition expands Friedman’s practical 8-Step Framework for defining, teaching, and reinforcing the specific behaviors that drive consistency and results. Rather than relying on aspirational values or engagement initiatives, the framework gives leaders a clear, repeatable method for shaping culture with intention.  

The third edition includes: 

• Guidance for hybrid and remote teams 
• A new chapter exploring the science of behavior change and habit formation 
• Refined implementation tools based on field-tested application 
• New examples across industries including healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, and professional services 

Since its original release, Culture by Design has been adopted by organizations ranging from privately held companies to national brands. Leaders credit the framework with improving alignment, strengthening accountability, and creating measurable performance impact. 

“Culture is the set of principles that govern how people behave in a given context,” Friedman explains. “When those principles are clearly defined and consistently reinforced, performance becomes more predictable and scalable.” 

Culture by Design (3rd Edition) is available now in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle formats, with the Audible edition forthcoming. Purchase on Amazon or learn more on the CultureWise website.

About David J. Friedman 
David J. Friedman is the founder and CEO of CultureWise and the author of the acclaimed books Culture by Design and Fundamentally Different. A sought-after speaker and advisor, Friedman has helped leaders across industries build high performing cultures through a practical, behavior-based framework. His work has been adopted in more than 1,000 organizations and is recognized for its clarity, repeatability, and measurable impact on performance. 

About CultureWise 

CultureWise is a leading provider of culture building systems for organizations seeking to improve alignment, accountability, and performance. Built on a proven behavior-based methodology, the CultureWise platform helps leaders define, teach, and reinforce the habits that drive consistent results. The system is used by companies across industries, from privately held firms to national brands. Learn more at culturewise.com.