Leaders spend a lot of time thinking about strategy, hiring, and growth. But culture is often shaped by something much smaller: the expectations we reinforce every day.
Over the course of my career, I’ve sat through more bad meetings than I care to count.
Meetings with no agenda.
Too many people in the room.
Zoom moments where someone inevitably says, “You’re on mute.”
Conversations that run long, go nowhere, and end without clarity about what was decided or who owns the next step.
Technology has made note-taking easier. AI can summarize meetings and capture action items.
But technology hasn’t solved the deeper issue: leadership discipline.
When we started building Placers, I wanted meetings to be different: clear, intentional, and respectful of everyone’s time.
So we created a simple ritual.
If you were late to a meeting, no matter the reason, you had to sing “I’m a Little Teapot.”
Yes, really.
And yes, you had to act it out.
The goal was never punishment. The goal was clarity.
Be on time. Be present. Respect the room.
Truth be told, I usually sang along with the “offender.” The moment created a little laughter, but it also reinforced something important: expectations apply to everyone.
There’s a video floating around of our manager Sam Ide singing the song on his first day as an intern. He was a great sport then, and he still laughs about it today.
What started as a small moment quickly became part of our culture.
The lesson followed me into other parts of my work as well. When I later taught a college HR class, the same rule appeared in the syllabus. Anyone who arrived late had to perform their version of “I’m a Little Teapot.”
The students leaned into it. Some rapped the song. Others delivered theatrical readings or a cappella versions.
What could have been awkward turned into something unexpected: a shared moment that brought the group together.
Today, the ritual still shows up in the leadership work I do, whether I’m working with the Placers management team, facilitating strategic planning sessions with clients, or leading a Life Plan Review group.
If you’re late, you sing.
It’s lighthearted. It’s memorable. And it works.
More importantly, it reinforces a principle that strong cultures share: people know what to expect, and the expectations apply to everyone.
That said, leadership always requires judgment.
There are moments when rules step aside for empathy. If someone walks into the room carrying real hardship — grief, loss, or a difficult business challenge — humanity matters more than the ritual. A good leader knows when to push and when to pause.
The teapot song may sound silly, but the lesson behind it is serious.
Culture is built through small, consistent actions. Rituals like this remind teams that respect, presence, and accountability matter.
So here’s a question worth asking as a leader:
What small ritual reinforces the culture you want your team to build?
Sometimes the simplest expectations are the ones people remember the longest.
Until next time, friends,
Chris
If this perspective resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone on your team or in your organization. Leadership ideas grow stronger when more people are part of the conversation.
If you enjoyed this article, I recommend reading these past Outside Insights posts:
Where Do You Want To Be This Time Next Year?
What Thousands of Conversations Reinforced This Year
The Quiet Power of the Pause: A Thanksgiving Strategy
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