We talk culture all day long, but there's a beginning, a place it all started. And you might be in the place. Considering the role culture plays or even trying to convince your founder or leadership team it matters.This week we've compiled some varying insights on ways to learn about culture and get started in your organization. Remember, values are just the first step--you stil want to do all you can to bridge the gap between values and execution (perks, communications etc.) Check out our post on what we call work rules--a unique way to put your values in action.

This week's roundup:

1) Want to Build an Enduring Company? Fix Culture First from Agency Post

"As a leader, your primary role — and greatest challenge — is to build culture. The sooner you begin to look at leadership as the empowerment of people through culture, the sooner you can build a true foundation that will correct the problems the company faces through the people who are in the midst of it every day. More than vision, product or decisiveness, culture is what builds great companies and enduring brands."

2) What Big Businesses Can Teach You About Building Company Culture from Huffington Post

"A great company culture means that you know how to keep your employees happy and productive. And if you have happy and productive employees, they will not only stick around, but attract new talent as well."

3) How to create company culture from Mixergy

"Today, Zappos is known for their outstanding customer service. But great customer service wasn’t the secret to their success. In fact, “the word ‘customer’ isn’t even in the Zappos corporate values,” says Robert Richman, former culture strategist for Zappos and author of The Culture Blueprint. So what was the secret? Creating a culture of service, which meant providing great service for everyone, including customers, vendors, bosses, employees, and coworkers."

4) Easy Ways To Create A Workplace Culture That Doesn’t Suck from PanosPanay.com

"Entrepreneurs fret over just about everything: marketing plans, product features, investor pitches, sales collateral, management team hires, company valuations, financial projections, cash balances. But an often neglected, yet critical part of success is the culture that a startup founder fosters and the key role that it plays in the company’s eventual success."

5) Being a Best Place to Work and the Importance of Culture by Design from Cornerstone on Demand

"We’ve said this before, but it’s still true: in today's connected society, corporate cultures get defined by default unless companies take an active role upfront. At the center of this all is employee input: put employees – not managers – at the center and allow them to identify and shape a company's personality, purpose and rewards."

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Susan LaMotte is the founder of exaqueo, a workforce consultancy that helps startups and high-growth companies build their cultures, employer brands and talent strategies. Contact exaqueo to learn more about how we can help you build a workforce that’s aligned with your company culture and develop an employer brand that will allow your business to scale the right way.