In a recent issue of The Executive Edge, a quarterly newsletter from Michigan Ross Executive Education, leaders are challenged to rethink how culture is built, sustained, and experienced amid shifting expectations, technological change, and evolving definitions of meaningful work. Two members of the Sanger Research Lab—Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks, Professor of Management and Organizations, and Marcus Collins, Clinical Assistant Professor of Marketing—offer research-driven insights that connect workplace culture, leadership behavior, and brand strategy in powerful ways.
Sanchez-Burks’ research highlights a critical leadership reality: connection does not happen automatically—it must be intentionally designed. As teams become more distributed and work intensifies, strong cultures are built through what he calls “immensely human interactions.” Small, everyday moments—checking in without an agenda, making space for personal stories, or signaling curiosity and care—help restore trust, belonging, and shared purpose. His work also emphasizes transparency and humility as leaders navigate tensions around flexibility and control, showing that cultures resilient to disruption make room for emotion, learning, and shared ownership rather than relying on policy alone.
From a brand and strategy perspective, Collins examines how organizations engage culture externally—and when they should resist the urge to do so. His research shows that while cultural relevance can deepen connection, misalignment or performative engagement can erode trust. Effective leaders start by understanding which communities they seek to engage, developing intimacy with their values and behaviors, and contributing from a clear point of view. Across both organizational and brand contexts, the message is consistent: culture is not performative. It is built through empathy, intention, and leadership choices that demonstrate what—and who—truly matters.