... Neurodivergent. Neurotypical etc. The list goes on, most tags meant to help us understand the 'other', hopefully to bring nuance and inclusion into how we live and work. And to an extent, they do. But sometimes, in our eagerness to celebrate difference, we end up building new walls instead of opening new doors.

When every label becomes a camp, conversation turns into negotiation. And before we know it, collaboration starts to feel like diplomacy.

In business culture, this fragmentation can quietly erode what culture is supposed to be in the first place: a shared sense of purpose. Culture isn’t about sameness. It’s about togetherness. It’s the invisible glue that lets people with wildly different minds, backgrounds, and temperaments pull in the same direction.

Over the years, I’ve seen companies and organizations swing between extremes. On the one end, there's the rigid, one-size-fits-all culture: efficient but exclusive, where difference feels like friction. On the other, there’s the hyper-individualized culture: compassionate but chaotic, where everyone’s needs are acknowledged, but few are aligned.

But it doesn’t really work that way. Because:

A healthy workplace isn’t about eliminating friction. It’s about learning how to move with it.

Which starts with shifting our focus, from identity to intention. Not primarily who people are, but what we’re here to do together. When we start designing for shared purpose, we create environments where individuality enriches the collective instead of competing with it.

This doesn’t mean ignoring diversity — far from it. It means recognizing that diversity flourishes best when it’s connected by a sense of meaning, a mission, a reason to show up and contribute.

Culture, in the end, is the story we tell ourselves about why we work together. And like any good story, it only works if everyone can see themselves in it.

If you need to craft your story, define your idea of togetherness, or design the culture you want for your business, come and ask me! I help businesses to navigate this process.