The Culture Boost That Started At The Front Desk

This is the Minute Business Riff (MBR). Quick takes. Big swings. Leadership riffs you can read in less time than it takes to scroll LinkedIn aimlessly.

One minute. One idea. That’s it.

Today’s word count: 271

It took me 1 min 01s to read this.

A leader once told me the best cultural shift he ever saw started with one person…….

The receptionist.

She wasn’t in strategy meetings.

She didn’t run reports.

But every person who walked through that door got the same thing:

A huge smile.

A “how was your weekend?”

And - without fail - one compliment a day.

Nothing forced. Just pure, positive energy.

At first, it felt small. Harmless.

But over time, something weird happened…

The mood on the floor lifted.

People stayed a few extra minutes to chat.

New hires felt at home faster.

Eventually, department heads started mirroring it.

Standups opened with wins.

Slack got less “as per my last email” and more 🎉 reactions.

The vibe changed - and so did performance.

One day the he asked her, “What made you start doing that?”

She shrugged and said: “I figured if people walk in stressed, I might as well send them into the day 10% better.”

Mic drop.

Here’s the kicker

Culture change doesn’t always start with an offsite.

Or a DEI budget.

Or a 200-slide deck on company values.

Sometimes, it starts with someone at the front desk deciding, “This place should feel good to walk into.”

Tactical Takeaway:

Look around your org and ask: “Who’s bringing the good vibes - and how can I make that contagious?”

Because culture isn’t defined by the exec team.

It’s defined by the energy people bring when no one’s asking them to.

And if you're looking for momentum?

Start with enthusiasm.

It's the fastest thing that spreads.

Think this was a banger? Think I’m full of it?

Either way, hit reply and drop some truth bombs.

I read every email 😁

Great leaders are made in minutes. Not meetings.