Leaving the Old Culture Behind
On a sunny Friday in Cupertino, Bob Baxley, a Design Director, walked out of Apple for the last time. By Monday morning, he was already sitting in his new office at Pinterest, eager to make an impact. He brought his sharp instincts, his high standards, and his signature directness, all honed in Apple's famously intense culture.
And then… it didn't quite work.
As Baxley later reflected in a podcast, he entered Pinterest still behaving like an Apple leader, forgetting he was no longer at Apple. The culture clash left him disoriented, and his colleagues confused.
It's a story many of us have lived: Joining a new organization or team full of enthusiasm, yet unknowingly carrying with us the behaviors and assumptions of the one we just left.
Culture Travels With You
High-performing organizations don't just shape our skills; they shape how we lead, communicate, and decide. Their cultural norms often become our personal defaults, sometimes so deeply ingrained we no longer notice them.
Whether it's Amazon, Volvo, McKinsey, or a fast-paced startup, these environments instill habits that may not fit elsewhere. However, as Baxley pointed out, companies typically hire us for the values we embody, but not necessarily for the behaviors we have learned to express those values. If we fail to adjust, we risk clashing with the very culture we're supposed to contribute to.
How to Recalibrate
Here are four ways to shed old habits and adapt more thoughtfully to a new culture, without losing ourselves.
Pause Before You Start
Moving into a new role requires more than just a clean calendar; it requires a deliberate reset. Many of us underestimate the mental and emotional residue we carry from our previous organization. Even if the new job starts on Monday, we don't have to bring Monday-level urgency into our first week.
If we have the option, it's best to take time off before beginning. People who take some days or weeks off before their next move tend to transition more smoothly. That time helps them recalibrate and step in without unconsciously imposing old behaviors on a new team.
Even if a formal break isn't possible, we can still treat the first few weeks as a "transition period." Using it to listen, absorb, and observe rather than rushing to produce visible results. This slower start often prevents mistakes that take much longer to undo.
Ask yourself: What behaviors did my last company reward that might not be valued here? Am I assuming my next team wants the same things my previous team did? What do I need to let go of before stepping into this new culture?
Observe Before Acting
One of the most common mistakes in a new environment is assuming our usual leadership style will resonate. Cultures have a rhythm, and it takes time to hear it. During our first few weeks, we should immerse ourselves in observation. Watch how meetings unfold, pay attention to how people respond to disagreement, and notice what gets celebrated and what goes unnoticed.
We should avoid rushing to impose our way of working on others. Even if we're hired to bring change, we need to understand the starting point before we can chart the right path forward. Cultures can reject even well-intentioned improvements if they're delivered in the wrong way at the wrong time.
Ask yourself: How are decisions made here, by consensus, top-down, or delegated? Which behaviors are praised, and which are avoided? When people disagree, how do they express it?
Separate Values From Behaviors
At Apple, sharp feedback and uncompromising standards served the value of excellence. At Pinterest, those same behaviors clashed with the team's more collaborative ethos. The same value can (and most often should) be expressed differently in different environments.
We can start by clarifying which values we want to carry forward. Then, experiment with new ways to express those values that align with the culture around us. The "what" stays consistent, but the "how" should adapt.
This distinction helps us stay authentic while also respecting the context in which we now find ourselves. It signals to our colleagues that we care about their way of working, even as we bring high standards and fresh energy.
Ask yourself: Which values do I want to maintain? How can I express those values here without imposing my previous company, organization, or team's style? What new behaviors can achieve the same outcomes in this different culture?
Plan Your 'Car Wash'
Steve Jobs used to say that new hires always went through "the car wash," a deliberate process of shedding old habits and learning Apple's way of working. We may also need a car wash when leaving a strong culture.
When we exit an environment that has profoundly shaped us, those behaviors don't simply disappear. Without realizing it, we may carry them into the next place, where they no longer fit. We should treat this as a process, not a single moment. Reflection, feedback, and conscious habit-breaking help us reset.
Even just naming the habits we want to leave behind can make them easier to shed. We'll also be more open to learning from others about what we're still unconsciously holding onto.
Ask yourself: What did my old culture encourage that might hold me back here? Who can help me see what I'm still carrying from the past? What new habits do I want to build in this role?
Making Space for the New
Leadership behaviors don't automatically translate across cultures. The very style that made us successful in one place might undermine us in another.
Before we leap into action, we should take the time to slow down, observe, and consciously adapt. Hold onto the values that made us effective, but find new ways to express them; ways that resonate here and now.
The question "How are values best expressed in this new culture?" is worth asking, not just once, but repeatedly as we grow professionally.
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