What if the way you show up at work—your tone, your attitude, your habits—was the single most powerful predictor of how you show up at home?
It is.
The truth is that the human mind and body don’t switch on and off when you clock in and clock out. Every moment is a rep, and every rep is shaping who you are. If you practice connection, compassion, trust, and patience all day long at work, you’re strengthening those muscles—and they’ll be there when you get home. But if your reps are for disconnection, cynicism, mistrust, and frustration, those are the muscles that will be strongest when you walk through your front door.
This is why Connection Culture matters so much—not just for performance, but for the quality of your relationships and your own personal well-being.
What Is Connection Culture?
Michael Lee Stallard’s book Connection Culture describes three primary types of workplace culture:
Connection Culture – Where people feel seen, valued, and part of a shared mission. Communication, trust, recognition, and inclusion are high, and people are motivated to give their best.
Control Culture – Where fear, micromanagement, and compliance dominate. People follow rules, but creativity, collaboration, and morale are low.
Indifference Culture – Where people feel invisible and undervalued, and leadership is disengaged. Morale erodes, performance suffers, and turnover is high.
Research shows that cultures high in connection aren’t just “nicer” places to work—they are more productive, innovative, and resilient. In one study, business units with higher employee engagement (a key marker of connection) had 21% higher profitability and 41% lower absenteeism (Harter et al., Gallup, 2020). And connection isn’t just good for the bottom line—it’s good for your health. Social connection has been linked to a 50% reduced risk of early death, making it as important to longevity as quitting smoking (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2010).
Four Keys to Building Connection Culture
In this 6-part video series, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office and MAGNUS|One explore how to build Connection Culture through:
Communication – Clear, open, two-way dialogue builds understanding and reduces mistrust.
Recognition – Specific, timely acknowledgment fuels motivation and belonging.
Trust – Consistency, transparency, and integrity make people feel safe to contribute.
Inclusivity – Actively inviting and valuing diverse perspectives strengthens the whole team.
These aren’t just “soft skills”—they are the foundation of peak performance and strong relationships.
The Ripple Effect: From the Agency to Your Living Room
It’s easy to believe you can compartmentalize work and home. But neuroscience tells us that habits are context-independent—meaning the patterns you reinforce at work are the same ones you’ll default to at home (Lally et al., 2010).
If you spend 8–12 hours a day practicing patience, listening, and building trust, those skills will show up naturally with your spouse, your kids, your friends. If you spend those hours in frustration, isolation, or disengagement, you’ll carry that energy home.
This is why Connection Culture is not just an “organizational” issue—it’s deeply personal. The culture you help create at work is shaping your relationships outside of work more than you think.
Your Role: Agent of Change
No matter your rank, your role, or your years on the job—you are part of the culture. Every interaction you have either builds connection or erodes it. You may not be able to change the entire agency overnight, but you can be a catalyst for connection in your sphere of influence.
Ask yourself:
How do I communicate—with clarity and respect, or with impatience and dismissal?
Do I recognize and acknowledge others regularly?
Do my actions build or undermine trust?
Do I make space for every voice on the team, or only those like mine?
Remember, connection is contagious. Your behavior models the culture you want—at work and at home.
Call to Action: Your 7-Day Connection Challenge
For the next 7 days, commit to one connection-building action every day:
Communicate – Ask one person on your team how they’re really doing and listen without distraction.
Recognize – Acknowledge a colleague’s specific effort or contribution.
Trust – Follow through on one promise or commitment immediately.
Include – Ask someone you don’t usually talk to for their perspective on a decision or idea.
Encourage – Offer support or a word of belief to someone under pressure.
Appreciate – Tell a family member one thing you value about them.
Reflect – At the end of the week, ask yourself: “Which muscles did I strengthen this week?”
The more reps you put in for connection, the stronger you—and your relationships—will be.