It all comes down to culture – with Lee Turner and Kim Dovey at Skillpod

June 10 2025

Business resilience was top of mind at our recent SME Summit in Auckland. How do we build it? What does it look like in real workplaces? One standout answer was that it starts with culture. 

Skillpod’s Lee Turner and Kim Dovey gave us a practical, people-first look at what culture really means, and why it matters more than ever when things get tough, at their standing-room only session, It all comes down to culture.  

 

Skillpod - Lee Turner and Kim DoveyKim and Lee weren’t talking about posters or policies. They spoke about the everyday stuff – how we show up and treat each other, and the decisions we make when the pressure’s on. This is the real culture. When these aspects are strong, your people are more connected, capable and resilient. Key ideas explored included: 

  • Culture is built through behaviour. Not just what’s said, but what’s done – especially when no one’s watching.
  • Micro-behaviours matter. The small things people do or say can lift others up – or quietly wear them down.
  • Psychological safety is a game-changer. People need to feel safe to speak up, take risks and contribute fully.
  • The Te Whare Tapa Whā model offers a brilliant, balanced way to look at wellbeing and culture through physical, emotional, social and spiritual lenses.
  • Building culture is a daily practice. It’s in the way teams communicate, give feedback, welcome new people and lead through challenges. 

 Ideas that really resonated with delegates were: 

  • Culture needs constant attention. It isn’t something you “set and forget”.  
  • Values must be lived – make them visible through behaviour.
  • Leaders have a big role to play. How they show up matters.
  • The Te Whare Tapa Whā framework. Delegates were already starting to think about how they could use it to check in on team wellbeing and internal culture. Download the worksheet to analyse your organisation against the Te Whare Tapa Whā model.
  • The strong link between belonging and performance. When people feel like they belong, they’re more likely to bring their best and stick around.   

Kim and Lee’s session sparked great conversations, but we all know that culture doesn’t shift without action. If you want to keep the momentum going and build a culture where people feel seen, supported and ready for whatever comes next, Skillpod has a bunch of easy, practical microlearning tools that can help whether it’s supporting leaders, addressing unconscious bias or turning values into daily habits. Some practical actions to take forward include: 

  • Discuss your team values and how they show up day-to-day.
  • Turn organisational values into clear behavioural action statements.
  • Use values as a lens for feedback, issue resolution, and performance reviews.
  • Consider an internal culture audit using Te Whare Tapa Whā. 
      

Read more about Skillpod and what’s available (use the code ACE at checkout for a 20% discount on any microlearn) 
 
Connect with Kim Dovey on LinkedIn 

Connect with Lee Turner on LinkedIn