What can an ancient art form made from crushed leaves teach us about modern workplaces?

This past weekend, I was at a family wedding where I took part in a mehndi ceremony, an Indian tradition where henna is applied in delicate, flowing designs to mark celebration and transition. As I watched, guests sit patiently, their hands slowly adorned with vines and motifs, I started thinking about culture. Not just in families, but in organisations.

Mehndi takes time. It’s not rushed. The design appears slowly, line by line, with intention. Culture is no different. We often try to build belonging and trust through big gestures or quick fixes. But the most meaningful cultures take shape through repeated, thoughtful acts: how we listen, how we include, how we support.

Mehndi is created in community. It doesn’t happen in silence or isolation. It happens with laughter, music, shared stories, and care. In many ways, that’s what strong teams do too. They co-create culture not just through performance, but through presence. Through showing up for each other, even when it’s not required.

And here’s something that stayed with me:

Culture isn’t just built by what we say yes to. It’s shaped by what we let slide.

Of course, not all teams or organisations have the same resources or freedom to shape culture this way. And mehndi itself comes from a specific cultural and historical context that deserves recognition and respect. It’s not just metaphor, it’s meaning.

But the lesson still holds: Culture doesn’t just appear. It’s designed. Not by writing values on a wall, but by living them. Consistently, quietly, and collectively.

So here’s the question I’m left with: What’s setting in your workplace, intentionally or not? And what kind of imprint will it leave?