The We Ethos

It All Starts with "We"

Every so often, you come across a simple idea that completely changes how you see things. For me, that idea came from the culture at Transient. It was a small shift in language that had a massive impact on how we worked together: a shared commitment to using "we" instead of "I."

It wasn't a formal rule in a handbook, but a natural part of the company's DNA. It’s a philosophy that’s best described as The We Ethos, and it’s all about building a team that genuinely wins and loses together.

From "My Work" to "Our Mission"

What The We Ethos is really all about is shifting our focus. When a team's language is full of "I," "me," and "my," the environment can easily become about individual accomplishments and individual blame.

But when that language shifts to "we," "us," and "our," something powerful happens. The focus moves from personal agendas to the team’s shared mission. This creates a space where the default mindset is to support each other, because a teammate's success is your success.

Where This Really Shines

This ethos truly comes to life in the day-to-day moments, both good and bad.

When something great happened, like launching a new feature or closing a big deal, it was never, "I finished the project." It was always, "We launched the feature." This simple habit made sure that everyone who contributed, from the engineers to the support team, felt part of the victory. It makes it clear that a win is a team win.

Even more importantly, this applied when things didn't go as planned. If we hit a snag, the conversation was never "Why did you miss the deadline?" It was "We need to figure out what went wrong." This approach completely changes the dynamic. It removes the fear of blame and encourages people to be honest about challenges. The conversation shifts from finding fault to finding a solution, together.

The Real-World Impact

Adopting this "we-first" language has some amazing and practical benefits that I saw firsthand:

• A Stronger, Happier Team: It builds a genuine sense of connection and belonging. People feel like they're part of something bigger than just their own job description.

• Everyone Owns the Outcome: This might sound strange, but sharing responsibility actually increases personal accountability. When you know the whole team is counting on you and that you're all in it together, you feel a stronger personal drive not to let your teammates down.

• Better, More Honest Conversations: A "we" culture encourages open dialogue. When the goal is a collective win instead of personal credit, people are more willing to share ideas, admit mistakes, and collaborate freely.

• The Team Bounces Back Faster: Teams that share everything, the good and the bad, are more resilient. They can navigate challenges and recover from setbacks more effectively because they draw on a collective strength.

This simple lesson from Transient is more than just a communication tip; it’s a blueprint for building a stronger, more unified culture, one word at a time.