Culture is built room by room,
starting with you.
Consultancy, workshops and coaching to help your people be more inclusive, connected and effective.
He aha te mea nui? Māku e kii atu, he tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata.
What is the most important thing in the world? Well, let me tell you, it is people, it is people, it is people.
(Māori Proverb · Whakataukī)
Kia ora!
Hello, I'm Stu Savage, founder of The Culture Room and an organisational Culture Consultant.
I work alongside organisations in New Zealand and overseas that want to build an inclusive, connected and effective culture, one that people feel part of and that shows in the way they work together.
Over the last 25 years I've worked in sport management and education across the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Whether in management, administration, teaching or coaching, I have been part of countless teams and workplaces, and I've seen first-hand what makes culture work and what gets in its way. Those experiences shape everything I do, alongside current research, practical models, real case studies and plenty of storytelling.
I am a self-confessed culture geek. I'm usually reading about organisational culture or listening to podcasts on the subject, and now I make one too The Culture 360 Podcast. Away from work, I am a dad in beautiful Aotearoa New Zealand, a Manchester United and Wigan Rugby League supporter, and a runner who is trying to stay fit while dodging Wellington's 360-degree winds.
The Culture Room Framework
The Reflection Room. Explore your beliefs, values and personal story to build self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
The Connection Room. Build psychological safety, trust and connection, so you understand your colleagues, and they understand you.
The Belonging Room. Shape a shared purpose, values and standards into inclusive behaviours and rituals that build belonging and ownership.
The Community Room. Take your culture into the world you serve, shaping how people think, feel and behave for effective impact.
The Six Foundations. The threads that run throughout the Culture Room: Purpose & Vision, Values & Beliefs, Safety & Belonging, Storytelling, Rituals & Habits and Standards.
Delivering quality educational opportunities
The Culture Room delivers practical workshops for organisations, workplaces and teams in any industry. Through facilitation, I guide and support you to create or evolve a culture that is uniquely yours. What is "the way you do things around here" in your organisation, and what do you want it to be? Culture is about people and the relationships between them: how they connect, interact, think and behave with one another, in their teams and in the communities they serve. It starts with self-awareness, with your own beliefs, values and story. It grows through trust, psychological safety and connection into belonging, a shared purpose, and the standards, stories, rituals and habits your team lives by. So, it matters to anyone who works with other people.
My Approach
I start by actively listening to understand what you need. Then we work through the four rooms together, at the pace that suits you. What does your current culture look, sound and feel like? What would an effective culture look, sound and feel like? Using a range of practical exercises, we unpack both and build the culture you want for the future.
How it works:
1. Free consultation. We start with a conversation. I listen to understand your people, your organisation, your challenges and what you want to change. There's no commitment.
2. Culture diagnostic. I gather insight into how your culture works currently, so we start from evidence rather than assumptions.
3. Planning meeting. I meet with your senior leaders or key managers to agree on priorities, shape the workshops, gain input and ensure leaders support the work.
4. Workshops. We work through The Culture Rooms and deliver the workshops at a time convenient to you and your organisation.
5. Follow-up. After the workshops, we check in on how you are tracking. We review the difference the work is making, gather feedback from you and your people, and agree what comes next.
Try a consultation for free and see if it’s right for you.
There’s no commitment, pressure, or obligation.