Culture is built room by room, starting with you.
Consultancy, workshops and coaching to help you, your people and your organisation 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 have worked in sport management and education across the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. My background combines academic and practical experience, including a Master of Arts in Sport Management and a Postgraduate Certificate of Education, as well as qualifications in teaching, coaching and learning.
Whether in management, administration, teaching or coaching, I have been part of teams and workplaces, and I've seen first-hand what makes high-performing culture work and what gets in the way. Those experiences shape everything I do, alongside current research, practical models, real case studies and plenty of storytelling.
I am a 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
Think of culture as a house. In the Culture Room framework, you walk through four rooms, from yourself to your colleagues, your team and your community, building trust, belonging and impact along the way.
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.
The Culture Room Point of Difference
The Culture Room delivers practical workshops for teams and organisations in any industry. Through facilitation, I help you create or evolve a culture that is uniquely yours. What is “the way you do things around here”, and what do you want it to be?
Culture is people and the relationships between them. It starts with self-awareness, with your own beliefs, values and story. It grows through trust, psychological safety and connection into belonging, shared purpose, and the standards, stories, rituals and habits your team lives by. That makes it matter to anyone who works with other people.
My Approach
I start by actively listening to understand what you need. Then we work through a diagnostic, planning and the four-room framework 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. I answer any queries you may have. There's no commitment.
2. Culture diagnostic. I gather insights 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 services, gain input and ensure leaders support the work.
4. Workshops, coaching or speaking. We work through The Culture Rooms and deliver the services at a time and location convenient to you and your organisation.
5. Follow-up. After the services are completed, we check in on your progress. We review the impact of the work, gather feedback from you and your team, and agree on any next steps.
Try a consultation for free and see if it’s right for you.
There’s no commitment, pressure, or obligation.