The last two weeks, we examined how a comment, nervous laughter, and the phrase “that’s just the way he is” created a culture that valued harmony over honesty. I was reminded of this situation recently, when after the winter Olympics I watched a public leadership moment unfold. The U.S. men’s hockey team was congratulated in the locker room after a major win. The nervous laughter in that moment has sparked both backlash online and thoughtful discussion among my colleagues and friends.

Public leadership moments fascinate me because of both the optics and the signals. Leadership is always  broadcasting in board rooms, in locker rooms and even in, or especially in, lunch rooms. Every visible reaction communicates who belongs, what is humorous, what is tolerated, and who will feel safe.

Schein’s work reminds us that leaders shape culture most powerfully through their behavior and their words. And Edmondson’s research reminds us that performance thrives where people feel safe to speak, not where they feel forced to laugh along. Many leaders as well as colleagues underestimate the weight of informal moments.

Some believe culture is shaped in strategy sessions. On the contrary, culture is shaped in jokes and in any situation where colleagues feel they belong, or do not. It’s whether someone says, “That’s not who we are.”

My question to you is, what do you do when the inappropriate joke is made?

Or when the nervous laughter happens?

What have you labeled as “just the way they are” that is quietly shaping who feels safe, who feels small, and who stays silent?

If you are in a position of authority or power, you are shaping culture, regardless of your intent.