About D.O.C and
its Mission
Why does organizational culture matter?
The cultures of organizations can have big impacts for those both inside and outside of them. If a culture is polarized—around political divisions or rifts in societal cultures—it can make some team members feel excluded, and it can affect the organization's morale and its ability to pursue its goals.
But the effect can be even broader. According to University of Chicago professor John List, "Research shows that organizational culture affects the attitudes and choices of people outside the workplace," adding that it can even "correlate with economic growth and the quality of democracy" (The Voltage Effect, 2022).
Organizations are among the shared spaces in this country—places where people are able to encounter those with different perspectives—that are disappearing as we continue to sort ourselves, both geographically and digitally. And they also happen to provide shared goals, which are essential to the strength of relationships.
D.O.C. believes this work is vitally important for the future of our country and the world, and that increasing the sense of belonging in the cultures of every group we're involved with can be positive not just for us, but for everyone around us.
Our own culture
D.O.C. strives to practice what we preach, so we're transparent about our internal culture. If you work with us in any capacity, you should expect the following principles to be applied.
Our principles
Let's talk.
We are always willing to have difficult but needed conversations. This includes about the nature of our work together and our level of trust in one another. The only way for us to pursue this work effectively is if we can communicate directly and respectfully.
Lead by example.
Our leadership will always be open to feedback. If you're frustrated, our leaders want to know. If there's ever a sense that leadership is moving in the wrong direction, we need to know.
Give back.
For every paid workshop we deliver, we give the client the chance to gift a free workshop to an organization that may need it but can't afford a training in their budget. This work is important enough that we make a social mission part of our core.
Randy Lioz
Business Culture Consultant
After 15 years in the automotive industry, Randy pivoted towards the world of political depolarization. Having watched our civic divides deepen during the 2016 election, he joined a nonprofit organization called Better Angels to help bring Americans back together. Now called Braver Angels (braverangels.org), it's one of the leading national groups focused on reducing political polarization, active in all 50 states.
Randy served in a variety of roles there, and in 2020 led the effort to migrate Braver Angels events to the online environment.The following year he began working with partner organizations to address their internal challenges with polarization, and in 2023 he left Braver Angels and founded D.O.C.: Depolarizing Organization Cultures, to bring this experience directly to the groups that need it most.