Each company has an opportunity to set the culture right from the start. We’ve heard the term “Culture eats strategy for lunch.” Culture is everything.
The culture should promote excellence and always keep the bar very high. Mediocrity will try to sneak in here and there but you have to be quick to take care of it right away. If mediocrity becomes acceptable then the leadership weakens and things fall apart from there. The A people leave and you’re left with C or D people to manage the responsibilities. Keeping the bar high from the start, tolerating only excellence and expecting the best from everyone should be the norm.