As I write this, I’m listening to Warren Buffett conduct the 2024 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Meeting – the so-called “Woodstock for Capitalists” that takes place every year, since 1973, in Omaha, Nebraska.

My affinity for Mr. Buffett’s late sidekick Charlie Munger is well-known. I wrote about my visit to the 2023 meeting here, a blog post where I laid out Munger’s Psychology of Human Misjudgment framework. I continue to be grateful that I had the chance to “meet” Charlie in person at the meeting last year, a few months before he died. It’s a personal memory of mine that I doubt will ever fade much.

While I listen to Mr. Buffett speak today, my mind drifts to that memory. I can visualize myself walking the concourse of the CHI Health Center Arena in Omaha on that gray Saturday morning. I can feel the buzz in the air. I can hear the chatter, in all sorts of languages (lots of Chinese!). I can smell the popcorn.

I could go on and on about the wisdom and insights I’ve learned from Buffett and Munger over the years, but what struck me most when I walked that concourse last year was the vibe of the place.

Even before I got inside, as I walked up to the arena I noticed that everyone was lined up in an orderly fashion. Everyone was patient and waited their turn in the security line, not being pushy or anxious. Everyone was dressed well. No sweats. Hair combed or brushed. Shirts tucked in (mostly). 

When is the last time you were at an arena or stadium with tens of thousands of people and the place felt orderly? Or even anything close to orderly? Never happens. 

Everyone was courteous. I saw more people holding the door for the person behind them than I have anywhere, save for my grandfather’s church. Everyone’s interactions with the concessions vendors and event staff was respectful and friendly. 

No one grumbled when they had to stand up for you to get to your seat down the aisle. And when I sat down next to two strangers – one on each side of me – each one shook my hand and introduced themselves.

It was all so pleasant. 

That vibe in the arena is what I would call the culture of Berkshire Hathaway.

And it all started rather unintentionally with two men: Buffett and Munger. These two men decided a long time ago to try to live out their lives as gentlemen. Such a simple concept that now feels fleeting.

They established a culture simply by the way they comported themselves.

I think the word “culture” gets misused a lot. We overanalyze it.

In a business context, we talk about culture like it’s a mission statement. Some blustery set of rules that describe a company’s work ethic and devotion to a cause. Founders describe the culture of a company like it’s their own version of the ten commandments. In this way, I don’t like using the word culture since it seems like we are talking more about ethos. And that ethos isn’t always for the good, and it often gets perverted. I’ve seen plenty of businesses where the “culture” gets imposed on employees and turned into a cult-like set of instructions. This isn’t the use of the word culture that I’m looking for.

In a global context, we often think of culture as the customs of a particular region or country. I touched on this in a blog post I wrote as an ode to my journey as a world traveler. This use of the word culture is more about putting a label on human preferences. It points itself at food, language, fashion and other more visceral elements of daily life. These are sensory items. I don’t think this is a misuse of the word culture, but I’m talking about something different here. Something deeper.

To me, what I experienced at the Berkshire Hathaway meeting last year was a more pure definition of culture. 

The Berkshire culture is one of decency. Decency that was set by example, largely by two people to start with, and then organically spread among those who voluntarily subscribed. And this culture transcends national borders, ethnicity, gender and all other categorical labels. It creates a center of gravity that once per year draws in tens of thousands of people from all over the world to Omaha, Nebraska – to listen to old men talk for a few hours.

These days, you can’t go to a sporting event without seeing a fight break out. Or to an airport without hearing someone scream at a customer service worker who’s just trying to do their job. In a time when these types of (mis)behavior have been normalized, experiencing the culture at Berkshire Hathaway first-hand was a breath of fresh air.

And it’s a great reminder that it doesn’t take much to establish a good culture around you, in any context. You don’t have to read a bunch of books about how to establish culture, or over analyze it. You don’t need a PhD. 

You just need to comport yourself well. Above all, be decent. And hold the door for the person behind you – every time.