Why I Wear the “J” with Shelie Gustafson

Why is culture so important?

Culture is at the center of all that we do at Jacobs. It creates a sense of belonging in which we feel like we’re part of something larger than ourselves. And when we incorporate our culture into everything we do, our clients notice. And when they like working with us, that creates loyalty – which leads to our growth and success as a company. I recently heard from an employee who has worked in several offices across Jacobs – both in the U.S. and Europe. And he said our culture shows up the same, which makes it easy to work anyplace in the world.

What advice would you give to someone striving to be a better agent of our culture in their day to day?

We're stronger when we're learning from each other. Provide constructive feedback and be open to receiving feedback from others. When we’re all learning and working to be better – we’re collectively getting better as well.

You talk a lot about curiosity. Why is that important to you?

Innovative cultures breed creativity and progress. When we’re curious, we ask questions, explore new ideas and take calculated risks. This prompts people to dig deeper, engage more and generate groundbreaking ideas – which is all important for our culture and our company.

Who is responsible for culture?

Every person at Jacobs is an “owner” of our culture – meaning we have a responsibility to positively contribute to our culture through our day to day actions and decisions. It is important that we all show up every day being our best and partnering with each other. When we show up for each other, we can do great things.