What Walruses Teach Us About Team Culture

Humans, like walruses, are wired for connection.

Our brains literally grow through interaction - they’re social organs. The people we surround ourselves with shape how we think, feel, and act. The energy we exchange with others determines whether we grow or slowly shut down.

Think about your colleagues for a second.

Do they spark curiosity and creativity?

Or do they drain you with stress and routine?

The quality of our environment influences not just our productivity, but our very identity. A toxic culture erodes trust and morale; a thriving one fuels innovation and resilience, especially in workplaces where creativity and problem-solving are daily survival skills (hello, IT teams!).

But how do we actually build a culture where people thrive together?

To find the answer, we need to look to an unlikely teacher - the walrus.

The Walrus Paradox: More Than Meets the Eye

When people hear “walrus,” they usually picture a massive, slow-moving lump of blubber. Where I come from, calling someone a walrus isn’t exactly a compliment.

Yet, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Walruses are social masterminds.

They stick together, rely on each other, and even help raise one another’s young. They communicate constantly, through grunts, gestures, and even songs.

Yes, songs.

Male walruses compose intricate underwater melodies to attract mates. Each has a unique tune that evolves over time, borrowing riffs from others and improving them - a kind of creative jam session of the Arctic. See the connection? So do humans when we innovate: building, remixing, and improving on each other’s ideas.

And here’s the kicker: walruses are not just social, they’re adaptive.

They’re comfortable lounging in shallow waters, but when needed, they can dive to depths of 500 meters to find food. They’re masters of conserving energy, yet never afraid to go deep when the moment calls for it.

If that doesn’t sound like a great metaphor for healthy teams, I don’t know what does.

Lessons from the Walrus: How to Build Thriving Teams

1. Stop Judging by the Surface - Look for Hidden Strengths

Walruses may look clumsy, but they’re highly capable creatures. The same goes for people.

Too often, we underestimate others based on first impressions -how they speak, dress, or behave in meetings -without seeing what lies beneath.

Many organizations hire for experience instead of potential, filling roles rather than empowering people. As a result, hidden talent stays hidden.

A strong team culture invites people to bring their full selves to the table - their quirks, their , and all. It rewards curiosity over conformity.

Every person on your team is like an iceberg: most of their potential is below the surface.

If we make space to truly understand what drives them, we unlock trust, engagement, and collaboration, getting the ultimate productivity boost.

And that starts with clarity: setting the ground rules, defining what’s non-negotiable, and agreeing on what “good behavior” looks like when things get messy. That clarity becomes the compass that saves energy and keeps the team steady when the waters get rough.

2. Shift from Ego to Collective Growth

Walruses collaborate instinctively; humans, not so much.

Our brains are built for cooperation (it’s how we survived as a species), but we often get trapped in power games and invisible competitions.

In workplaces where safety is low and recognition is scarce, people protect themselves. They guard information, hold back opinions, or compete instead of connecting.

Great teams flip that script. They focus on solving problems because the "defending egos" option is a waste of time.

And they are too wise to waste time on who’s right, so they ask what’s needed.

And yes, even walruses fight (with their magnificent tusks), but only to set boundaries. Once that’s clear, the colony returns to calm.

In teams, that means learning to fight about the issue, not about the person.

Transparent feedback isn’t about blame, but about growth.

A leader’s role is to set this tone. To model how to stay authentic, open, and human, even and especially under pressure.

Whether we like it or not, leaders are always in the spotlight. The way you handle tension becomes the blueprint for how your people will, too.

The Walrus Mindset: Thrive Together or Sink Alone

Icebergs are melting - literally and metaphorically.

Workplace cultures decay when ignored. Biases, egos, and poor communication pile up until the organization hits something big, and it’s usually too late.

But what if we took a different approach?

What if we embraced the wisdom of the walrus, staying close, sharing warmth, collaborating, and diving deep when needed?

A thriving team is far more than just about individual brilliance. It’s about collective rhythm, the courage to learn together, to be seen, and to lift each other up when the water gets cold.

So next time you think of a walrus, don’t just see tusks and blubber.

See a leader.

A teammate.

A creative genius wrapped in whiskers and wisdom.

And maybe, just maybe, a little bit of yourself.

Because walruses communicate. Walruses collaborate. Walruses feel safe with each other.

And when it’s time to go deep, they do it, together.

Be like a walrus.

3. Create a Culture of Exploration and Learning

Walruses don’t just communicate - they evolve through it. Their songs change as they grow, influenced by others around them.

Human teams do the same.

Every conversation shapes what’s possible next.

In a thriving culture, people feel safe to experiment, to take risks, to speak up even when it’s uncomfortable. Mistakes are treated as data, not drama.

That’s psychological safety in action, and it’s the foundation of creativity and innovation.

When leaders create space for curiosity, feedback, and reflection, they turn their teams into learning organisms that are adaptable, self-correcting, and surprisingly resilient.

Curious to see how your team could "sing in sync"?

WalrusExplore The Walrus Project - a practical team coaching journey that helps you build trust, communication, and collaboration that lasts.