Emerging research, including the one made by the International Bar Association’s Law Firm Management Committee, challenges the assumption that culture and performance are in tension. Instead, it finds that high-performing firms deliberately combine strong cultural foundations with demanding performance standards. A positive culture does not mean avoiding difficult conversations or lowering the bar. It means building the trust and respect that make accountability possible. When partners feel valued, supported, and aligned with a shared purpose, they are more willing to stretch themselves, challenge one another constructively, and commit to collective goals. In this sense, culture is not the enemy of performance, as it is its foundation.