Creating a great company culture doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of intentional decisions, alignment, and processes—and one of the most important tools in this effort is a leveling framework. A robust leveling framework aligns executives on competencies, measures employee contributions, and supports growth. However, doing it poorly or neglecting it altogether can lead to cultural debt that undermines long-term success. While we’ll dive into advanced concepts in future articles, this post covers the basics of what you need to know.