What Twitch, the US Army, and Google Know About Belonging and Performance
Standing on Centuries of Wisdom
When I went to graduate school in Connecticut to study religion, philosophy, and ethics, I didn’t expect that journey to lead me into corporate thought leadership within the tech world, or the U.S. Army.
Back then, I was fascinated by ancient traditions, many continuing over a thousand years to bring people together around shared values and purpose. I remember sitting in class, inspired by the realization that I could leave the room and find people still gathering in those traditions, practicing rituals and living out values together that had endured for generations.
I didn’t imagine writing a book about it, let alone helping global organizations build life saving communities across time zones.
When Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Technology
After grad school, I moved to California, trying to figure out how to contribute to the world with a new degree in religion and a past experience as a PBS filmmaker.
Then I had lunch with a guy named Kevin.
Kevin had recently launched a platform called Twitch, a space for people to gather around their love for gaming using live video. Twitch wasn’t yet the giant it is now. Kevin saw the growth coming and said he wanted to better connect people showing up on the platform, not just give a place to stream. He knew there was a longing for a largely stigmatized demographic to find one another, grow friendships and collaborate.
At the time his team didn’t know how to create the kind of connections he envisioned. They were engineers. They knew how to build global digital platforms, not communities.
I sat nearly bursting when he revealed this. I had so many ideas rooted in timeless traditions about how humans gather, bond, and create belonging through even life threatening times. I went home thinking I’d write a short white paper to share those ideas.
Instead, it turned into a book. The first publisher surprised me when they said yes, and it turns out there was more hunger for this message than I (or my publisher) ever imagined.
Why This Matters for Your Workplace
Since publishing that first book in 2016, I’ve had the privilege of working with leaders in organizations including Twitch, Google, LinkedIn, Amazon, the U.S. Army, and many more.
These organizations aren’t just asking about culture as a nice-to-have. They’re grappling with serious stakes.
At Twitch, there was a question how to turn a digital crowd into a cooperative and creative community.
In the U.S. Army, they know to invest so war fighters trust each other enough to coordinate because when they don’t, people die.
In education, there is recognition that educators might be the only adults who notice signs of self-harm or emotional danger among young people.
And in medicine, where high-performing teams handle life-and-death moments, the ability to understand and trust each other isn't optional. It’s foundational.
The Truth About Workplace Challenges
There are plenty of business school studies that back this up. Research consistently shows that strong relationships at work (often labeled “friendships”) are the closest thing we have to a silver bullet for:
Engagement
Absenteeism
Retention
Safety
But beyond the numbers, here's what I see:
The most forward-thinking organizations aren’t asking if they need connection.
They’re asking how to build it deliberately, sustainably, and wisely. Especially in a time of scary uncertainty and change.
The Ancient Future of Belonging
Here’s what I want you to know:
I hope that nothing I teach is truly new.
I’m distilling principles and practices that people across cultures have used for centuries, including rituals, invitations, shared values, and crafting sacred spaces.
We’ve just forgotten them.
And we can remember.
If we do, we can rebuild organizations, teams, and communities that are more than safe, they're resilient, joyful, and deeply fulfilling.
Are You Building This Kind of Workplace?
If your team is working on high-stakes problems…
If you lead in healthcare, education, defense, or tech…
If your organization depends on trust, communication, and performance…
Then investing in belonging isn’t likely optional for uncertain times.
It’s how your people and your relevance survive.
Get free resources on building the community you long for at www.charlesvogl.com
