With their placement on Forbes’ list of the nation’s best small companies for 2018, it’s clear that there is something special going on at Comfort Research. In this interview with co-founder Matt Jung, he describes how they’ve developed a culture that’s felt in everything they do, how they recognize people who live their values, and how this tireless focus on culture has transformed their business.
Quality Car Wash is a third-generation family business that was started back in 1969. In this interview with COO Mandi Brower, she shares her wisdom and experience around culture and how to intentionally sustain and grow it as a business opens multiple locations. From the very beginning, her grandpa used a simple phrase to guide everyone: “Be kind.” It still provides the foundation to this day.
DISHER has been recognized by Fortune magazine as one of the top 5 small company workplaces. In this interview with founder Jeff Disher, he shares insight into how he has cultivated the company culture, and how this powerful culture helped shape DISHER’s success. Part 1 of my guest blog Culture Series.
Does culture matter at your company? If it does, where do you start in order to make it stronger? Here is some help answering both of those questions – prepare to be challenged to add the title of Chief Culture Officer to your job description.
It is expensive to replace great people, so understanding why you lose people is critical for leaders. It is especially important for executive leaders who are far removed from the day to day work, because where there is smoke (turnover) there often is a fire starting (leader not being effective). Here is one powerful question you should make sure you get an answer to whenever someone walks out of your organization voluntarily.
Key people tip – spend your energy talking to your best people before they decide to leave. Sounds like common sense, but it is not common practice. Here are some real tips from an expert, and some additional info to help EOS companies leverage it to work toward 80% in the people component.
Do your people TRUST you as a leader? Here are three questions to test that by simply asking and listening. The hidden benefit of asking a great question and listening is that it actually builds trust.
Have you ever seen a group of leaders start becoming a team? The irony is that it does not take a ropes course or a walk in the mountains to find the danger that binds leaders together. EOS® creates opportunities for groups to become teams every time we get together. This story is based on several dozen EOS moments that I have experienced with teams on the journey to achieve what I have learned to call vision, traction, and healthy.
Leaders need to have guides in place to help them return to their path. Quotes can do that, and here are two that are guides for me.
How well do you manage change? More directly, how skilled are you at seeking the help of your peers, leaders, and key people when leading a team through a difficult change? Too often leaders treat Help like a four letter word, never to be uttered lest we be punished! Here is a lens to assist leaders in seeing their role in supporting in and dumping out, so that help becomes part of the process of change and healing.
What is the impact of being a loner? What is the impact of feeling a part of a community? Data provides the answer, and the message is consistent and powerful for finding friends and building connections in our teams. Here is a sip of data, and 4 things every leader needs to do to drive towards the positive side of community, both personally and with the team they lead.
Leadership lessons are all around us. Here is a lesson I learned around EGO during a golf game. The irony is that I failed to listen to the exact words I wrote and the metric(my score) reflected it. Here is how to identify where your ego is getting in your way and three questions to step back and reset. Watching the movie Tin Cup is your homework if you want to explore the topic further.