Max Was Crushing It… Until He Got Promoted
Max wasn’t used to struggling. At 31, he had already done what most people in his company were trying to do. Seven years in, two promotions behind him, and a reputation that carried weight. He was the kind of employee people pointed to and said, “That’s how you move up around here.” He was fast, […]
Why Your Core Values Are Underperforming Assets (And What to Do About It)
Most organizations proudly display their core values. They’re on websites. They’re on walls. They’re in onboarding decks and employee handbooks. And yet, many leaders quietly sense the same thing: Our values sound good … but they’re not really changing how people behave. That’s not a values problem. That’s a performance problem. The uncomfortable truth about […]
Three Tips for Improving Your Performance Review Process
Let’s talk about something that sparks eye rolls in even the best workplaces – performance reviews. At BetterCulture, we’ve often consulted on this topic, and while we could go deep, today we’re keeping it simple: here’s a fresh perspective to transform a manager’s role in employee evaluation conversations that will make those conversations more impactful […]
Customer Trust: The Right Goal for Long-Term Business Success
Trust isn’t fluff – it’s the fuel that powers growth, loyalty, and long-term success. But here’s the million-dollar question: How do you build that trust – and keep it strong over time? Trust Doesn’t Start at “Hello” Think about the first time a customer interacts with your business. There’s often a subtle tension in the air. […]
Get Serious About Recruiting Talent (Like, Really Serious)
Imagine this: A 16-year-old phenom of a power forward (a basketball position, for the non-sports crowd) living in the most rural corner of Mississippi, reaches out to one of the top 10 college basketball coaches in the country and invites him over for Christmas Eve dinner. Odds that the coach shows up, even on that […]
The #1 Priority for HR Executives
At BetterCulture, we’ve long had a guiding principle we call The Prime Directive for Human Resources (HR). If you’re a Star Trek fan, you know what a prime directive means: an overarching non-negotiable mission. Ours is simple – yet profound. HR’s Prime Directive should be: attract, build, motivate, and retain great talent. When BetterCulture first […]
The Workplace Conflict No One Talks About
In the magical world of Harry Potter, “Unspeakables” are the secretive operatives of the Department of Mysteries – so secret is their work that all are forbidden to even speak of it. At BetterCulture, we’ve reimagined this term to describe a different kind of mystery: one that exists quietly in workplaces everywhere. An Unspeakable is […]
The 3-Step Formula to Drastically Improve Employee Retention
Retaining top talent is one of the most pressing challenges companies face. The single most powerful factor in overcoming this challenge? Outstanding supervisors at every level of your organization. Nothing else comes close. The Leadership Reality In most organizations, leadership quality varies widely. You’ll find one or two exceptional leaders, a fair number of mediocre […]
Company Culture Insights That Really Matter
Spoiler: It’s not about napping pods, ping pong tables, or free beer. Ask the average person to describe a great company culture, and you’ll probably hear about nap pods, ping pong tables, and kombucha on tap. Fun? Sure. Meaningful for building great culture? Nope – about the same impact as Casual Fridays had in the […]
Lead With Humanity: The Simple Habit That Builds Stronger Teams
If you’re skipping the human connection and jumping straight to business, you’re eroding trust – and your culture. During a recent client visit, I witnessed a moment that perfectly captured what a BetterCulture a brilliant friend, Jon Pearson, once dubbed the “Business Launch.” As my client Anne and I walked through her office, we were […]