The Culture Fix® Podcast with Will Scott

Will Scott has made company culture his life’s work. His book, his company, and these vlogs have shown the value and importance of having clear Core Values leads to a strong Corporate Culture. 

So where did Will get the passion to take on this profession? What were the events and choices in Will’s life which led him to start Culture Czars and help people create a strong culture, so that people love where they work, and why they work?

This week Will is joined by Adam Boyd, Vice President of Client Sales at Beneplace, LLC. Beneplace helps employers attract, retain and recognize their people, their most critical asset. They discuss Will’s story, including how he started his company in 1999, his time in the Royal Marines, and why he places such values in Culture. 

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

[2:48] Will's story and how he became a culture consult

[6:24] Why Will became interested in core values

[9:59] The lines between culture and Community can be blurred

[11:30] The inspiration behind the decision to start his company in 1999

[14:48] A culture which has Trust is more productive than one with fear

[17:55] Will’s time in the Royal Marines, and how his time there carried over into his professional life

[25:20] Core values should be more than just words on a Wall

[28:44] Why core values are sometimes ignored by employees

[31:27] What companies must sacrifice in order to implement strong core values

[35:25] Some employees will fear discussion about culture and feelings

Resources Mentioned in this episode

EOS - Entrepreneur Operating System

Connect with Will

About Me

Culture Czars

The Culture Fix

Linked In

Leadership is a difficult thing to pin down, but Mel Schwartz has developed a system. He has identified three pillars of leadership which highlight key traits that are necessary to a great leader.

Mel Schwartz is a psychotherapist, author, marriage counselor, speaker, and consultant. Mel works globally by Skype and locally in Westport, CT, and Manhattan. 

In this episode, Mel joins Will Scott to discuss the importance of emotion on the culture of a company, the three pillars of leadership, and how thoughts can create change in people’s lives.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• [1:20] The importance of emotion in the culture of a company
• [4:01] Emotional Intelligence, and why that’s the first of Mel’s Pillars of Leadership
• [7:57] Mel’s idea of Intellectual Intuition
• [9:25] Authenticity: Mel’s second Pillar of Leadership
• [11:49] Becoming authentic is easier for older people, and Mel’s ideas to instill authenticity in our children
• [15:20] What is Radical Emotional Intimacy?
• [20:55] Who in the world might exemplify the Three Pillars of Leadership?
• [23:45] The difference between defining moments and confining moments 
• [25:31] How we can create change in ourselves through our thoughts
• [31:03] Mel’s final thoughts for leaders in the corporate world

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Mel Schwartz’s Website
• The Possibility Principle
• Mel’s email

Connect with Will

• About Me
• Culture Czars
• The Culture Fix
• Linked In

Will Scott has made a career and reputation of helping people develop strong Core Values and Culture, as we have heard on this program. But what is his history?

Will has over 20 years of experience building companies and culture, including his own Waer Systems. 

In this episode, the tables are turned on Will and John Corcoran interviews him to learn more about the Values that shaped the early days of Waer Systems, what companies can do to screen new hires for culture synergy, and how the leaders of an organization can know if their Culture is working.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• [1:59] How Will started Waer Systems
• [3:01] Core Values can’t just be words on a wall
• [4:08] The early days of Waer and how they built a strong Culture
• [5:39] The first Core Values of the company
• [9:05] How to reward employees who live the Core Values
• [11:15] How to screen potential hires for a good fit
• [12:38] How public should the Core Values be?
• [15:59] Will management know if the Culture of a company is strong?
• [17:30] When a culture goes off track
• [19:50] Giving a reason for work can empower employees 
• [21:40] Who Will thanks for his success

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Waer Systems

Connect with Will

• About Me
• Culture Czars
• The Culture Fix
• Linked In

Strong, concise Core Values can help a company fulfill its vision and maintain a clear focus. 

As a company grows over time, the goals, ideals, and even personnel begin to change. So it only makes sense that, in some cases, there will be a need to revisit the Core Values and make adjustments to match the dynamic needs of an organization. 

So how do the leaders within a company know when to make changes

This week Will Scott sits down with John Corcoran to talk about when companies need to adjust their mission and Core Values, and some examples of companies who made changes to their Core Values when circumstances called for it, as well as some who have not. 

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• [1:29] Can a company’s Core Values change?
• [2:34] The changes Will made in his own company’s Core Values
• [4:29] Many employees across all companies are disengaged at work, and why Will started Culture Czars
• [7:54] The changes in Core Values which Uber undertook

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Waer Systems
• Uber

Connect with Will

• About Me
• Culture Czars
• The Culture Fix
• Linked In

Establishing strong Core Values can do an immense amount of good for a company or organization. Laying out clear and concise values are a proven way to get all personnel on the same page and working towards the same goals.

There is a domino effect: when well-crafted Core Values are lived by the employees and management in the daily life of the organization, employee satisfaction, and productivity increases. This is usually followed by an increase in profitability.

What better place to see the effects of precise, consistent Core Values then a hugely successful company like Apple?

Will Scott sits down with John Corcoran to talk about the Corporate Culture of Apple, what new markets Apple might expand into, and the 7 Core Values they have stayed with throughout their existence in order to maintain the high level of success they have experienced.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• [01:41] The Core Values for Apple have not changed very much throughout the life of their company
• [02:53] Apple keeps it simple
• [04:35] The way Apple has moved towards owning their own supply chain 
• [05:35] Market Strategy for Apple, and how they decide when and where to operate
• [06:57] Could Apple be moving into the auto industry?
• [08:38] Will’s thoughts on the integration and innovation of Apple’s products and how they relate to their Core Values

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• The Culture Fix

Connect with Will

• About Me
• Culture Czars
• Linked In

The culture of an organization seems invisible at first glance, but when you look deeper it permeates every facet of its day-to-day life. The general mood of employees affects efficiency and productivity. Everything downstream of that is affected, especially the bottom line.

When people enjoy where they work, and why they work, everything is elevated. The repercussions and reverberations positively affect the workings of the company and even into the personal lives of the customers and employees alike. It can be a true revitalization.

Join Will Scott and Dr. Jeremy Weisz as they discuss the Conclusion of The Culture Fix, and go over what people and companies can do to fix the culture of their organization, including downloading the free workbook companion to Will’s book. Learn about Will’s work and examples from clients he has helped in the past.

Will Scott once again sits down with Dr. Jeremy Weisz to explore Will’s new book The Culture Fix. This week they discuss the financial returns on investing in Culture, and how to quantify it, as well as some real-world examples of companies getting a positive ROI from investing in Culture.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• [01:28] What are the 9 Deeds in 90 Days?
• [03:48] What happens after the 90 Days: the example of SABRE
• [05:55] Bringing the Core Values to life and how to reward those who actively live the Core Values
• [06:35] The story of the $228 bonus for living the Core Values
• [08:20] Core Purpose: the example of Lumiere
• [10:07] It helps to have an outside perspective to help develop Core Values
• [12:00] 9 Deeds in 90 Days will lead to marked improvement in any company
• [13:37] Culture Czars Workbook and CultureCzars.com

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• The Culture Fix

Connect with Will

• About Me
• Culture Czars
• Linked In

The Bottom Line. Yes, Culture can have a positive qualitative effect on a company (if done well), but can it bring a financial return? The answer is an emphatic yes. In fact, given the shockingly low initial cost, investing in the Culture of a company can bring a great return on investment.

Culture is often an afterthought in the day-to-day operations of a company. For the vast majority of organizations, it is dealt with in a reactionary manner. If you don’t treat Culture in a proactive way, a default culture will inevitably arise. This default culture in counter-productive in most cases. Creating a Culture which is in harmony with the goals of a company will produce a positive impact on the bottom line, and that is good for everyone.

Will Scott once again sits down with Dr. Jeremy Weisz to explore Will’s new book The Culture Fix. This week they discuss the financial returns on investing in Culture, and how to quantify it, as well as some real-world examples of companies getting a positive ROI from investing in Culture.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• [01:59] Corporate Culture has a low investment cost, yet very high potential for returns
• [02:50] Rating the health of the culture of a company once a year to measure success
• [03:25] How to measure the success of Culture
• [03:55] Measuring the financial performance of companies as they relate to culture, with real-world examples
• [04:45] How the successful company of SABRE measured the success of their Culture
• [05:28] Culture is the first priority for a successful company
• [06:45] What can happen when the Culture of a company is bad, even to leadership
• [07:55] The transformation in mentality which SABRE underwent to transform the Culture, and their ROI because of it
• [09:15] How to get the general employees on board with a new Culture
• [11:05] The free workbook which you can find on CultureCzars.com

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• The Culture Fix

Connect with Will

• About Me
• Culture Czars
• Linked In

Bringing a purpose to a team can bring them new vitality. When they know where they work and why they work, they can deliver the Core Values of an organization to the daily life of the company and even out into the world. So what is the best way to streamline the implementation of Core Values to a company?

The Core Chart is an excellent visual representation of the Core Elements which can bring the Core Values into a single place for team members to see. The Core Values, the Core Purpose, and the Core Workflow can all be brought together with clarity, represented visually. Employees can know exactly what they are doing and why with respect to the Core Values of a company.

This week Will Scott joins Jeremy again to discuss the ins and outs of Will’s book The Culture Fix. They discuss how to deliver your Core Values to your team and the daily life of a company, the example of Improve It!, and the useful tool Will created to help any organization develop their Core Values.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• [01:41] Bringing a purpose to a company so that people love where they work, and why they work
• [03:09] The example of Improve It! And how they help people find better versions of themselves
• [04:30] How you can find the essense of a Core Value within the daily activities of a company through the example of Improve It!
• [06:45] How improving a culture can have a positive impact on the personal lives of the people in a company
• [07:30] The Core Chart: why Will likes to bring a visual element to communicating Core Values
• [09:00] Real-world examples of the Core Chart from Will’s clients
• [10:30] The Core Values Workbook: what is contained in the workbook which is free from cultureczars.com

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• The Culture Fix

Connect with Will

• About Me
• Culture Czars
• Linked In

The Core Values and Culture of an organization is about more than just the interpersonal interactions of the people who work there. The ultimate value of a healthy Corporate Culture is how it positively affects the bottom line. After finding the Values for a company and bringing them to life, how do they add value to an organization?

Company managers can use Core Values for devising hiring processes and internal workflows which can streamline internal processes and increase the overall productivity of an organization. The first step in bringing Core Values to life is to hire candidates who have shown to exemplify them naturally in their past.

In this episode, Will Scott once again sits down with Jeremy to discuss Will’s book The Culture Fix. This week they discuss devising interview questions which can naturally screen candidates to see if they fit the company culture, as well as devising internal workflow systems to streamline tasks and increase efficiency.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• [01:47] What does it mean to Devise, and why don’t Will’s clients want him to share his examples?
• [02:55] How to hire for a Cultural Fit
• [04:26] An example of how to screen potential candidates to see if there is a Cultural Fit
• [05:32] How to find the clues in an interview which
• [05:58] How Matrix 4 Devised their core hiring processes and core workflows for their company
• [07:30] Will’s advice for company managers on how to develop internal core workflows

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• The Culture Fix

Connect with Will

• About Me
• Culture Czars
• Linked In

Finding Core Values is obviously an important step in the process, and bringing them to life is equally so. The next obstacle is getting the employees to bring them to life and live them in their daily routines. So what are the best ways to encourage members of an organization to continue living the Core Values in Company Culture?

Part of the idea of bringing Core Values to life is finding an ideal way of communicating them to the employees and members of the company. There are many possibilities for announcing Core Values, and one of the best is to throw a Launch Party.

Will Scott joins Dr. Jeremy Weisz to talk about his new book The Culture Fix. Join Will and Jeremy while they talk about how to unveil new Core Values to a company, and how to make sure they are lived in the daily life of a company.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• [01:40] Decree: The story of the Core Values launch party for SABRE
• [03:15] The 228 Award: Using the the story of the start of SABRE to reward employees who live the Core Values
• [04:10] How to integrate the Core Values into the daily life of a company, and how to get employees to live the Core Values
• [06:12] How to incorporate the Company Vision into the daily routines of the employees
• [07:41] Dictating: the importance of giving a Core Values speech at the launch party
• [09:44] What happens when someone is not excited by the implementation of new values, and why it is a good thing if someone quits because of Core Values
• [11:28] And of course, what did software look like 20 years ago?

Resources Mentioned on this episode

• The Culture Fix

Connect with Will

• About Me
• Culture Czars
• Linked In