Culture Eats Strategy

Language transforms. It has the power to change the way organizations think and act. Today, award-winning CEO Krister Ungerböck discusses the language of leadership and how to wield it beginning with the 10-day talking diet.

“By changing our words, we can change our thoughts. And if we change our thoughts, then we can change our hearts from the outside in.” – Krister Ungerböck

Leading the Way Through Language

Krister has worked with CEOs and executives in over 40 countries. He is a corporate keynote speaker, coach, and global expert in the language for leaders.

He loves sharing the secrets of how his team succeeded. To wit, they have achieved 99.3% of employee engagement. His upcoming book The Language of Leadership: Words to Transform How We Lead, Live and Love is coming this spring.

Breaking the Barrier

Krister once led a large family-owned software company. During his term as CEO, he conducted a three-day workshop in France educating people how to use their product. There was one challenge — language.

“My heart was at the right place but my words were not.” – Krister Ungerbock on the language barrier

His French was terrible. Their second customer, the host of the Cannes Film Festival, said they couldn’t work with him because of it. So, he immediately went to train with a business French teacher.

A Language That Transforms

How do you learn a new language? According to Krister, it requires thinking through the words first and then saying it. The same applies when learning to communicate as a leader.

“You can’t think your way into a new way of acting, but you can act your way into a new way of thinking.” – Habitat for Humanity Founder

Leaders first become aware of the words they want to use and then translate it. The easiest way to achieving change through words is by speaking differently. This realization gave birth to the language of leadership.

Download and listen to The Language of Leadership to learn more. Remember to let Krister know you heard about him on Culture Eats Strategy with Jaime Jay!

Connect through the links below:

Website – The Leadership Archaeologist

LinkedIn @meetkrister

Twitter @kristerdotcom

Facebook @kristerdotcom

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Video is an amazing medium. Today with Aaron Arnold, we are going to take a look at how their video company is embracing culture and growing through it in their services to Fortune 500 companies.

“[It’s about] how we can get the most out of every situation, while having fun and doing what we need to do.” – Aaron Arnold on motivating employees

Marketing Through Videos

Aaron is the CEO of FeatherDot Productions (FDP), a video production house which provides video content for marketing. They have clients all over the world and have helped them increase their reach and sales.

They do video production, editing, filming corporate events, licensing, and more. Currently, they are expanding their business with a sales team.

Hiring the Right Person

People apply to the job initially because they want to work. At FDP, they want to know the candidates at a personal level. 

“If you can connect to [people] on a personal level, you can connect to them in a professional level.” – Aaron Arnold

They try to get to know them better during the interview, just like they do with their clients. They have a vetting process that ensures the right fit. 

Growing Through Culture

FDP also welcomes interns in the film program. They teach them, while they are with them. According to Aaron, it is a way to open doors for them to advance themselves.

“We give them a lot of the tools they can work with in order for them to move on and move up.” – Aaron Arnold 

They have had employees who left to pursue something else and returned after awhile. Employees love the company culture. It is a culture that alllows them to grow and enjoy their work.

Download and listen to Growing a Video Company Through Culture to learn more. Remember to let Aaron know you heard about him on Culture Eats Strategy with Jaime Jay!

Connect through the links below:

Website – FeatherDot Productions

Instagram @featherdotproductions

Facebook @Feather.DotProductions

LinkedIn @featherdotprod

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Does your company have the qualities to be successful in this age of disruption? In this episode, strategist and bestselling author Mark Monchek tells how you can develop a culture of opportunity that can help to make your business become profitable.

“Culture has to be evolutionary; it cannot be static.” – Mark Monchek

Growth Opportunities, Great Companies

Mark is passionate about helping leaders build great companies. He has worked with leaders from Google, Apple, Warby Parker, Goldman Sachs, and Etsy among others.

Their team loves to discover and develop opportunities that allow companies to become profitable and sustainable. They believe in the power of passion and of experiences that make a difference.

One Powerful Business Tandem

Mark saw many examples of strategies that failed. They never made it because they did not take culture into consideration. According to him, culture and strategy go together.

“Great strategy evolves from the culture.” – Mark Monchek

An example is Zappos, a leading online retailer of shoes. They are more than a shoe company. Their strategy is built around the culture of happiness.

The idea is to provide customers with the best possible purchasing experience. The company also empowers their employees to make decisions. Not to mention, they provide a $5,000 bonus to those who choose not to join the company during the hiring process.

What Makes Companies Succeed

Culture is something which members of a team create together. Leaders are not the only people who create it. Members must also buy into that culture to turn it into a success.

“You have to co-create it.” – Mark Monchek on culture

According to Mark, part of what it takes to grow is a company’s success DNA. It points out the qualities or elements that worked for the company and those that failed.

Download and listen to How to Scale with a Culture of Opportunity to learn more. Remember to let Mark know you heard about him on Culture Eats Strategy with Jaime Jay!

Connect through the links below:

Website – The Opportunity Lab 

LinkedIn @markmonchek

Book – Culture of Opportunity

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A company is only as strong as its people, who also have their own weaknesses. How far in your business journey are you willing to fail with your people in order to scale? Brian Scudamore shares the lessons he’s learned from 30 years of business.

“A company is all about people, finding the right people, and treating them right.” – Brian Scudamore

Industry Pioneer

Brian is a serial entrepreneur and author. He started his business at the age of 19 and pioneered the professional junk removal industry.

Now, he has grown his business to accommodate three more home-service brands. He is an ardent believer in the power of dreams, risk-taking, and learning from mistakes.

Willing to Fail in Business

Brian is not your ordinary entrepreneur. Five years into the business, he fired all of his 11 employees. He learned his biggest lesson in leadership that day.

“You got to have the right people and you’ve got to treat them right.” – Brian Scudamore

The Importance of Core Values

Brian also realized the importance of having core values. So, he gathered his staff members and worked on defining those values together.

“We hire the right people and bring them to O2E brands based on attitude, we train people based on skill, but it’s the values that bind us and hold us together.” – Brian Scudamore

Values are what binds people in a company. To Brian and his team, these values are passion, integrity, professionalism, and empathy. The same values help to make clear-cut decisions that keep a company on the right track.

Download and listen to The WTF Philosophy in Business to learn more. Remember to let Brian know you heard about him on Culture Eats Strategy with Jaime Jay!

Connect through the links below:

Website – O2E Brands

* 1-800-GOT-JUNK?

* WOW 1 Day Painting

* You Move Me

* Shack Shine

Twitter @brianscudamore

Facebook @bscudamore

Instagram @brianscudamore

Book – WTF?! (Willing to Fail)

Brian’s Recommended Book: Jim Collins, Good to Great

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What innovative ways do you implement to move your business from startup to scale-up? EO Founder Verne Harnish identifies some of the challenges in scaling up and how company culture plays a significant role in the process.

“Culture allows you to do the main thing. You have to transition from startup to scale-up.” – Verne Harnish

Scaling Companies Worldwide

Verne is the Founder of Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) and the bestselling author of Scaling Up. They have 12,000 members worldwide and 210 partners in 6 continents. He has spent decades in helping companies grow.

The Role of Culture in Progress

Verne refers to Jim Collins’ definition of culture. It is both inclusive and exclusive, allowing members to share a strong sense of belongingness.

“When you come to a strong culture, it really is cult-like.” – Verne Harnish

Culture also acts as the immune system for a company. It protects the company from invaders. These invaders may come in the form of partnerships, team, and customers that are not aligned with the company’s ideals.

The Value of Saying No

Culture also allows companies to do what they are supposed to be doing. That is to grow from a startup. In the process, it includes saying no to people — including friends who want to work for the company.

“It’s pretty useful to be a pleaser if you are going to begin a business. But, what got you here won’t get you there.” – Verne Harnish

It is important for companies to find people who love what makes them unique. “Find the 7 percent who absolutely love your weirdness,” as someone once said. Successful companies with similar stories include IKEA and Apple.

Download and listen to From Startup to Scale-up to learn more. Remember to let Verne know you heard about him on Culture Eats Strategy with Jaime Jay!

Connect through the links below:

Website – ScalingUp

Twitter @thegrowthguy

Book – ScalingUp

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Teams possess core values that shape the kind of culture that people recognize. These values either move a team forward or drag them behind. Today, Mike McDerment shares how to establish growth by recognizing culture.

“At the end of the day, culture is what happens when nobody is looking.” – Mike McDerment

Success with the Team

Mike is the co-founder and CEO of the #1 accounting software, FreshBooks. They have helped millions of professionals and employees around the world.

They are dedicated to executing extraordinary customer experiences every day. Mike’s book, Break the Time Barrier: How to Unlock Your Earning Potential, has been downloaded more than 250,000 times.

What Leads to Change

Culture is a changemaker. It is one of the biggest intangibles. According to Mike, it is what happens when nobody is there to witness the team’s actions and behavior.

In a hallway that is lined with garbage, for example, team members have the option to either clean it or leave it. The things they do, whether big or small, affect the general output.

How to Recognize Culture

It is helpful to model a certain kind of behavior when building a company culture. People recognize it before they have the consciousness that it exists.

“You can have the best plan on paper but if the people aren’t bought into it, you’re never going to get there.” – Mike McDerment

Every organization is unique. Some execute strategies better than others. The difference, as Mike discusses, is optimum leadership.

This kind of leadership can be something like situational awareness of the culture. It sees the things that a team needs to do to succeed.

Download and listen to Establishing Growth Through Recognizing Culture to learn more. Remember to let Mike know you heard about him on Culture Eats Strategy with Jaime Jay!

Connect through the links below:

Website – FreshBooks

Twitter @MikeMcDerment

Book – Breaking the Time Barrier

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Is your company ready for growth? How do you instill confidence as a leader? Jonathan Cronstedt joins in this episode to discuss the things that have motivated and geared their company for rapid growth.

“No matter what the strategy is, ultimately it has to be implemented by a culture.” – Jonathan Cronstedt

Growing Businesses through Technology

Kajabi celebrated their 8th anniversary this year. Since the conception of the company, they have generated $600 million dollars of sales.

Jonathan currently resides as the company president, helping businesses streamline their processes in selling online. He is a dedicated executive strategist with specialties in digital marketing, direct sales, EdTech, finance, and mortgage.

The Role of Culture in Strategy

Business owners are always looking to scale. The problem is, according to Jonathan, they become terrified when it is already happening. Whether their systems can handle the amount of success or not is important.

“Everyone has a strategy until they get punched in the mouth.” – Jonathan Cronstedt’s favorite quote by Mike Tyson

Strategy makes people excited. It gives them a good feeling about their assignments and responsibilities. And, culture plays a critical role in their implementation.

Culture is responsible for the strategy’s success. Jonathan poses two questions which business owners should ask themselves, “Is my culture ready for strategy? And, is my culture and strategy ready for scale?”

Success Indicators to Consider

He shares, “Strategy is a great gut check for culture.” It sheds light on whether a business has what it takes to accomplish it. Failure, frustration, and constant missing of targets tell that a team is lagging behind.

“There’s nothing worse in leading than being surprised.” – Jonathan Cronstedt

What are the areas that need improvement? Systems, according to him, can have flaws. These flaws will only get larger when leaders and their teams build on them.

Download and listen to Scaling with a Strategy-Ready Culture to learn more. Remember to let Jonathan know you heard about him on Culture Eats Strategy with Jaime Jay!

Connect through the links below:

Website – Kajabi

Jonathan on Social Media

Book – Powerful by Patty McCord

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Culture smashes strategy. Leaders can set up strategies but without core values and good company, they pretty much mean nothing. We dive into this with CMO Ryan Bonnici.

“Care personally and challenge directly.” – Ryan Bonnici

Geared for Success

Ryan is the Chief Marketing Officer at G2Crowd, one of the world’s largest business-commerce platform. They connect people to providers of services and tools.

They only had five people in the team when he started. Now, they have grown to about 30 people working together to create a worthwhile experience for clients.

Transparency in Service

Their platform works similarly with Amazon. People from around the globe leave reviews on their website to help inform potential buyers. The traffic they receive on their website largely come organically.

“Make sure people know where the bar is. If they have ideas and things that take the bar higher, amazing. Do it. I love that.” – Ryan Bonnici on openness to ideas

Getting the Team to Work Together

Ryan only started working with them last year. He worked with some of the most innovative companies, including Salesforce and HubSpot. According to him, culture is a big part of their growth.

“The bigger you get, the more you need that cohesive framework to connect everyone.” – Ryan Bonnici

It is critical that everyone on the team is in the same direction. He meets with the team regularly and encourages them to make their own decisions as befits their roles in the company.

Download and listen to Growing a Business That Your Team Loves to learn more. Remember to let Ryan know you heard about him on Culture Eats Strategy with Jaime Jay!

Connect through the links below:

Website – G2Crowd.com

LinkedIn @ryanbonnici

Book – Radical Candor by Kim Scott

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Leadership either makes or breaks the company. What are the things that leaders need to have and do to build an environment where workers can bring their best selves? We talk about this today with one of the top leaders in the industry, Dan Rockwell.

“Everything good in leadership starts with humility.” – Dan Rockwell

Empowering Leaders Worldwide

The American Management Association hailed Dan Rockwell as a Top 30 Leader in Business. Inc Magazine also lists him as one of the Top 50 Leadership Experts in the English Speaking World.

His blog called Leadership Freak is the most socially shared leadership blog. It is distributed to leaders from all over the globe.

Treat Well, Work Well

There are places that people don’t want to go to, yet they work in them. The misery it gives does not necessarily come from the work. It comes from the environment.

“People leave organizations not because of the work but because of the people.” – Dan Rockwell

Dan discusses the function of culture. According to him, it is the way people interact with each other in the workplace. It is important to treat each other well because, in the end, people want to fulfill jobs with people they like.

Points to Recognize in Leadership

Traits like integrity and the ability to take initiative are the usual indicators of good leadership. But these are shallow traits which can be seen from the outside.

Deep inside are two or three traits. One is curiosity and another is the practice of humility. Humility asks the question, “What if others are right?”

It is a practice that is done one thing at a time. This practice includes asking questions and staying open to ideas. It also requires a leader to be intentional with his actions.

Download and listen to Qualities of a Good Leader to learn more. Remember to let Dan know you heard about him on Culture Eats Strategy with Jaime Jay!

Connect through the links below:

Website – Leadership Freak

Twitter @Leadershipfreak

Pinterest @leadershipfreak

LinkedIn @danrockwell1

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People are hired to fill a given position in a company that may already have established systems and norms. But, these same things can actually stifle their creativity and keep them from being their best selves. Here is my input with Fortune 500 Coach Spencer Jacobson.

“This is one of the most important conversations to have in business now is, ‘Can we embrace people for who they are and who they aren’t?'” – Spencer Jacobson

Coaching Fortune 500 Companies

Spencer is a dynamo in the field of human potential, the future of work and healthy masculinity. Their company, Guided, seeks to make coaching an employee benefit. They have helped people and organizations to unleash their talent.

“Your ability to accept your weaknesses lets you have the gift.” – Spencer Jacobson

The Case for Performance

He shares a study that reveals the way employees perform. This is happening to a vast majority of companies. According to it, they behave as if they have two full-time jobs.

“They are constantly hiding their flaws while they are trying to do their job.” – Spencer Jacobson

They dedicate themselves doing the things they are getting paid for. But they are also hiding their weaknesses, their flaws, in the process. They behave as if they have two jobs to fulfill.

Zeroing In on the Maximum Potential

Each person has a zone of genius. They cannot have both weakness and strength in a single line of activity. It is important for both the employee and the employer to identify the weakness in order to have the time to be themselves.

As Spencer puts it, “No flaws; no strengths.” It is the weakness that allows people to be amazing at their strengths. They need to leverage that gift and have the space to be creative enough to contribute their finest in the company.

Download and listen to Authenticity in the Workplace to learn more about unleashing a team’s maximum potential for success. Remember to let Peter know you heard about him on Culture Eats Strategy with Jaime Jay!

Connect through the links below:

Website – Get Guided

Instagram @spencerjacobson_

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