It's objective evaluations that give our hardwiring principles teeth and drive the organization toward results that last.

Don't wait till you get bigger to put in place key items, such as staff surveys, peer interviewing for hiring and clear standards of behavior [developed by staff].

To be an effective leader, you must be trustworthy. If people don’t trust you, they won’t follow you. And if they won’t follow you, your organization won’t meet its goals. Sandy Allgeier explains that personal credibility comes down to a simple truth: It’s not about the type of person you are; it’s about the types of things you do. If you want to be a great leader, read The Personal Credibility Factor.

But there is one thing most companies struggle to standardize, and ironically, it's the most important part of our efforts to gain and sustain results. It is leadership.

Culture outperforms strategy every time; and culture with strategy is unbeatable.

Employees want to believe their company has a meaningful purpose. They want to know that their own job is worthwhile. They want to make a difference. If all three of these conditions are accomplished, bottom line results will follow.

Once we get our corporate culture the way we want it, we have to hire people who fit. Otherwise, the wheels fall off the wagon and we quickly find ourselves back where we started.