Forget outcomes, build culture.


At your next team meeting, forget outcomes, meditate for a moment and ask one simple question: Are we building culture?

Steve Hall, President of Drivers Select, a used car dealer  in Dallas begins his management meetings asking: What act of kindness did we notice in our company today? Hall is thinking long-term, wants to treat people right and selling cars is secondary to his business model.

Drivers Select has grown from $30 million in 2008 and expects to touch $108 million in revenue in 2016 in an industry notoriously plagued by consumer complaints. Hall has built a culture that genuinely cares for its people and embraces four core values: transparency, taking ownership, consistent learning and celebrating small victories.

According to Hall, his employees want to work in a culture that recognizes them as individual human beings.

On a larger scale, Bob Chapman, CEO of the $1.7 billion manufacturing company, Barry-Wehmiller, is so people-centric that he treats every employee as a life entrusted to him. He does not tie the individual to a business function or process. Chapman measures success by  how his business touches peoples lives and not the next quarter.

“You will need a higher purpose and conscious leaders who will help build your business on love and care, not stress,” says Raj Sisodia, a co-founder of the Conscious Capitalism movement. “Profits cannot be pursued, instead they ensue. The more you pursue profits, the more you will cut corners.”

In 10 years, 75% of the U.S. workforce will be led by millennials, a generation that doubts that capitalism can be a force for good. This selfless generation might get detached from the pursuit of short term profits, think long-term and care more about people and purpose.

Will you be ready with a great culture or will you still be worrying about short term outcomes?

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