Five Ways To Build A ‘Heart And A Fist’ Culture

Culture isn’t something that someone proclaims or dictates it’s not something that just happens. The best cultures are built and sustained over time.

cultureCulture isn’t something that someone proclaims or dictates—it’s not something that just happens. The very best cultures are built layer upon layer, over time. They are built by people who are dedicated and committed to doing something extraordinary. The leaders walk the talk. They live it. They share it. And of course, they celebrate it.

The culture my leadership team and I developed at Varsity Spirit is a unique combination of love and support for our colleagues and customers, combined with a fierce competitive spirit that expects and demands every team member’s best efforts—all the time. All managers and employees understand who we are and what we stand for, and they are expected to compete and win. I call it “The Heart and the Fist.”

Here are the five keys to building and sustaining this winning culture:

1. Clearly share the vision. You want your employees to wake up every day knowing why their job is important and what kind of impact it has on the people you serve. Employees want a leader with a vision. They want to know and understand the vision. And then they want to understand their role in making it come to fruition.

2. Create an environment where employees can thrive and feel valued. Imagine a job where all your efforts go unnoticed. Or where you feel like you could be replaced at any moment. If you want to build a winning culture and have your employees stick around, you must be intentional with your words and take the time to acknowledge specific contributions to the team. The more gratitude you bestow on each individual, and the more specific you are about noticing their efforts, the more irreplaceable they feel. But sometimes even a simple acknowledgement from the boss like “thank you for your hard work” goes a long way in affirming that the efforts of each individual are not only noticed but truly appreciated.

3. Focus on the authentic value your company is providing its customers and constantly reinforce this as the key driver in all that you do. World class companies have sound financial discipline, but they don’t allow an excessive emphasis on short term profits to blur the true purpose of the organization. It’s always about the mission and purpose.

4. Hold each other accountable. Everyone has to understand that their best efforts are required and expected all the time, and that a commitment to continuous improvement is essential for the long term success of the company. I believe in putting the team and its mission above individual needs and this value is instilled in every member of the organization.

5. Play to win. This is the fist. Turn your team loose on your competitors. You’ve led with the heart, creating an organization that feels connected and is prepared to always give its very best efforts. Competing and winning affirms to the team that you’re doing the right things. It builds confidence for future battles and underpins a culture that will sustain the organization into the future.

Every employee has a universal human need to feel like they’re a part of something that’s important. The heart and the fist culture has enabled Varsity Spirit to attract and retain amazingly talented and committed team members with a remarkable track record of success, as evidenced by year over year revenue and profit growth for 43 out of the past 44 years. But most importantly, it has resulted in an organization that is innovative, agile, committed to winning and has impacted millions of young people in a positive way.

Read more: Varsity Brands Founder On The Big Business Of Cheerleading


MORE LIKE THIS

  • Get the CEO Briefing

    Sign up today to get weekly access to the latest issues affecting CEOs in every industry
  • upcoming events

    Roundtable

    Strategic Planning Workshop

    1:00 - 5:00 pm

    Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process

    Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:

    1. Lack of systematic approach (70%)
    2. Laundry lists without prioritization (68%)
    3. Decisions based on personalities rather than facts and information (65%)

     

    Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns.  They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning.  Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process.  This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented.  If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form.  The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

    New York, NY: ​​​Chief Executive's Corporate Citizenship Awards 2017

    Women in Leadership Seminar and Peer Discussion

    2:00 - 5:00 pm

    Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations. 

    Limited space available.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $495 will be added to your total.

    Golf Outing

    10:30 - 5:00 pm
    General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
    Sponsored by UBS

    General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.

    The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $295 will be added to your total.