Her CEO? Hired not long ago. In the interview, he sang all the sweet leadership lullabies:
“I care deeply about culture. Relationships are everything.”
The board was sold. But once his nameplate was on the door, the vibe shifted — and fast. Turns out, his version of “culture” sounds a lot less like connection and a lot more like control.
True story:
He’s literally been barking at employees who can’t immediately recite the company mission on command. Like some kind of pop quiz Olympics, corporate edition.
Now, instead of focusing on productivity, connection, or innovation…
The team is just trying to avoid getting barked at in the hallway.
Dear CEOs (and any leader who needs to hear this),
You are better than this.
I believe most of you started with good intentions.
(Giving you the benefit of the doubt here.)
But somewhere along the way, some of you forgot:
Your people ARE your culture. And your culture isn’t something you can fake, force, or fear-monger into existence.
What the research says:
- Only 23% of U.S. employees strongly agree that they can apply their company’s values to their daily work. (Gallup)
- But when leadership walks the talk, teams are 6x more likely to be engaged (McKinsey, 2021).
- Companies with high-trust cultures outperform their competitors by up to 400% (Harvard Business Review).
So ask yourself:
– Am I barking orders or building belief?
– Am I prioritizing policies over people?
– Am I chasing control… or cultivating connection?
Whether you lead 2 people or 200 people, you set the tone.
You create safety. You build the belief. You model what matters.
Start from the inside-out.
Or don’t start at all.
Because YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE!
Oh and one more thing…
The Leadership Level-Up Journal Launches June 1st!
It’s my favorite tool for real, sustainable culture-building – designed for every kind of leader.
Inside, you’ll find:
- Daily prompts to check your leadership mindset.
- Weekly planning tools to help you lead with intention (not just reaction).
- Guided reflection space to grow (not just GO).
- Encouragement, prayer, and mindset shifts to keep you grounded.
- Bonus pages to help you dream, build, and plan with purpose.
Pre-sale link is coming SOON!
Wanna be the first to grab it? Follow me on social so you don’t miss the drop:
Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook
Let’s stop painting pigs and calling them dogs.
Let’s lead better.
I’ve got you.
