Tracy: Are there recurring questions or concerns that you hear often?
Brian: I almost always hear issues in the vein of:
Where do I start when it comes to creating or growing a culture?
How do I keep the culture alive and not let it get stale?
How do I ensure my culture reaches my front-line employees?
What are the greatest threats that will undermine my culture?
I talk about these issues in both general business and safety-specific audiences.
Tracy: Is creating a company’s culture a do-it-yourself project business owners should undertake?
Brian: My proposition is that creating a healthy culture is completely DIY. You simply have to have the desire to do it. Some of the easiest ways to get your culture up and to run are creating an in-house brand, implementing a culture contract, and learning to take your front-lines with you by bringing them on the inside. I’m in the trenches with the other business leaders I speak to. I’m not a consultant. Running my company allows me to share what works and what doesn’t. I offer tools that a leader can take back to their team and implement on their own.
Tracy: One of the things I like to ask my guests is what they do to energize themselves, to keep their passion for their work flowing. What are the things that keep you inspired?
Brian: I’ve been married to my wife, Cheryl, for 25 years, and we have three children – two in college and one in high school.
This year I also fulfilled a lifelong dream of writing a song. I co-wrote “Island Inside Me” with Hawaiian artist Anuhea as a gift to my wife for our 25th anniversary. We were thrilled when the song hit #1 on Hawaii radio this year.
Tracy: Awesome! Do you have any final words of advice for us today?
Brian: To successfully run a business, you must build a vibrant culture. A company’s culture is leader-driven and employee-owned, and a healthy culture is the right people and the right processes working in harmony. It’s about attitude and behavior.
Tracy: Thank you, Brian. You’ve given us a lot to think about today and some great material for getting started.
Brian: It’s been my pleasure, thank you for having me.
To purchase a copy of Brian’s book, or to learn more about creating a healthy culture in your company, you can go to Brian’s website at http://brianfielkow.com/ you can reach him by email at brian@jetcodelivery.com or connect on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfielkow
