The Culture Power of Circle Conversations

We always discover a number of things about each cohort: How human, fragile, courageous, adventurous, resilient, talented and personally adaptive they can be. Collectively, they are already extraordinary. Here’s how we do this.

Personal LeadershipGarrett RubisJanuary 21, 2020Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, leadership, culture, purpose, employees, Wow, trust, Seattle Seahawks, NorQuest, culture champions, circles, courageComment

Hot Topic Friday: Jan. 17

Happy Friday! Here are my Jan. 17 Hot Topics and how they relate to advancing culture or leadership. This week, do you think we can be happy in 2020? Also, as leaders, let’s talk about dealing/helping with depression at work.

Culture of Love in a Violent Game!

Here’s how the Seattle Seahawks and coach Pete Carroll inspires people to compete to develop personal and team greatness, rather than focusing on the narrow, ever elusive short term view of simply beating the competition each week. Much of the focus is on both personal and organization purpose and meaning. We have lots to learn from coaches like Carroll.

Personal LeadershipGarrett RubisJanuary 14, 2020Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, leadership, culture, purpose, employees, Wow, productivity, trust, NFL, Pete Carroll, Seahawks, playoffs, Seattle Seahawks

Hot Topic Friday: Jan. 10

Happy Friday! Here are my Jan. 10 Hot Topics and how they relate to advancing culture or leadership. This week we’re discussing helpful ways we can stop being “sick and tired of being sick and tired” in 2020, as well as analyzing another article on the simplicity of organizational culture.

Personal Leadership, Friday NewsletterGarrett RubisJanuary 10, 2020Hot Topic Friday, Lorne Rubis, Vivino wines, Hot Topics, issues, leadership, culture, words, productivity, female leaders, New York Times, Matthew Walker, sleep, 2020, CEOworld, strong culture steps

Is 2020 the Year the WFA Culture Explodes?

Happy New Year everyone! More importantly, happy new decade! It’s 2020, and every organization needs to actively promote the Work From Anywhere (WFA) Culture.

Free Holiday Gift: 20 Culture and Leadership Maxims (illustrated) E-Book

Please enjoy it, share it, stuff it in a few stockings if you’d like, and we hope it can become an extremely useful reference to all of you in a very happy New Year! Here’s to 2020, a new decade, and 20 Culture and Leadership Maxims.

Plan to Deliver a ‘WOW’ Performance in 2020

As I reflect on my 40-plus year career, I recognize the difference between the few WOW performers and frankly, the many average transactors. So, if you want to be more of a WOW employee, here are some steps you can take.

Personal LeadershipGarrett RubisDecember 17, 2019Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, leadership, trust, culture, purpose, customers, employees, customer service, Harvard, 10 Key Elements, Wow, Carol Dweck, Stanford

Hot Topic Friday: Dec. 13th

Happy Friday! Here are my Dec. 13 Hot Topics and how they relate to advancing culture or leadership. Although it’s Friday the 13th, fear not, because we’re talking about how we can learn from chimps and bonobos, as well as how it’s better for business for leaders to already be on board the gender equality train.

The ‘Customer First’ Sucker Punch

My strong belief is that we need to be both “people first AND customer obsessed.” Note the emphasis on the order, along with the conjunction in the phrase. We cannot give customers excellent value and experience at the expense of people. Being people first is not a matter of focusing on employees at the expense of customers either. It must be an “AND.”

Hot Topic Friday: Dec. 6th

Happy Friday! Here are my Dec. 6 Hot Topics and how they relate to advancing culture or leadership. This week we’re talking about finding light in the dark of the holiday season (is there too much cheer? And what does that mean?) as well as becoming emotional scientists.

Personal Leadership, Friday NewsletterGarrett RubisDecember 6, 2019Hot Topic Friday, Lorne Rubis, Vivino wines, Hot Topics, issues, leadership, culture, words, productivity, Kristin Neff, emotional scientists, Christmas, Holidays, compassion

How a Culture of Free-Will Can Excel!

You and I are culture champions, and sometimes we need real world stories to propel us along. Please read a summary of Samer’s culture cornerstones. Enjoy, and I hope you become challenged and inspired too.

Hot Topic Friday: Black Friday Edition

Happy Friday! Here are my Nov. 29 Hot Topics and how they relate to advancing culture or leadership. This week we’re bringing you a special Black Friday edition, with issues that deal with gratitude, giving thanks, and self-appreciation. Happy Thanksgiving!

Personal Leadership, Friday NewsletterGarrett RubisNovember 29, 2019Hot Topic Friday, Lorne Rubis, Vivino wines, Hot Topics, issues, leadership, culture, words, productivity, Mike Isaac, Google, Uber, big tech, narcissism, narcissistic

This is All I Need in a Leader!

Here’s what someone told me was all they really needed in a leader. See if you agree with this simple checklist.

Personal LeadershipGarrett RubisNovember 26, 2019Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, NorQuest, culture champions, leadership, trust, culture, welcoming, purpose, deep purpose, mission statement

Hot Topic Friday: Nov 22

Happy Friday! Here are my Nov. 22 Hot Topics and how they relate to advancing culture or leadership. This week we’re talking about how Google may not be acting so Googley anymore, and could be losing its core values, as well as what happens when your CEO is a narcissist.

Personal Leadership, Friday NewsletterGarrett RubisNovember 22, 2019Hot Topic Friday, Lorne Rubis, Vivino wines, Hot Topics, issues, leadership, culture, words, productivity, Mike Isaac, Google, Uber, big tech, narcissism, narcissistic

Why is It So F#%king Hard to Define Deep Purpose?

Defining a meaningful “deep purpose” is just plain hard. Finding the combination of words to really capture the soul and “why?” of an organization is a longer journey than most institutions are willing to take.

Personal LeadershipGarrett RubisNovember 19, 2019Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, NorQuest, culture champions, leadership, trust, culture, welcoming, purpose, deep purpose, mission statement

Hot Topic Friday: Nov 15

Happy Friday! Here are my Nov. 15 Hot Topics and how they relate to advancing culture or leadership. This week we talk about Microsoft Japan’s move to a 4-day work week, which has improved productivity and sales. As well as explore some cool Japanese words and perspectives that should be translated into English.

Why Do So Many Organizations Suck at Onboarding?

There is plenty of research that indicates if we make a meaningful contribution early in our jobs, then we seem to gather career momentum. If we know this, then why don’t we put enormous focus towards onboarding?

Personal LeadershipGarrett RubisNovember 12, 2019Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, NorQuest, culture champions, leadership, trust, culture, onboarding, welcoming

Hot Topic Friday: Nov 8

Happy Friday! Here are my Nov. 8 Hot Topics and how they relate to advancing culture or leadership. This week we’re talking about learning the Korean concept of nunchi, and checking out Mastercard’s success after the CEO implemented Decency Quotient into his company culture.

Personal Leadership, Friday NewsletterGarrett RubisNovember 8, 2019Hot Topic Friday, Lorne Rubis, Vivino wines, Hot Topics, issues, leadership, culture, New York Times, Mastercard, Nunchi, Korea, Ronan Farrow, Decency Quotient, decency

This Culture ‘Fluff’ Stuff

I’m somewhat amused and amazed at the number of so-called experts that still refer to culture as “fluff.” My experience is that they are typically analysts or non value added “money bags,” who frankly have never really run anything other than a spreadsheet calculation.

Personal LeadershipGarrett RubisNovember 5, 2019Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, NorQuest, culture champions, college, leadership, transparency, trust, fluff, culture, Ben Horowitz

Hot Topic Friday: Nov 1.

Happy Friday! Here are my Nov. 1 Hot Topics and how they relate to advancing culture or leadership. This week we’re talking about your purpose and how it relates to your work (or not), and how it’s Culture Time!

Personal Leadership, Friday NewsletterGarrett RubisNovember 1, 2019Hot Topic Friday, Lorne Rubis, Vivino wines, Hot Topics, issues, leadership, Culture, skills, culture, Harvard Business Review, Smart, purpose, finding purpose, Ben Horowitz