Culture Secrets

What if you could intentionally design the culture you want—not just hope it takes shape on its own? This week on The Culture Secrets Podcast, Chellie sits down with Adam Schwartz, founder of The Cooperative Way and one of the nation’s leading voices on cooperative leadership and workplace culture. Adam has spent decades helping electric co-ops, credit unions, ag co-ops, and other member-owned businesses strengthen their identity, improve employee experience, and align leadership practices with the values that make co-ops different. In this deep and practical conversation, Adam shares: How a national safety initiative revealed the blueprint for building culture with intentionWhy culture is to an organization what water is to a fish—and what leaders miss when they’re too close to see the truthThe balance between empathy and accountability that defines strong servant leadershipWhy keeping low-performing employees is not compassion—it’s a “culture suck”How surveys, data, and listening help leaders diagnose what’s really happening inside their workplaceBrilliant hiring practices (from co-ops and beyond) that prioritize cultural fit over résumé credentialsHow co-ops can remain attractive to younger, mission-driven talent without losing their history or identityWhy you can influence culture even if you’re not in the CEO chairWhether you work in a cooperative, lead a team of any kind, or care about building workplaces where people can thrive, Adam’s insights will give you clear steps to strengthen your culture—and a renewed appreciation for the power of values-driven leadership. Thanks for listening. Grab the book the original podcast is based on at https://mybook.to/culturesecrets . Check out my website www.chelliephillips.com for more great content. Follow me on LinkedIn.