Holly's Highlights
Holly’s Highlights Podcast is an inspiring and practical podcast designed to equip and encourage listeners in their personal and professional growth. Hosted by speaker, author, and mentor Holly Curby, each episode features insightful conversations on leadership, faith, business, relationships, and personal development. Whether you're seeking motivation, strategies for success, or faith-based encouragement, Holly’s Highlights offers valuable takeaways to help you thrive. Tune in for engaging interviews, expert advice, and real-life stories that empower you to make a positive impact in your life and community. Available on all major podcast platforms!
Holly's Highlights
How Leaders Shape the Company Culture - From the Top Down
Leadership integrity isn't optional – it's the heartbeat of organizational culture. When a CEO's personal choices make headlines at a Coldplay concert, it reveals a troubling truth: character failures at the top send ripples throughout entire companies.
The evidence speaks volumes. Studies show 80% of employees believe leadership behavior (not words) defines cultural norms, while companies with engaged employees perform up to 202% better than those without. As scripture reminds us, "the student is not above the teacher" – your actions as a leader become the blueprint others follow.
Great leaders shape positive cultures through five key practices: walking in transparency by owning mistakes, protecting healthy boundaries in workplace relationships, leading by example rather than exception, addressing toxic behavior swiftly regardless of performance, and for those of faith, inviting spiritual discernment into decision-making. Each practice creates psychological safety that drives innovation and engagement.
When leaders inevitably stumble, restoration must be the focus. This means honest acknowledgment without spin, protecting those impacted, inviting genuine accountability (not just PR fixes), and starting fresh with authentic humility. Remember - culture isn't just an HR slogan. It's the foundation of trust, retention, and organizational health.
Whether you lead a major corporation, a small team, or simply influence others through your daily interactions, your character creates someone's workplace environment tomorrow. The small integrity choices you make today ripple outward in ways you may never fully see. Let's commit to leading in the light, recognizing that who we are ultimately matters more than what we say.
Visit www.hollycurby.com for more information and to sign up for the monthly Holly's Happenings e-newsletter. Holly's Highlights podcast and the opinions and ideas shared within it are for entertainment purposes only. The advice should be confirmed with a qualified professional.
Hi, friend, welcome to Holly's Highlights, a podcast designed to encourage, inspire and equip you to intentionally live your life full of purpose. I'm your host, holly Kirby, motivational speaker, leadership cultivator, marketing strategist and personal cheerleader. Let's check out today's highlights. Wanting to grow in your leadership role. Real leadership starts with inner work refining your character, facing your pain and leading with integrity. In my book, facelift Embracing Hope Through your Heartaches, discover how your greatest challenges can become the foundation of authentic, transformative leadership. Start your journey today. Purchase Facelift on Amazon or wherever books are sold. You don't need to be perfect to lead, but you do need to be real. Start the work that matters. Pick up your copy of Facelift on Amazon or wherever books are sold. You don't need to be perfect to lead, but you do need to be real. Start the work that matters. Pick up your copy of facelift today. Welcome back to Holly's Highlights podcast.
Speaker 1:Now, if you've been with us for a bit, you know we cover leadership, business relationships, personal development, blending both practical tools with spiritual and emotional insights. And as our focus is to encourage, inspire and equip each other to intentionally live our life full of purpose, that doesn't come without tackling even the hardest or uncomfortable topics. As we often look at our roles as leaders in the workforce. At home, at school or even in our communities, we bring leadership into the light of integrity, purpose and faith. At school, or even in our communities, we bring leadership into the light of integrity, purpose and faith. So today we're going to look into how leaders, especially those at the top, set the tone for company culture. Now you may be starting to grasp where this is headed. Yes, let's start with a headline that's been turning heads recently. Coldplay concert reveals CEO allegedly involved in workplace affair. Now, regardless of the details, the implications are clear. When a leader's integrity falters, especially in public, it sends ripples not just through PR channels, but straight into the heart of the company's culture. Today, we're unpacking what this means how leaders shape the values of their organizations and how you whether you're a CEO or a team lead can lead with character that uplifts, not undermines, your company's culture.
Speaker 1:Let's look at the influence of leadership on culture. Culture let's look at the influence of leadership on culture Now. According to the England-based company UJJI, 80% of employees say leadership behavior, not just words, defines culture norms. 92% of executives agree that strong company culture drives business success and 73% of leaders have left jobs because of poor culture. Team Stage shares that companies with engaged employees perform up to 202% better, and Wikipedia reports that having engaged employees produces 13.9% turnover versus 48.4% at low culture firms.
Speaker 1:Leadership integrity isn't optional, my friends. It fuels engagement and loyalty and even productivity. Culture isn't just something written on a wall. It's modeled through actions and words and character. Now, when a CEO engages in questionable behavior, it doesn't stay personal. It becomes a signal, a cue to everyone in the organization about what it really is accepting.
Speaker 1:People often say that culture eats strategy for breakfast, but I'd add to this leadership sets the table. When the leader acts with integrity, transparency and humility, it's contagious. But when they're dishonest or do things in secret or abuse their power, that's going to rot everything and spread faster than we realize. Let's look at scripture. We're reminded in Luke 640, the student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. So whether you're leading a Fortune 500 company or a startup team, your life becomes the blueprint that others will follow. So what are five practical ways that leaders can set a healthy tone?
Speaker 1:Number one walk in transparency. Apollo Tech LLC reports that 75% of employees list effective communication as the top leadership trait Great leaders admit mistakes and embrace accountability. I'll never forget when I made an error with a cashback back at my first job as a customer service supervisor. Now, as soon as I realized my mistake, I let my boss know, and my team also, as it impacted some of them. But to my surprise and gratitude, my boss showed me so much mercy and my team respected me even more for it. I am so thankful I learned that lesson young, as it truly has been a pillar in my leadership throughout the years. So how can we implement this as a leader? Start holding a ask me anything session with your team, whether this be monthly, quarterly, in a group session or via one-on-ones, or even submitting emails. No scripts, just real answers. You can even publish a quarterly performance and culture metric. Proverbs 10.9 reminds us that whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.
Speaker 1:Number two protect healthy boundaries. Arbinger, a company that develops high impact leaders, warns that executive relationships can lead to favoritism, morale drops, even harassment claims. Don't mix personal intimacy with professional power. Affairs or favoritism break trust and they can destabilize your team. Now I was 15 years old when I was babysitting for a powerhouse couple. Oh, how I admired this couple. I looked up to that lady and just thought she was such a woman of elegance and grace. That is until I saw her getting a little too intimate with a man at a restaurant who was not her husband. My friends create clear relationship policies and then model them. When I was married, I used to have to meet with my graphic designer, who was male, and I made sure to always leave the door open whenever we were in a meeting, and if we had to meet outside of my office, I always had clear communication about it with my prior husband prior to the meeting and after the meeting too. We even have a policy in effect in my current work of leaders can't date anyone within the organization period. Again, create those boundaries for yourself and then follow them.
Speaker 1:Proverbs 4.23 tells us above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Number three lead by example, not exception. In other words, live your values daily. Flair HR states that 70% of team motivation and satisfaction is shaped by leaders. Don't expect values you aren't living Now. I once worked at a company where it was clearly do as I say, not as I do. It created quite the topic of conversation for the team to bond over, but it also created resentment and confusion of what those lines were. So, leaders, audit yourself and do these value audits often. Are your actions and your decisions rightly aligned with what's on paper, or in other words, do your actions reflect the values on your company's? About us, page 1, peter, 5, 2 through 3, tells us be shepherds of God's flock, not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. Number four address toxicity swiftly Now I'm not talking about the Taylor Swift swiftly.
Speaker 1:I like how the Guardian puts it Jekyll and Hyde leadership. So inconsistent behavior is more damaging than constant cruelty. Don't let stars get away with bad behavior because they deliver results. Unfortunately, I am well versed in this behavior too, where one's corrupted behavior was overlooked until it all came to a head and although the person was then fired, the behavior was ignored far too long in secrecy. Behavior was ignored far too long in secrecy. I also am forever grateful to one who once learned of someone's poor choices and they went and addressed it immediately with them. So, no matter what form of leadership you serve in, define those cultural red lines and then reward values, not just performance. Matthew 18, 15 through 17 is quite fitting here.
Speaker 1:If your brother or sister sins, go point out their fault, just between the two of you. Now, if we unpack all of these steps to deal with such behavior, they're basically go to the person privately. If no one repentance or there isn't repentance from that person, then bring witnesses with you. If there's still unrepentance, so that person is not repenting of their behavior, then involve the church or again company body. Then If they refuse, even then disassociate. So if this one trips you up or you're just curious to dive deeper here, then I'd encourage you to check out Holly's Highlights, season 3, episode 8, on how to have tough conversations. It'll help you go a little bit more deeper into addressing toxicity swiftly.
Speaker 1:Number five invite spiritual discernment. Now this one is for those who have a personal relationship with the Lord. Wikipedia put it plain and simple Psychological safety drives innovation, idea sharing and engagement. As Christian leaders, we should seek God's wisdom, not just charisma. Oh, how I envy those workplaces who are able to start a meeting in prayer. If you're in an environment that allows such thing, try it. Try just starting your leadership meeting with prayer. And if you aren't, have you tried coming into work early to prayer walk your office or your hallways, or prying to going into a meeting, even just praying silently. You can also encourage air reporting without fear within your business too. That is a form of spiritual discernment. James 1.5 tells us if any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all, without finding fault, and it will be given to you. You can also look at Proverbs 10.9, as it directly relates with integrity.
Speaker 1:Now, let's face it, we're all human, and guess what? Humans fail. Maybe it's not a celebrity CEO, but maybe it's someone in your church, your company or even yourself. So what do we do when leaders, including us, fail? Because let's make sure we're on the same page. Our focus is on restoration, not on ruin. Well, the first step of four name the issue honestly, don't excuse it or cover it up. Just be vulnerable, raw and real. Own it, avoid spinning it or doing any sort of cover up.
Speaker 1:Number two protect the community or your teams, so safeguard those that are impacted. Culture thrives in safety. Meaning address the, but ensure fairness. Now my kids know that they can come to me with anything and everything. I want them to feel safe From there. We'll work on it together. Their failure doesn't have to make headlines or be the tea at a women's or mom's get together. They can fail forward with me. I actually pray for my children to get caught in the little things so that they don't get involved in the big things. But we aren't going to ignore our failure either. Again, check out episode eight, season three. We really dive into all of this there.
Speaker 1:Number three invite accountability, not just PR fixes. Our failures don't need to be sugarcoated nor swept under the rug. Learning how to own our failures is part of developing good character. Those lessons can only be taught, not bought. There is a release from the CEO that was involved in the scandal mentioned earlier that is circulating and, regardless of his authenticity, in that letter it begins with an attempt to address the issue and then kind of own it, but it concludes with basically saying this would have happened if people would have kept their people's personal life personal and their business out of it. That totally negates everything that he was trying to do, supposedly, in owning it. So instead of trying to spin it in any way or placing blame other places or thinking a PR statement is going to make it all go away, hold yourself and others accountable, own it.
Speaker 1:And then, number four start fresh with humility. Again, that restoration piece right. Failure doesn't have to be final, but restoration starts with both humility and repentance. Not just a sorry for getting caught, but repentance is genuine and comes from the heart. Failure doesn't have to be final, but it can be a turning point. Galatians 6.1 tells us, brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.
Speaker 1:So what can we take away from our time together today? Well, I think three things. Mainly, leadership isn't just about what you say, but it's who you are. Often the data will confirm that integrity, clarity and safety all help fuel performance and retention. So leadership isn't just about what you say, it's who you are. Second, culture follows character, with real financial and emotional impact. Now in season one I think it's like episode four or five. Right around there we have an episode on leaders of character. That would be a good one to check out too, because culture follows character. And then, third, small cracks at the top become earthquakes at the bottom. So leadership missteps resonate company-wide. The affair at the top of the consort incidents. Company might feel far removed from your everyday, but the principle is close to home. Who you are shapes where your team is going.
Speaker 1:Now, if you want to go deeper on this topic, here are some powerful resources I'd recommend to you. First off, if you're into reading, try out the books Integrity by Dr Henry Cloud, or a new one I'm starting is Culture Code by Daniel Coyle. This one has data backed strategies if you really need the data behind things. Another one is if you're looking for good accountability through a daily devotional, so something that keeps you on track each day, there's Leadership Promises for Every Day by John C Maxwell. Leadership Promises for Every Day by John C Maxwell. Then, of course, for those who are busy and on the go so a podcast works best there's the Emotionally Healthy Leader by Pete Cesarro. And if you need to listen to more but you want in depth, there's the sermon Character Over Charisma, and it's available on YouTube from Church of the City. I think it's also available on their blog.
Speaker 1:Leaders, every choice signals what, culturally, is acceptable. The culture you create today becomes someone's workplace, or even environment, tomorrow. So make yours count. Let's lead in the light. Culture isn't just an HR slogan either. It's the heartbeat of performance, retention and even trust. If this episode challenged or encouraged you, would you share it with another leader, and don't forget to subscribe and leave a review. It really helps us reach more change makers like you. Until next time, stay rooted, stay humble and lead well, and know that I'm praying for you on this one and always cheering you on that. I'm praying for you on this one and always cheering you on review or, better yet, subscribe. We can also stay in touch by joining my email list at hollykirbycom. That's H-O-L-L-Y, c-u-r-b-y dot com. Until next time, make it a great day for a great day.