Ron Alvesteffer has over 25 years of leadership experience and is President & CEO at Service Express.
To truly stand out as a leader, I believe in fostering a culture of care that drives performance. Getting both right isn’t one-size-fits-all or a one-time fix. It’s a relentless commitment requiring constant adjustments. After 25-plus years in leadership, here are the tips I’ve learned about creating a culture that gets results while prioritizing people.
1. Promote Accountability
At Service Express, we use our SR5 (scorecards, ROIs and 5/15s) performance system to ensure everyone, from teams to individuals, is aligned with our company goals. Every month, we review responsibilities, objectives and indicators (ROIs) to see where we’re meeting goals and falling short. When someone isn’t hitting their targets, we ask why, identify any obstacles and provide resources where needed. I have found that top performers want to work in an environment with accountability.
2. Remove Obstacles
Teams can’t win if they’re stuck fighting roadblocks. Every leader’s conversation should start with “how can I help?” or “what do you need from me?” Don’t wait for problems to come to you; instead, seek them out. And when you find them, act quickly to solve them. Your job as a leader is to serve your team. And one of the best ways to serve them is to remove obstacles to performance. If you have surrounded yourself with the right people for your team and they are not performing, there’s likely a roadblock that needs attention. When the path is clear, performance will follow.
3. Help Others Achieve Goals
At our company, our core value is to cultivate a culture that helps our people achieve personal, professional and financial goals. Through vision talks, we dig deep into what goals our employees are working toward and want for their future. These twice-a-year sessions are a time to get out of the office and away from the computer and have a conversation with your leader. These talks are a great opportunity to learn what drives your people and figure out how to support their goals. If your people feel you’re invested in their future, they’ll give their best to build yours.
4. Celebrate Achievements
Wins don’t just happen; they’re earned. When your team delivers, celebrate big. Reflecting on victories builds momentum and shows that hard work pays off. Recognition fuels confidence and sets the stage for even bigger results. I’ve found that supporting team members’ growth and achievements creates a positive environment, making it easier to move forward as a team.
5. Don’t Over-Index
There’s a fine line between care and performance. Lean too much in one direction and things will become unbalanced. I’ve seen leaders burn out their teams by only focusing on and treating their people like numbers. I’ve also seen leaders mistake “care” for lack of accountability, coaching conversations and just trying to buy engagement with things like happy hours and lunches. In my experience, neither works long term. The real game-changer is staying balanced, adapting quickly and never letting one side dominate. When you strike that sweet spot, you can create a powerhouse team where people thrive and results soar.
Building a culture of care and performance takes grit, consistency and unwavering focus. If done right, this balance leads to a thriving organization where everyone can grow and succeed together.
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