How We Built a More Intentional Team Culture

The great Stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius, said that. And I forget it all the time.

Like when my partner loads the dishwasher in a way that makes my eye twitch. After all, I’ve spent almost a decade figuring out the most optimized way to load the dishwasher, and they’re throwing dishes in there like it’s a trash bin.

This is how I’m wired – and I know it’s not always easy to be around. But I value order and systems. I like things done with care, done efficiently, and done right. And I hold myself to that standard.

A problem arises, though, when I hold others to this high standard. I expect people to think the same way, act the same way, and have the same general mindset. And, surprise, that leads to way more frustration than contentment.

When I get too rigid about how others should operate, I’ve noticed that resentment begins to creep in. I start to feel frustrated and silently hold people to expectations they never agreed to. I get annoyed when they don’t approach things the way I would.

That’s not leadership. That’s immaturity. And it’s something I wanted to share that I’m working on in case anyone else relates to this dynamic.

The Stoics got it right – focus only on what you can control – even if that’s easier said than done.

Not everyone should be a manager. More people need to say that out loud.

We think moving up means moving into management. Organizational leaders assume the only way to promote someone is to give them people to manage. Early career professionals assume it is the only path to advancement and higher pay.

One of the worst, most draining mistakes you can make is stepping into management when you are meant to be a strong individual contributor.

Management means putting down your craft to lead people and develop the next generation. Being an individual contributor means building deep expertise. Both paths are valuable. Both are needed. You have to know which one fits you.

Management brings its own stress: hard decisions, hard conversations, and responsibilities you can’t just check off. But the reward of helping others grow is real.

Some people thrive as specialized individual contributors. They become highly valued and well paid, without managing a team.

Success comes in many forms. Pick the one that fits you.

The world doesn’t need another podcast. But this post isn’t really about podcasts. It’s about the pressure to jump on what other organizations are doing – a newsletter, a blog, an influencer program, a local ambassador program, you name it.

These things could very well advance your organization. But “because everyone else is doing it” is not a strategy. And for us, these were intentional add-ons that pay returns.

Start with the problem you’re trying to solve or a specific audience you’re trying to reach. Then ask: Is this the best tool for that job?

Over the last few months, we’ve implemented something new across our leadership team: an organizational scorecard. It’s a simple idea, but it’s already changing how we operate.

Each week, our department VPs and I review and update a simple matrix of the organization’s most important metrics – the drivers that tell us whether we’re on track or not. We look at things like membership growth, events, fundraising, employee happiness, and a few other criteria. Nothing too complicated. Just a single, living scorecard that we update every week and apply an “on track” or “off track” label.

The purpose of a scorecard isn’t to add more reporting. It’s to keep the most vital indicators front and center. When you track these weekly, you can effectively predict the future. You start to see problems before they happen.

If you dive into books or articles on building great organizations, you’ll find no shortage of frameworks, models, or operating systems. I’ve studied and used pieces of nearly all of them for about a decade now. But none quite fit the kind of organizations I’ve worked in: organizations created to solve big problems and create lasting impact.

After a decade of leading organizations, I’ve come to learn that every healthy and effective organization is built upon four foundations – Impact, Talent, Operations, and Ownership. And when these foundations are built well, they allow every corner of the organization to fire on all cylinders.

Today’s post is simple – please help the victims and communities affected by the devastating flooding in Texas over the Fourth of July weekend. As of this post, the death toll is now over 80 people, and 10 young campers remain missing.

You can donate here.

Every dollar helps.