I was recently interviewed by Chad Silverstein at Authority Magazine to talk about How to Build a Purpose-Driven Culture That Attracts Top Talent.
Here’s a recap:
Purpose has become the new currency of success in today’s workplace, and leaders who prioritize mission-driven cultures are standing out in the war for talent. To explore this important topic, we are interviewing Ryan Englin.
Ryan Englin is the Founder and CEO of Core Matters, a company dedicated to helping small to medium-sized businesses build better teams and become the employer of choice by transforming their hiring and retention processes. With over 20 years of experience in hiring and retention, Ryan is passionate about providing construction companies with the tools they need to attract, hire, and retain top talent, which has earned him a reputation as a thought leader in the industry. When he’s not working, Ryan enjoys spending quality time with his family.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
My decision to focus on hiring and retention strategies for small to medium-sized blue collar businesses is deeply rooted in my personal experiences. Growing up, I watched my dad, an owner/operator, work tirelessly to keep the business running. Often, the whole family would pitch in to help in the shop, on the floor, or in the warehouse. It wasn’t long before I could drive a forklift and help keep the warehouse in great shape.
Looking back, I realize it was a lack of good people that kept my dad at the plant, instead of home with our family. This sparked my vision to create positive work environments for 500,000 employees by helping small to medium-sized business owners hire and retain the right people.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began working in leadership, culture building, or purpose-driven organizations?
Before I went out on my own, I worked in corporate for about a decade. During this time, I was a team leader that focused on training and recruiting in the banking industry. Shortly after getting promoted, someone new was added to my team. She had been shuffled around from department to department, and was always in trouble for being late. She was sure it was her last stop before being fired and her engagement was at an all-time low. I quickly realized that all she needed was a shift in her schedule. We adjusted her start time by 30 minutes and within days, she was functioning on all cylinders. Her performance was the best it had ever been, and she was more loyal to the company than ever.
In this leadership role, I learned that truly understanding your team’s needs means that you can find ways to collaborate and work together. It doesn’t take much to adjust and meet your team’s needs. When you do, you’ll be amazed at their performance and commitment.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Empathy, communication, and visionary thinking are three traits that have been instrumental to my success as an entrepreneur.
- When you understand where people are coming from, you can find ways to work together more productively. I quickly learned this lesson during my time in corporate. After a promotion, I wondered why a team member was constantly giving me a hard time. I found out that he desperately wanted to be the team lead, but he had been passed over for the promotion several times. It wasn’t a technical skills issue; he had been there for years. Unfortunately, it was a personality issue that made him a bad fit for leadership. Once I understood where he was coming from, I found creative ways to use his talents and encourage him to follow his passion. Sometimes, encouraging a team member to do what’s best for them leads to turnover, and that’s not a bad thing.
- Clear Communication. I’m a people person. I love meeting people and jumping on a call and talking through a situation. But being a good communicator doesn’t just mean I share my ideas well. Most importantly, I’ve learned the value of active listening. By truly understanding what people are saying, I’m able to ask better questions and get a deeper understanding of what the conversation is really about. I’ve learned that what people say and what the mean are often different.
- Visionary Thinking. Whether I’m thinking about my company, relationships, or life goals, thinking about the future is something that gets me excited. I was just talking to my wife about this and we agreed that things often get harder before they get easy. For example, imagine you’re ready to lose a significant amount of weight. Getting started feels like the hardest thing. But it turns out staying “started” for the next 90 days is even harder. Once you hit that three-month mark, you’ll start to notice progress and it becomes easier to keep working toward your vision. People don’t usually think about the long-term grind when they’re in the initial stages of planning, but when you keep your vision in mind the hard days become a little bit easier.
Let’s now jump into the focus of our interview. What does a “purpose-driven culture” mean to you personally, and why do you think it’s critical for attracting top talent?
Helping companies develop a purpose-drive culture is the foundation of what we do at Core Matters. People want to feel like they’re making a difference with the work they’re doing. They want to feel like their work is doing some good in their community.
When companies get specific about their purpose and share it with the world, several things start to happen. First, their team will get out of bed and come in even when they don’t want to. They know their work matters and is contributing to the bigger picture. Purpose makes work so much more meaningful than a paycheck.
Just as importantly, when you share your purpose, you start to attract people to your company who align with your vision – whether that’s new hires or new customers. When you hire top talent that’s aligned with your company’s purpose, suddenly it becomes easier to keep people engaged and retention soars. These people serve your customers better and you’re able to grow and scale.
How did you identify and define the mission or purpose for your organization? Was it inspired by a particular event, challenge, or insight?
This sounds funny because one of the things we do at Core Matters is help companies develop their core values, purpose, and vision. But we actually hired someone to help us take a deeper look at what we want and where we’re going.
Sometimes it’s hard to look internally when you’re so close to it every day. As an entrepreneur, we eat, sleep, and breathe our business. I often describe Core Matters as “my baby.” Being so close to something means it can take a while to realize why we do what we do. That’s where the professionals come in. They know the right questions to ask to help you get to your company’s purpose.
When I sat down with my mentor and really talked about the business, I realized how much watching my dad go through difficult times at the plant impacted my life. He had a dream of doing more, but every time he’d get close, there’d be a setback, a key person would leave and he’d be scrambling to pick up the slack. The conversation with my mentor made me realize how deeply committed I am to our purpose of helping owners like my dad. Once I got clear on that, I started hiring people who had ties to the blue collar world. I quickly realized that people who shared a deep passion for our purpose would be the most committed, enthusiastic cheerleaders for the work we do.
What are the key steps leaders can take to embed purpose into the day-to-day operations and decision-making of their companies?
The first step leaders can take to make sure their purpose is informing decisions is to take a step back and ask themselves if their purpose is authentic. Is it just a phrase on the wall? Or are they really serious about why they do what they do?
When you’re intentional about using your purpose in daily decisions and you know how to communicate it well, your business will transform. Often, this doesn’t come naturally, so plan for those conversations and embed it in the day-to-day operations of your company.
What role does leadership play in championing and modeling a purpose-driven culture? Can you share an example of how you or another leader helped reinforce your organization’s purpose?
At Core Matters, we talk about our purpose a lot. It all starts at the top. If leadership isn’t championing and modeling it, how can you expect your team to care? One of the things that’s really important to me is that everyone on my team has a connection to the industry we serve. That’s really helped us get aligned with our purpose. We want to create great work environments and free up business owners to focus on the things that matter most. My team connects to that purpose and puts all their energy into creating great experiences for our clients.
If you want your team aligned with your purpose, you have to start at the beginning. Share your purpose on your company’s website, write about it in your job ads, and show it on your social media pages. You want to attract job seekers who align with where you’re going. When you interview and onboard intentionally, you will hire and retain people who are aligned with your company’s purpose. When leadership is intentional about creating a purpose-driven culture, the company thrives.
How do you handle skepticism or resistance from team members or stakeholders who may not immediately understand the value of focusing on purpose?
Since we interview intentionally for culture and purpose fit, we don’t have this issue in our company. However, when we start working with new clients, this is a common problem. You have to be patient when you start to implement these conversations. We don’t live in a society where people openly talk about purpose. It’s why gurus make so much money. People need help learning how to open up about this topic. Be patient and take the time to really understand what your team is saying.
Ok, let’s talk strategy. Based on your experience, can you share “5 Steps to Build a Purpose-Driven Culture That Attracts Top Talent”? If possible, please include examples or stories for each.
Here are five steps to build a purpose-drive culture that attracts and retains top talent:
- Define Your Purpose. At Core Matters, we help clients create clear core values, a vision, and a purpose for their company. Once these are set, everything else falls into place. If you already have something in place, I’d encourage you to dig in and see if it’s really at the core of your company.
- Identify the Right People. If you want to attract top talent, you have to identify who that is. We work with our clients to develop a Core Fit Profile. This process is used to attract, hire, and retain the right people. It defines the ideal people for the team and describes the expected results. It brings to light the company’s culture, required skills, and attitudes and behaviors necessary to succeed in a particular role.
- Interview for Fit. Most companies focus their interviews on technical skills – how many years of experience, what credentials, etc. To hire the right person, you have to balance that with interviewing for culture fit. Are they a good fit for your team? Do they align with your company’s purpose, values, and vision? If the answer is no, it doesn’t matter how skilled they are, it’ll never work out.
- Communicate. Be open and honest. If you want to build a purpose-driven culture that attracts top talent that sticks around, you have to be authentic. Align everything (website, social media pages, internal newsletters, meeting conversations, etc.) with your company’s purpose. If the reality of your workplace doesn’t match the illusion you’re sharing, people will leave.
- Create Systems that Reinforce Purpose. At Core Matters, we encourage our clients to use Core Fit Conversations. These discussions focus on building a relationship with your team, emphasizing their value, and aligning your efforts toward mutual success. This is the perfect time to make sure everyone aligns with your company’s core values, vision, and purpose. By making these conversations a regular part of working together, you’ll see higher retention (of the right people), increased productivity, and a culture where employees thrive.
You can’t just throw your company’s purpose on the wall and hope for the best. Building a purpose-driven culture that attracts top talent takes time, effort, and intentionality. You have to hold people accountable.
Can you share a specific example of how embracing a purpose-driven culture helped your company attract exceptional talent or achieve a significant business goal?
One of our clients, a steel contractor, embraced their purpose and transformed their company. This team had always been a group of proud ironworkers. When we started working together, their purpose was clear. They wanted to be the premier, elite steel contractor in their region. They wanted their team to be proud to work there. By focusing on this purpose in every decision, they built a company where elite ironworkers wanted to come work. When you market that, you attract the best of the best. Afterall, A-players want to be on the team with other A-players. And their determination didn’t go unnoticed. A few years ago, the Dirty Jobs team came to help them build a bridge. The crew already knew rodbusters were some of the hardest working people in construction, and now Mike Rowe confirmed it.
What advice would you give to leaders of smaller companies or startups who want to build a purpose-driven culture but don’t know where to start?
Follow the “5 Steps to Build a Purpose-Driven Culture” that’s outlined earlier in this interview. Start by defining your purpose. Get clear on everything. Make sure it’s not an aspirational purpose. Your company needs to be intentional about aligning every decision – from the new hires you make to the types of work you take on. Once you have this defined, you’re ready to move on to the next steps.
What are some common mistakes leaders make when trying to create a purpose-driven culture, and how can they avoid them?
How many times have you heard a company say they “want to make a difference in the world”? This type of vague, overused cliché is the biggest mistake you can make when trying to build a purpose-driven culture. It lacks specificity. It probably doesn’t reflect your company authentically. And you’re unlikely to get team buy-in.
I’ve seen it too many times where people pencil whip their company’s purpose. They do just enough to approve something to be put up on the wall, they check it off their list, and then they forget about it. Spelling out your purpose is hard work. It takes time and a lot of energy to dig deep enough to find your true purpose and make sure it aligns with the work your company is doing.
How do you ensure that your organization’s purpose evolves and remains relevant as your company grows and the world changes?
The best way to make sure your company’s purpose evolves and stays relevant in an ever-changing world is by talking about it. Keep saying it. Rally your team around it. If it continues to excite and motivate your team to do great work, you’re on the right track. On the other hand, if you get to the point that you’re tired of talking about it or your team is rolling their eyes, you need to take a step back and reassess.
What trends or shifts are you seeing in the workplace regarding purpose, and how do you think these will shape the future of business?
A lot of people complain about how hard it is to hire good people right now. It’s easy to whine about political unrest or a shifting economy, but I think what it comes down to is that people don’t want to be alone. Even though they might work for a big company, if they don’t feel aligned, they’ll feel alone. People want to feel like they belong. That’s a core piece to attracting great people and keeping them. People just want to feel safe, like they belong, and like they’re a part of something bigger. If you can make that happen, it’ll transform your business.
In your opinion, how does having a purpose-driven culture impact not just employees, but customers, clients, and the broader community?
Having a purpose-driven culture impacts more than just who you hire and retain. Employees who believe in the work they’re doing are more likely to go the extra mile for your customers. This builds loyalty and trust among the community, letting your impact reach even farther. When your team is working for more than a paycheck and your company is operating with a great purpose in mind, it changes your community.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people by building purpose-driven workplaces, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
If I could start a movement, I would want people to realize that construction jobs are cool. The people working in the field already know it. It’s time we share that with the world. At Core Matters, our purpose and vision are closely aligned. We aim to challenge the status quo and make the trades cool again. We need to create work environments where families and communities thrive. Leaders have to be selfless to accomplish that. They have to give more to their team and create an environment where they thrive. From there it’s a ripple effect – your team will serve your customers and your community better when they’re better cared for. When you take the next step and create a company where families thrive, that’s incredible. It’ll change your entire community.
