In this episode of The Nonprofit Exchange, I had the pleasure of speaking with Steve Gander, a seasoned expert in cultural transformation and leadership development. With over four decades of experience, Steve has worked with a diverse range of organizations, from Fortune 500 companies to nonprofits, helping them build high-performance, values-driven cultures.

We delved into the critical role of culture in organizational success, emphasizing that culture drives everything. Steve shared insights on how beliefs govern behavior, both individually and collectively, and highlighted the importance of understanding and measuring culture to foster excellence. He explained that many leaders unknowingly create barriers to a positive culture, often leading to defensive behaviors among their teams.

Steve also discussed the concept of "culture engineering," which involves a structured process to create and sustain high-performing cultures. He provided practical advice for nonprofit leaders, stressing the need for self-awareness and the importance of confronting the reality of their organizational culture.

As a takeaway, Steve encouraged listeners to utilize the resources available on his website, excellentcultures.com, particularly the MRI tool that helps organizations assess their current culture against desired benchmarks. This episode is packed with valuable insights and actionable steps for leaders looking to transform their organizations and create a thriving culture.

I invite you to reflect on your own beliefs and behaviors as a leader and consider how you can take that first step toward cultural transformation. Thank you for joining us, and I hope you find this conversation as enlightening as I did!

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