Remarkable

an organization’s culture is its only real advantage—the superior advantage—in the marketplace. A truly differentiating culture is characterized by empowerment and value creation. It is a culture in which people are inspired to perform at a higher level. This performance must be the result of synergistic behavior, which happens when values are aligned

Value was now defined by the experience, not just by the expense.

Now he saw every interpersonal encounter as a clutch situation—an opportunity to engage with others in a transformational way.

Rather than being threatened by the knowledge of his weaknesses, he was emboldened to keep himself in growth gear.

I have to choose whether I will pursue the ER or the OR path in life. The ER is about ego and rivalry against others—positioning myself to extract value. OR is about taking ownership and highly valuing relationships.

Culture is always by design in companies that are making a significant difference.

naysayers can be hard workers. The problem, however, is that for all of their work, they create very little true value.

There are three types of people who will rapidly deplete the energy of any organization. Those types of people are the victims, the naysayers, and the know-it-alls.”

taking action to assess and align values can positively impact an organization’s culture. Rather than being aspirational, aligned values can become transformational.

“The most powerful competitive advantage for any organization is a compelling culture.