In this episode of Culture From the Heart Podcast, hosts Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by John Costello, President and CEO of Cherry's Industrial Equipment Corporation. John shares his journey of transforming the company's culture from a harsh, internally conflicted environment to one that's open, transparent, and values-driven. He emphasizes the importance of leading with heart, living one's values both at home and in the workplace, and the transformative power of an open-book management style. Discover how Cherry's Industrial Equipment involves all employees in understanding and impacting the company's financial health, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability across the organization. This episode is a testament to the belief that true success stems from authenticity, trust, and engaged leadership. KEY TAKEAWAYS Core Values: Cher's Industrial Equipment Corporation prioritizes core values in hiring and firing decisions. Transparency: The company practices an open book policy, sharing financial information with all employees to foster engagement and accountability. Employee Involvement: Employees are deeply involved in decision-making, from financial management to operational improvements. Leadership from the Heart: CEO John Costello emphasizes leading with transparency, humility, and emotion, which has significantly impacted company culture. Longevity and Loyalty: The company's cultural values have led to long tenures, with several employees marking multiple decades of service. Trust and Empowerment: Building a culture of trust and empowerment has improved employee morale and engagement, leading to better business outcomes. QUOTES "We hire and fire based on core values." "With lack of information, people create their own stories." "If you're leading your life with that and you're leading the business with that, as long as you're aligning with the core values, you can't go wrong." "I always thought that, that there was a different way to run a company." "You can't be partially honest. If you're gonna open up, you're gonna open up to everything." "Every employee here knows that they get to push the buttons and pull the levers with all of us." "We're all human at the end of the day. We're all gonna make some mistakes." "Leaders who lead with their heart soon develop a group of sellers who sell from the heart." "Great cultures start with the heart." Learn more about Darrell and Larry. Darrell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/ Larry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/ Connect and learn more about John Costello. https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-j-costello-9b58b821/ Ready to begin realizing the full potential of your sales team? Hire Great Salespeople with Confidence. SCHEDULE YOUR EXECUTIVE BRIEFING. https://sellingfromtheheart.net/hiring Unlock The Power of Team Growth with Learnit’s Live Training Platform. CLAIM your 45-day trial of unlimited training now! https://www.learnit.com/lp/culture
