Culture Secrets

A simple lunch order turned into an unforgettable leadership lesson.

In this episode of Five at 55, Chellie Phillips shares a surprising restaurant experience involving cinnamon… in the spaghetti. What started as an unexpected twist on a classic dish became a powerful reminder about communication, expectations, and trust.

When leaders fail to give people a heads-up about change, surprises can create confusion and frustration. But whe...

At 55, clarity hits differently.

In this episode of Five at 55, Chellie Phillips shares five truths she trusts—not because they sound inspiring, but because experience has proven them true.

From self-worth and courage to conversations and choosing how to spend your time, these reflections are grounded, honest, and earned the long way.

This isn’t theory. It’s leadership shaped by real life.

If you’re navigating growth, reinvention, or s...

Sometimes confidence doesn’t arrive all at once—it sneaks in through small, hard decisions.

In this episode, Chellie shares how training for a half marathon became an unexpected turning point—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. It opened the door to trusting herself, sharing imperfectly, and stepping into new possibilities.

A reminder that confidence isn’t perfection—it’s willingness.

Thanks for listening. Grab the book...

This week marks the anniversary of the premiere of The Breakfast Club — and it still holds one of the most powerful leadership lessons we often overlook.

In this episode of 5 for 55, Chellie explores what happens when leaders stop sharing only their wins and start sharing the full story — including the doubt, the mistakes, and the lessons learned the hard way.

Because people don’t connect to perfection.
 They connect to growth.

Th...

Turning 55 isn’t a slowdown—it’s a launch point.

In this kickoff episode of Five at 55, Chellie Phillips introduces a year-long series of short, real-world reflections built around lessons learned through leadership, growth, missteps, and reinvention.

This isn’t polished theory or highlight-reel leadership. It’s honest insight, lived experience, and stories that make you think, laugh, and reflect. Some episodes will be fun. Some will...

What if you could intentionally design the culture you want—not just hope it takes shape on its own?

This week on The Culture Secrets Podcast, Chellie sits down with Adam Schwartz, founder of The Cooperative Way and one of the nation’s leading voices on cooperative leadership and workplace culture. Adam has spent decades helping electric co-ops, credit unions, ag co-ops, and other member-owned businesses strengthen their identity, i...

What does a strong workplace culture actually look like in action—not on paper, but in real life?

In this episode of Culture Secrets, Chellie Phillips sits down with Bob Brown of Yamaha Motor Manufacturing to explore how culture is built, sustained, and strengthened inside a large, growing organization. From leadership visibility and trust to employee engagement, community involvement, and continuous improvement, this conversation g...

What really changes a workplace culture—and what’s just surface-level noise? In this powerful conversation, Chellie Phillips sits down with Stephen Childs, Chief HR Officer at Panasonic, to uncover the real strategies that transformed Panasonic from a single-location operation into a multi-billion-dollar, award-winning Best Place to Work.

Stephen takes us behind the scenes of their culture journey—from visiting top innovation compan...

Leaders set the tone—whether they realize it or not.

In this episode of Culture Secrets, Chellie Phillips explores the hidden leadership power of rest and renewal. When leaders are constantly overworked, overstretched, and overwhelmed, it sends a powerful message to their teams: burnout is the norm.

But what if we flipped that script?

You'll learn:

• Why intentional rest is a leadership strategy, not a luxury
• How modeling healthy...

What does it take to create a workplace where people feel seen, heard, and truly valued — not just as employees, but as human beings?

In this episode, we sit down with Harry Hynekamp, former Vice President of Guest Experience at AMB Sports & Entertainment, part of the Arthur M. Blank Family of Companies — home to the Atlanta Falcons, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and the Arthur M. Blank Foundation.

Harry shares powerful behind-the-scene...

DEI is facing growing scrutiny—and not just in boardrooms or courtrooms. Many companies are realizing that traditional diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives often fall short of creating real culture change.

In this episode of Culture Secrets, host Chellie Phillips introduces a bold alternative: the V.A.L.U.E. Culture Framework.

Instead of chasing compliance or one-size-fits-all strategies, V.A.L.U.E. invites leaders to build w...

Welcome to Season 2 of Culture Secrets! We’re kicking things off with a conversation that goes beyond strategy and into the soul of leadership.

In this episode, Chellie Phillips sits down with Amy Lynn Durham—founder of Create Magic At Work and a trailblazer in workplace emotional and spiritual intelligence. Together, they explore how EQ (Emotional Intelligence) and SQ (Spiritual Intelligence) are essential tools for leaders who wan...

Welcome to another empowering episode of the Culture Secret podcast! In this thought-provoking edition, we dive deep into the heart of workplace culture, shining a spotlight on a fundamental aspect that holds the key to success: accountability.

Join me as we uncover the transformative power of accountability in cultivating a thriving workplace environment. From small startups to large corporations, fostering a culture of r...

Valuing you employees and demonstrating leadership are two key components to building a strong people centered culture in the workplace. There’s been a lot of talk about how not to treat your employees thanks to reports detailing President Biden's fits of anger and profanity laced tirades after earlier announcing he would “fire on the spot” anyone who treated staffers with disrespect. 

The  point is it doesn’t matter if you are...

In this episode of the Culture Secrets Podcast, host Chellie Phillips explores the connection between independence and workplace culture. She highlights the importance of allowing employees to have independence and decision-making abilities, as it demonstrates trust and values their uniqueness. Phillips presents seven reasons why fostering employee independence is beneficial for culture building:

1. Increased Employee Enga...

Joining me on this episode of the Culture Secrets podcast is Jennifer McClure. She has experience in various HR roles, including leadership and executive positions. She also spent about four years in executive search. Since 2010, she has had her own business as a professional speaker, focusing on people strategies and talent acquisition.

In the current landscape, talent is scarce, and people are changing jobs more frequent...

Join host Chellie Phillips in this episode of Culture Secrets as she explores the pivotal role of internal communications in fostering a thriving workplace culture. Discover the significance of transparent leadership, psychological safety, employee engagement, and effective collaboration. Gain valuable insights into creating a value culture through a multifaceted approach to internal communications. Don't miss this episode to ...

Are you an entrepreneur or business owner looking to craft a culture for your employees? In this episode of the Culture Secrets Podcast, I chat with Steven Carse about how to turn your vision into a meaningful culture that doesn't get lost in the hustle. We discuss elements such as creating measurable goals and providing opportunities for meaningful connections. Tune in now and learn more about building a value culture at work...

On this episode, I talk culture with Jana Adams. She's the executive director of Touchstone Energy. She says culture is at the top of mind of today's cooperative CEOs. I've worked in the co-op world for over 25 years and happen to believe that co-ops are uniquely positioned to create great cultures and use that to attract some of the best and brightest of this next generation entering the workplace. 

Few tak...