
Tangela W. Johnson
President, North Georgia Corporate Consulting (NGCC)
Creating a successful corporate culture is both transformational and unpredictable. The unpredictable, elusive nature of culture change makes leaders uncomfortable and unsure of how to navigate the process. The process can be messy because commitment, clarity, and accountability are all required – in that order. Leaders drive culture; therefore, their level of commitment has to be unwavering. They have to commit to do the emotionally draining work of making difficult people decisions while simultaneously building the best team to support the new culture. Additionally, leaders have to clearly define and consistently communicate the values, the vision, and the strategic direction. Their narrative should amplify what employees and customers experience in the day-to-day operations. Finally, without accountability, a culture cannot successfully transform. Accountability is about clearly defining responsibilities and expectations that align with the behaviors, expertise, and actions needed to support the strategic direction. A healthy culture allows an organization to thrive from the inside out. It creates a synchronized, mutually beneficial experience and environment for its employees and its customers. Culture is a powerful differentiator that directs focus, leverages talent, maximizes resources, and ultimately impacts the bottom line.

Andrew Ladebauche
CEO, Reliance Partners
One of the most noticeable aspects about our Chattanooga headquarters isn’t the open office floor plan or the casual attire; it’s the flags hanging down from the ceiling – one for every nationality represented by our employees. In a traditional sense, the visual serves as a monument to our diversity-based culture. Unconventionally, however, it highlights how we leverage diversity not merely as a quota, but as a strategic advantage. With more than 20 nationalities represented, 18 languages spoken, a 52% female workforce, and a multi-generational employee base, Reliance is noticeably different from our competitors in an industry that is undergoing a major shift in demographics. To stay relevant in this space, we’ve zeroed in on culture (a byproduct of diversity) as a defining characteristic of our brand. Simply put, wherever there’s diversity of heritage and diversity of age, there’s diversity in thought as well. Consequently, all of these factors create an active environment for rapid growth, innovative decision-making, and best-in-class customer service.

Janelle Reilly
Market CEO, CHI Memorial
I believe the culture found within CHI Memorial was formed on the foundation given to us by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth (SCN) when they began this hospital in 1952. Our mission and values differentiate us and help foster the culture felt within the health system. We strive for excellence, with compassion and caring; we’re obsessed with being a high-performing organization, and our staff and physicians are high caliber in competency. Our associates work hard to live out our mission every day. It’s in our DNA that we care about each other, have a high standard of excellence, and always look for ways to be a high-performing organization. Early on, the sisters instilled that foundation in this organization, and it continues today. We’re nurturing and growing it. Leaders in this organization are role models for open communication – sharing good and bad news, being transparent, fostering teamwork, and sharing data to drive improvement. All these things breed success and collaboration. We continuously work to build and maintain trust among our associates, physicians, and other care team members. The benefits of this type of culture include happy and engaged employees, along with better patient care and patient satisfaction.