Beyond The Class: From Knowledge To Action

008-Three Actionable Steps To Culture Change

• Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities • Season 2 • Episode 8

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Culture doesn’t change by memo; it changes in singular moments. 

In this episode of Beyond the Class, Misty Janks, CEO of the Chapman Foundation, joins us to demystify the concept of culture change. Drawing from behavioral psychology and real-world examples, Misty shares how meaningful transformation begins not with sweeping initiatives, but with intentional, everyday actions.

She outlines three actionable steps that anyone can take to shape a healthier, values-driven workplace:

  1. Define and operationalize your values
  2. Provide feedback that shapes behavior
  3. Recognize and celebrate what’s working

From basketball free-throw contests to thumbnail reviews, Misty shows how even small interactions can reinforce culture. She reminds us that “people repeat what is appreciated” and that celebrating progress—not just perfection—is key to lasting change.


LEVEL UP OPPORTUNITY:
Choose one interaction this week and use it to model, reinforce, or recognize the culture you want to see.

Creating a plan for your organization's culture is a key component of our third foundational class, Our Community Transforms, within our model for Caring Leadership and our Caring Workplaces program. Visit the link below to learn more.

Note: You must be an alumnus of Our Community Listens to register for Our Community Transforms.


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Culture Change Feels Overwhelming—Here’s Why It’s Worth It and How to Start Today


KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Culture change is about people, not policies.
  • You don’t need a perfect plan—just start with intention.
  • Step 1: Make values visible and actionable.
  • Step 2: Use feedback to reinforce and coach behavior.
  • Step 3: Celebrate progress to fuel positive change.
  • Appreciation drives repetition—recognize what’s working.
  • Anyone can lead culture change, regardless of title.
  • One intentional moment can spark transformation.
MISTY JANKS:

And I would like to add a quote from our founder, Bob Chapman. The way we lead impacts the way people live.

ADAM SALGAT:

Hello and welcome to Beyond the Class from Knowledge to Action. The audio cast that helps Chapman Foundation alumni continue the journey of applying the skills they've built and turning them into practical, intentional actions for everyday life. I'm your host, Adam Solga, and today we're talking about something that can feel, well, a little intimidating. Culture change. You have probably heard phrases like, we need to shift our culture, or, let's build a better workplace culture, or, I wish our culture was like theirs. But what does that actually mean? Where do you start? What is your role? And can it be done immediately without a massive top-down initiative? Joining me today is someone who has spent her career helping organizations answer those questions. I'm joined once again by Misty Jenks, CEO of the Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities. She is a thought leader and organizational psychologist who's passionate about unleashing the power and potential of individuals and organizations. Misty, welcome back.

MISTY JANKS:

Thanks, Adam. I'm excited to be here. Culture change is one of my favorite topics because it is incredibly powerful and impactful for team members. And yes, it's absolutely possible to start today.

ADAM SALGAT:

Well, that's really awesome to hear. And I'm guessing the tips that we cover are going to point out how, because that's the point of this audio cast, right? So, but let's start with addressing why culture change can feel so overwhelming.

MISTY JANKS:

It can be overwhelming because it's not about policies or programs, it's about people, it's about shifting behaviors, mindsets, and daily interactions. And that has an element that's just not in our control. So it can feel like a lot. But the good news is culture is not static. It is shaped even in the smallest of moments. You do not need the perfect plan to begin. You just need to start making the culture vision explicit.

ADAM SALGAT:

All right. I love that. So let's jump right into it. You've put together three concrete action items to help leaders tackle this. The first one define and operationalize your organizational values. I would imagine many organizations have the first verb accomplished. They've defined their values. But what about that second? Operationalize. What does that look like?

MISTY JANKS:

It means making values real and explicit, not just words on a wall or in a handbook. You have to ask, what does each value look like in action? How do we make decisions based on it? How do we hire, onboard, and evaluate performance through this lens? For example, if trust is a core value, do leaders share information transparently? Do team members feel safe in speaking up? If not, trust is just a word, not a lived experience.

ADAM SALGAT:

Yeah, that's a really strong point to make. Can you tell me a little bit more about that though?

MISTY JANKS:

Sure. Clarity creates confidence. When people know what is expected and how it connects to the values, they can align their actions more easily.

ADAM SALGAT:

That makes a lot of sense. Do you have any real life examples of how we do that here at the Chapman Foundation that you could share?

MISTY JANKS:

Yes. So every time we have a team event uh like our yearly gathering, I challenge our events team to show me how they're going to ensure each team member feels our company values during that event. We will go through each value and discuss how we will make that value come to life. For our organization, one of our values is fun and celebration. So we take the time to really ensure that we have space dedicated to that value. This could be a team building event that is light and fun after a heavier work session.

ADAM SALGAT:

So something like a basketball free throw contest, maybe?

MISTY JANKS:

It sounds like you might have been to one of these gatherings before.

ADAM SALGAT:

I might have been. Yeah. I didn't win. Shout out to Josh. Well, let's move on to our second action item. Provide feedback that shapes behavior. Why is feedback so central to culture?

MISTY JANKS:

Because even though culture can sound big and daunting, it is built in the day-to-day. Feedback is how we reinforce what's working and redirect what is not. Recognizing when someone lives the values and then redirecting when they're not. People can't improve what they're not aware of. Clear, consistent feedback accelerates culture change. It's how you build alignment and trust. Remember, feedback is not just about correction, it's about coaching.

ADAM SALGAT:

So I love that you mentioned in that last statement, it's not about correction, it's about coaching. Because in our last audio cast, episode seven, how to build a coaching culture through everyday conversations, Chief Program Officer Katie Trotter covers that in greater detail. So I'll put a link in the description of this episode if the listeners want to go deeper into that aspect. So can we play this out in an example? So, like let's say one of the values of an organization is collaboration. But as a leader, you have seen a lot of siloing of information and it continues to occur. What might you recommend?

MISTY JANKS:

So in this case, when collaboration is the defined value that we're working towards, but it does not seem to be lived out as often as we want it to be, I would really start scanning the environment, opening my eyes to even find the smallest sign of teamwork to celebrate. For example, what is something that you've worked on with your leader Natalie lately that might seem insignificant?

ADAM SALGAT:

I guess something that's on maybe the smaller side of impact or just something that was pretty simple. Last week, I had her review some YouTube thumbnails that I was producing.

MISTY JANKS:

Great. So right there, even though that might not have the depth or impact as a large-scale project, in a team meeting, I might say something like, I want to recognize Natalie and Adam for working together to update our YouTube page. The new thumbnails really bring a cohesive look to everything and elevate the professionalism of our brand.

ADAM SALGAT:

And I would say thank you very much. I appreciate that very much.

MISTY JANKS:

You're welcome. But people repeat what is appreciated. Culture change is not just about fixing what is broken, it is about fueling what is strong and highlighting it.

ADAM SALGAT:

Can you tell me a little anything more about that theory? Like where does that come from?

MISTY JANKS:

Yeah. So this is directly from behavioral psychology or behavioralism. It's a theory that studies how environmental factors and interactions shape behavior, focusing on observable behaviors and actions rather than internal mental states. It states that all behaviors are learned through conditioning, such as associations with rewards and punishments, and can be modified through various techniques. That is why appreciation practices like recognition and celebration are built into our culture model. Remember to celebrate progress, not just perfection. Tell stories, shine the light on who embodies the culture or the value, even if they're just taking that first step.

ADAM SALGAT:

That's a powerful reminder. Especially in times of change, I think people really need to know that their efforts matter. I want to remind our listeners that you can use one of the skills from our community listens, the FBI feelings behavior impact method, to deliver recognition messages as well, not just confrontation messages. If you would like a refresher on how to build those, check out episode 103 from season one of our audio cast. It's titled Dissecting Top Secret FBI Statements. And you guessed it, I'll put the link in the description. So, Misty, if someone is listening and thinking, you know, I'm not in charge and I can't change our culture, what might you say to that?

MISTY JANKS:

You don't need a title to lead culture change. You just need to show up with intention. Didn't you and Katie mention something about this in the latest audio cast?

ADAM SALGAT:

Yeah, we did, and we had a couple phrases that I'll bring back up. The one I mentioned was be the change you want to see in the world. And she recalled the phrase, focus on your corner of the world.

MISTY JANKS:

Exactly. And I would like to add a quote from our founder, Bob Chapman. The way we lead impacts the way people live. So even if we're not a leader by title, every small action contributes to the bigger shift.

ADAM SALGAT:

Let's recap the three action items that you shared with us to help lead culture change.

MISTY JANKS:

So the first one is to define and operationalize your values. Number two is to provide feedback that shapes the behavior. And then number three is to recognize and celebrate what is working.

ADAM SALGAT:

All right, Misty, as we wrap up, what is the one level up opportunity that you would like to offer to our listeners?

MISTY JANKS:

Think about one interaction you will have this week. Maybe it's a teammate, a friend, or a direct report. Ask yourself, how can I reinforce the culture I want to see through feedback, recognition, or modeling of value? That one moment could be the start of something very powerful.

ADAM SALGAT:

If you are ready to take change from concept to action, reach out to us about becoming a caring workplace or look into our foundational class, Our Community Transforms. Misty, I want to give you the opportunity to expand on either one of those topics or maybe both. If you can tell us more about each of those.

MISTY JANKS:

So our caring workplace program is really how we help organizations design a strategy for their culture. All too often, as I'm out across the country talking to organizations, when you ask them, what is your strategy for your culture? They've never considered it. So we have a method that can help you identify and work through we have the six foundational pillars for human-centered leadership. And we help you design strategies to make those pillars come to life inside of your organization. So we take the guesswork out of it and then we help measure your success against those pillars. When we talk about our community transforms, that is where we learn about what are the behaviors of those six pillars and how do we integrate those into our practices, our policies, and really have them come to life. So with those two programs, uh, we take the guesswork out of how to build culture.

ADAM SALGAT:

I love that there's so much that we can add to a foundation. And I want to use the word add a little bit because I've heard you talk before that this is not necessarily us coming in and completely changing or re-hauling your culture and telling you what you need to do. It's a collaborative additional process. Can you talk a little bit to that aspect?

MISTY JANKS:

Yes. So with our six pillars, we are making it explicit what you're doing and linking it to strategy and outcomes. So just like I said before, we want to make our behaviors explicit. That's what we're doing for your organization. So you are pro, I would guarantee you are already doing work in these six pillars, and we just make that more intentional and in alignment to build culture.

ADAM SALGAT:

I love that. That's awesome. If you'd like more information about carrying workplace or our community transforms, we have a lot on our website, and I will put a link in the description to fill out a form to reach out to us directly.

MISTY JANKS:

And if you want to keep this momentum going, go ahead and share this episode with a friend or a colleague.

ADAM SALGAT:

Misty, thank you so much for being on the episode today. I'm always thankful to have you here.

MISTY JANKS:

It's always such a pleasure to be here.

ADAM SALGAT:

Until next time, we're inviting you to walk your path with intention because you are the message. Take care, my friends.