The Secret Sauce: Transforming Underperforming Culture into a Winning One

By: Ryan DuBois

What’s the secret sauce to outperforming competitors in business? It’s not just product, price, or marketing—it’s people.

I’ve written a lot about company culture because I believe it’s the foundation of every great organization I’ve been a part of. When you treat people as your most valuable resource, everything else follows—performance, retention, innovation, and ultimately, revenue.

How Do You Know If You Have a Culture Problem?

Before fixing a culture, you need to recognize the warning signs:

?? Undefined Core Values – If team members don’t know what your company stands for, decisions become inconsistent, and engagement suffers.

“When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.” – Simon Sinek

?? Lack of Leadership Accountability – When leaders don’t live out the values, trust erodes, and performance declines.

“A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit.” – Art Williams

?? High Employee Turnover – Constant departures signal dissatisfaction and deeper cultural issues.

“People don’t quit companies. They quit bad leaders.” – Dave Ramsey

?? Poor Communication – When teams don’t communicate effectively, collaboration breaks down, and productivity stalls.

“The quality of your life is the quality of your communication.” – Tony Robbins

?? Resistance to Change – A culture that fears innovation or clings to "the way we’ve always done things" is destined to fall behind.

“Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.” – James Cash Penney

A Culture That Wins: Lessons from Chick-fil-A

I recently shared a post about Chick-fil-A’s performance versus its top competitors. The numbers tell an incredible story:

? Chick-fil-A: ~$18.8B in sales with just 2,988 locations

? Top 5 Competitors Combined: ~$17.8B in sales with 10,674 locations

Same industry.

Same talent pool.

Same general price range.

Yet, one company is massively outperforming the rest with a fraction of the locations.

What’s the difference? Culture.

Chick-fil-A has built a company where employees are

• engaged
• developed
• and valued.

Their culture isn’t an accident—it’s intentional.

Fixing a Broken Culture: Where Do You Start?

If your organization struggles with culture, the good news is you can change it. Here’s how:

1?? Define and Communicate Core Values

• Establish clear, actionable values that guide decision-making at every level.
• Ensure leadership embodies these values—people follow what leaders do, not what they say.

“You don’t build a business. You build people, and people build the business.” – Zig Ziglar

2?? Enhance Leadership Accountability

• Leaders set the tone. When they uphold high standards, the entire organization follows.
• Hold leadership accountable for fostering trust, integrity, and engagement.

“The speed of the leader determines the rate of the pack.” – Art Williams

3?? Promote Open Communication

• Encourage transparency and regular feedback loops between employees and leadership.
• Create an environment where team members feel safe to voice concerns and share ideas.

“A culture of innovation starts with a culture of openness.” – Simon Sinek

4?? Recognize and Reward Contributions

• People thrive when they feel valued. Recognizing and celebrating wins reinforces positive behaviors.

“People will work for a paycheck, but they’ll give their heart for recognition.” – Dave Ramsey

5?? Develop and Invest in Your People

• Growth opportunities increase engagement. Provide training, mentorship, and leadership development.

“Leaders are not responsible for the job. Leaders are responsible for the people responsible for the job.” – Simon Sinek

Your People Are Your #1 Customer

I’ve always said:

"I don’t care about our customers."

That sounds extreme, but here’s what I mean—my team is my #1 customer.

When I serve my team, they serve our customers at the highest level. And that’s exactly what Chick-fil-A Restaurants do.

This message resonated with thousands of people. The original post went semi-viral—not because of me, but because this stuff works.

If you want to build a high-performing organization, focus on your people. Build a culture of excellence.

Serve your team, and they’ll serve your customers.

Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!

Committed to You, Committed to Excellence!

Your friend,

Ryan DuBois