We have a dream team. It’s taken so many years to build this amazing group and every single one of them adds something so unique to the mix. But the two things they all share is their sincere kindness and their true desire to help others. There is nothing like this team. If you’re ever around them, you feel it. Want to build a strong culture? Here are 5 non-negotiables: 1. HIRE SLOW. FIRE FAST. Take your time on hiring. You’re not looking for a warm body. You’re looking for someone who fits your culture and who is teachable and wants to be their best. As for “fire fast,” if someone is not working out, you can’t let negativity, lack of work ethic or inability to do the job poison your culture. You need to cut them loose. 2. SET STANDARDS (NOT RULES). And no compromise! I always say that rules are made for those who break them. Rules are what you sink to, but standards are what you rise to. They both mean the same thing but they have very different connotations. If someone is not living up to the standards you’ve set, it means they are not living up to the standards the rest of your team IS living up to. Which means you CANNOT compromise on them. This is one of the biggest mistakes I made as a young manager, letting some people break the rules, while others who followed the rules watched. You’ll lose the respect of the rest of your team if you don’t hold these people accountable. 3. SET EXPECTATIONS. Give your team the knowledge and the tools. And then trust your team to do their job. 4. It doesn’t matter WHO is right. It matters WHAT is right. Every single person on our team has to participate in meetings and share their views and opinions. As a manager, engage by giving them the problem or the goal you want to achieve and then asking them how they would accomplish it. A question opens a mind and starts a conversation. An answer closes it. Telling them what to do without conversing about why they are doing it doesn’t allow them to grow. 5. A GREAT LEADER IS A SERVANT. Every team member has different gifts and strengths and it’s our job to “see” them and to give them the confidence to help them grow!