How Great Leaders Build a Winning Culture — Lessons from the Love Your Career Podcast
Culture isn’t a poster on the wall or a few words in a handbook. It’s the lived experience of working in your business. It’s how people treat each other, how decisions are made, how leaders behave when no one’s watching.
On the Love Your Career podcast, Lawrence Everest has spoken with dozens of leaders across fitness, childcare, and business. A recurring theme? The strongest organisations have leaders who are intentional about culture. In this blog, we dive into how those leaders create, protect, and evolve culture — with real examples from their journeys.
1. Culture Starts at the Top
Leadership drives culture — not the other way around. Teams watch what leaders do, not just what they say. That’s why authentic leadership is essential for building a strong, sustainable culture.
Guests repeatedly emphasised that great culture isn’t a quick fix or a campaign. It’s a consistent, values-led example set at the top — and reinforced every day.
“Culture always comes from the top. If the leadership team isn’t aligned and walking the talk, it just won’t stick.”
— Elaine Coulthard, Consultant
“You can’t fake it. If you don’t genuinely care about people, the culture will show it.
— Ty Menzies, Lift Brands
“Leadership casts a shadow. Whatever you’re putting out there — people will pick it up.”
— Jo Matthews, Ten Health and Fitness
2. Hire and Promote Based on Values
You can teach skills, but you can’t teach someone to care. That’s why many leaders on the podcast emphasised the importance of hiring and promoting based on cultural fit — not just experience or technical ability.
When your values are part of the interview process, onboarding, and promotions, you start to shape a team that truly lives your culture.
“We’ve made hiring decisions where someone didn’t have all the experience, but their values aligned perfectly — and they became stars.”
— Sarah Watts, Alliance Leisure
“You have to protect your culture at every level — especially when promoting from within.”
— Guy Griffiths, GGFit
“Promoting the wrong person just because they hit their targets can undo years of good culture work.”
— James Luscombe, Study Active
3. Empower, Don’t Micromanage
Strong culture is built on trust — and trust is built by giving people autonomy. Leaders on the podcast consistently shared that micromanagement suffocates innovation and morale.
Instead, empowering people to take ownership, make decisions, and learn from mistakes creates a culture of accountability and growth.
“If you’ve hired great people, let them do what they do best. Culture dies under micromanagement.”
— Rebecca Passmore, PureGym
“Autonomy is the fuel of culture. You have to let people own their space.”
— Daniel Jones, Orbit 4
“Our culture clicked when we stopped controlling and started trusting.”
— Caroline Constantine, Right Directions
4. Call Out Culture Heroes
What gets celebrated gets repeated. Many guests described the importance of spotlighting employees who model company values — not just those who hit KPIs.
By recognising people for cultural behaviours — teamwork, empathy, innovation — you reinforce what matters most and inspire others to follow suit.
“We make a point of publicly celebrating people who live our values. It shows that culture isn’t just lip service.”
— Andy King, Consultant
“Our best moments come from recognising people for being brilliant teammates — not just brilliant performers.”
Neil Randall, Urban Gym Group
“Culture heroes build momentum. They show everyone what good looks like.”
Lucy Findlay-Beale, Elevate
5. Don’t Let Culture Drift — Protect It
Culture needs active protection. Left alone, it can drift — especially during growth, leadership changes, or market pressure. Leaders must guard the values and rituals that make their company unique.
Guests spoke of moments where culture slipped, and how hard they had to work to reset it. Their advice: protect what makes your company special. Don’t let it fade.
“We scaled quickly and lost touch with our original vibe. It took a deliberate reset to bring the culture back.”
— Tom Trout, Love Childcare Recruitment
“Your culture will drift if you don’t revisit it regularly. Make it a standing agenda item, not a once-a-year thing.”
— Steve Orton, Leisure Media
“Protect the things that seem small. They’re often the heart of your culture.”
— Jack Shakespeare, 4Global
6. Culture Is Everyone’s Job
While culture starts at the top, it doesn’t stop there. A thriving culture is co-created — it requires buy-in from every corner of the business.
From receptionists to regional managers, every team member plays a role in shaping how it feels to work there. That’s why inclusive communication, feedback loops, and shared ownership are key.
“We don’t delegate culture to HR — it belongs to all of us.”
— Sophie Lawler, Total Fitness
“Our culture isn’t a policy. It’s the people. Everyone has to protect it.”
— Catherine Ferma, Gym Group
“I believe culture is created one conversation at a time. Everyone contributes.”
— Natalie McGuire, Space and Place
Final Thoughts
Culture isn’t a static thing — it evolves with your people, your leadership, and your business goals. But one thing is constant: great culture is intentional.
From hiring and leadership to recognition and autonomy, every choice you make shapes the kind of workplace you create. And as these guests have shown, the best cultures aren’t the loudest — they’re the most lived.
🎧 Want more insights from these leaders?
Listen to the Love Your Career podcast on your favourite podcast platform or visit loverecruitmentgroup.com.
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