Company Culture Transformation: Proven Success Strategies for a Thriving Workplace with Delise Simmons
Episode 6
Is your workplace culture stuck in “feel-good” mode but not driving real results?
You’re not alone and there’s a better way. In episode 6 of The People Success Circle, we dive into Company Culture Transformation with Delise Simmons, who helped shape the iconic cultures at Southwest and JetBlue. Delise shares how true culture change goes beyond happiness and into performance—by aligning behaviors with what actually moves the business forward. If you're an HR or business leader ready to create a workplace where people feel valued, motivated, and connected, this episode is packed with insights. Listen in or read on for practical takeaways.
In this episode, I sit down with culture strategist Delise Simmons to unpack what it really takes to lead a successful company culture transformation. You’ll hear:
How Delise helped shape iconic cultures at Southwest and JetBlue—and what made them work
Why culture isn’t about employee happiness, but about aligning values, behaviors, and performance
The key difference between a culture committee and a “confetti committee”
How HR can move from compliance to strategic leadership at the executive table
What behaviors drive a thriving workplace and how to identify the ones holding you back
The impact of anxiety and loneliness on performance—and what leaders can do to address them
A powerful framework for embedding culture into hiring, onboarding, recognition, and beyond
🎧 Tune in or keep reading for practical, people-first strategies to help your organization thrive.
🔗 Helpful Links
🌐 Mindy’s website for business consulting: https://www.limerockcareerco.com
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Episode 6: Watch or Listen
Key Takeaways from My Conversation with Delise Simmons
Culture Is a Performance Phenomenon
One of the biggest mindset shifts Delise shared is that culture isn’t about making people happy—it’s about performance. As leaders, we need to align our values and behaviors with the outcomes we want. A strong workplace culture strategy supports productivity, accountability, and employee growth. When culture and performance are in sync, everyone wins.
Define and Embed the Right Behaviors
If you want to improve company culture, start by identifying the behaviors that actually drive success in your organization. From hiring to performance reviews, those behaviors need to be integrated into every people process. This is where HR leadership strategies truly come to life—by making culture practical, not just aspirational.
Culture Is Everyone’s Job—But Leaders Set the Tone
We all contribute to culture, but leadership has the power (and responsibility) to shape it intentionally. That starts with clear values, visible behaviors, and reinforcing what’s working. If you're wondering how to improve company culture, look at what your leaders are modeling—and whether it reflects what you truly stand for.
The Difference Between Culture Committees and Confetti Committees
Delise offered a powerful reminder: celebrating birthdays is not the same as building culture. A culture committee should focus on values and performance behaviors—not parties. If we want to strengthen employee engagement and retention, we need to move beyond perks and start reinforcing what actually matters to the business.
Wellbeing, Anxiety, and the Power of Listening
We talked about the rising levels of anxiety in today’s workforce—and how it directly impacts employee wellbeing and performance. If your managers don’t know how to respond when someone says “I’m overwhelmed,” it’s time to invest in training and tools. Leaders must create space for honest conversations and act on what they hear.
Culture Can Start Small and Scale
Whether you lead a company or just a department, you can be the spark. Even a small team can become a high-performing “oasis” that models what’s possible. Great culture is contagious—and often, it spreads from the inside out through small wins and innovative HR solutions.
🎧 Want the full story, examples, and action steps?
Listen to the full episode of The People Success Circle for more insights on building a thriving culture that drives results.
Read the full transcript
Mindy:
Welcome to The People Success Circle, your go-to source for actionable insights and strategies to create thriving workplaces and rewarding careers. I'm Mindy East, an HR leader with over 28 years of experience helping businesses and individuals unlock their full potential. Whether you're a business leader looking to build a stronger team or a professional ready to thrive, you're in the right place. Get ready to uncover proven strategies for success—both personal and organizational. Let's dive in.
What makes a company culture thrive, and what makes it fall apart? Today, we're joined by culture expert Delise Simmons. She’s here to help us uncover the keys to building a workplace where people feel valued, motivated, and connected. Whether you're a leader or a team member, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.
Delise, welcome to The People Success Circle podcast. I'm so glad to have you as a guest.
Delise:
Thank you, Mindy. I am honored and excited to be here with you.
Mindy:
I’d love to have you tell our listeners about your background and how you became an expert in the culture side of business.
Delise:
Well, it's kind of a funny story. I graduated from the University of Texas, and the first job I took was working for the City of San Antonio. My boss was going to be gone for the first two weeks, so she sat down with me for an hour and gave me a list of tasks to complete during that time.
I finished them in two days—anyone could have. So I went to her boss and said, “I’ve finished everything. What would you have me do?” And he looked at me, crossed his arms, and said, “You need to learn how to work slowly and look busy.” That was my first experience with corporate culture. I didn’t know what to call it then, but I knew how you work and what’s expected of you really matters.
I knew I wanted a faster-paced environment, so I went to work for Southwest Airlines. They didn’t want me to work slowly or look busy—they wanted me to be productive. I spent about 10 years in their people department, helped create the Leadership University, and eventually helped launch JetBlue, which became the biggest startup in U.S. aviation history at that time.
Mindy:
That had to be an amazing experience. Tell us more about the Culture Think Tank and your work there.
Delise:
After years of work at Southwest and JetBlue, I always found it frustrating that I couldn’t prove our culture efforts were effective—outside of anecdotes. So, in 2017, when technology caught up, we created the Culture Think Tank.
We now use a five-question assessment that gives organizations a culture score, a well-being score, and an anxiety score. Together, these help leaders understand what they need to do to improve culture, enhance employee well-being, and reduce anxiety in the workplace.
Mindy:
That’s so needed. Let’s talk more about your time at Southwest. Looking back, what were the biggest lessons that shaped your approach to leadership?
Delise:
I worked under amazing leaders like Herb Kelleher, who always said, “Take your job seriously, but don’t take yourself seriously.” He reminded us we weren’t in the aviation business—we were in the people business.
Anne Rhoades, my mentor and the VP of the People Department, also made a huge impact. When she joined Southwest in the '80s, she insisted HR sit at the senior leadership table. That changed the game for how people operations were valued, especially for women in leadership.
Mindy:
I love that. HR as a strategic partner, not just compliance. You've spent years shaping corporate culture—what makes a culture strong and sustainable?
Delise:
Culture is a collection of behaviors within a team or organization. You have to identify the right behaviors that drive performance. At Southwest, fun was a core value—so behaviors reflected that. But culture isn’t just about fun or happiness. It’s a performance phenomenon.
Strong organizational performance reinforces culture, and strong culture reinforces performance. They’re interdependent.
Mindy:
That’s such a key point. What about negative behaviors? They shape culture too, right?
Delise:
Absolutely. Culture isn’t always positive—it can be toxic, too. Only 16% of executives think their culture is where it should be, and I haven’t met that 16%. Even within organizations, there are pockets of positive culture—little oases in the desert.
Even if you’re not the CEO, you can build a culture within your team. Positive culture is contagious. People want to work with great teams.
Mindy:
That’s such a great reminder—start where you can. You mentioned earlier that culture isn’t about happiness. Can you expand on that?
Delise:
Yes, I think culture is about performance, not happiness. We should aim for psychological safety, encouragement, challenge, and opportunity for growth. Happiness may be a byproduct—but it’s not the goal. Too many leaders chase happiness instead of what drives results.
Mindy:
And the “confetti committee” vs. “culture committee” distinction—you’ve got to share that one.
Delise:
A confetti committee celebrates birthdays and events. That’s great, but it’s not culture work. A culture committee should identify and integrate the behaviors that drive performance—into hiring, onboarding, training, recognition, and performance management. That’s the real work of culture.
Mindy:
Yes! That’s exactly what The People Success Circle is about—bringing together all the people-side strategies that fuel performance.
What about values? How can they become more than just words on a wall?
Delise:
Most companies have generic values—like integrity. That’s fine, but it’s not a differentiator. Your values should energize employees, attract talent, and guide operations. At Southwest and JetBlue, fun was a differentiator. It shaped customer experience and internal culture.
Mindy:
Leadership plays such a big role in shaping culture. What’s your advice to leaders who want to improve?
Delise:
Culture is everyone’s responsibility, but leadership sets the tone. Leaders should identify which behaviors are working, amplify them, and challenge stale or outdated values. Make culture part of the real work—not just a slide deck or a weekly talking point.
Mindy:
How do you build culture when teams are remote or spread out?
Delise:
Look at JetBlue. Our values were created by the first 50 employees and communicated clearly. While behaviors might vary by department or location, the core values are the same. That’s what unifies teams across geography.
Mindy:
Let’s shift to employee anxiety. You measure that at the Culture Think Tank. What are you seeing?
Delise:
We’ve tracked employee sentiment since 2009. During COVID, anxiety spiked—and it hasn’t gone down much since. Factors like remote work, generational shifts, and social climate all contribute.
We haven’t taught supervisors what to do when someone says, “I’m anxious.” Without tools or training, they don’t know how to respond. But anxiety affects performance, engagement, and retention.
Mindy:
So true. And loneliness?
Delise:
Yes—especially with remote work. Humans are social. Isolation hurts well-being. Companies need to create opportunities for connection, whether daily, weekly, or quarterly.
Mindy:
And yet burnout is still so high. How do we support well-being in a meaningful way?
Delise:
We start by defining well-being and stop chasing happiness. Use pulse checks, ask the right questions, and follow through. If you collect feedback and don’t act on it, it’s worse than not asking at all. Employees want to know that leadership asks, listens, and responds.
Mindy:
That’s so powerful. If a company is realizing it’s time to reset or redefine their culture, where should they start?
Delise:
Gather a cross-section of employees and revisit your values. Are they still relevant? Do they inspire performance? Then identify the key behaviors that support those values—and integrate them into every people operation.
That’s how you build a sustainable culture that drives productivity and performance.
Mindy:
Such a helpful framework. Thank you for being here and sharing your wisdom, Delise. This is exactly what The People Success Circle is about.
Delise:
Thank you, Mindy. It was a joy to talk about something I’m so passionate about.
Mindy:
Great culture doesn’t happen by accident—it’s built with intention. If today’s episode inspired you, subscribe, leave a review, and keep building cultures that thrive. I’ll see you next time.
