What if your entire management team leveled up in a single year? At this company, they did. The ripple effect was transformational.
The Challenge: Growth Without Alignment
Westview Co-op (“Westview”) operates a mix of businesses—gas stations, grocery stores, home centers, liquor stores, and agricultural outlets. After several rapid acquisitions, they struggled to integrate new locations under a single, unified culture.
To complicate matters, each business brought its own leadership style. Employees across the company were having vastly different experiences depending on who they worked for.
CEO Mike Isaak recognized the need for a stronger, more consistent leadership culture—one that could streamline operations and create a better employee experience across the board.
You can hear Mike’s story here.
Here’s a quick summary of the approach we used at Westview—and why it got results.
The Process: Creating A Culture of Excellence
The Creating a Culture of Excellence leadership development program begins with each manager receiving anonymous feedback from their direct reports. After reviewing their results, each manager receives a coaching call and a customized development plan. The management team then attends a series of workshops together. At each session, they receive an assignment to practice what they learned and are expected to share their experience at the next session.
Because culture change requires organizational support, I meet regularly with the executive team to align practices with new leadership habits. My team also provides ongoing communication to keep participants engaged and informed.
After a year, direct reports reassess their managers to measure progress and provide input for updated development plans. You can learn more about the leadership development program HERE.
The Impact: Real Growth, Real Results
Nearly every manager improved their leadership scores within a year, with about half achieving significant growth. Most also increased their self-awareness and leadership acumen.
Here are a few standout examples.
- Shelly: Elevating Others Through Clear Feedback. Shelley, a long-time manager with no formal training, focused on giving more specific feedback. That one shift not only boosted her leadership scores but also improve her team’s performance. Today, six of her team members are being developed as future managers, and her store saw a $500,000 increase in year-over-year sales.
- Chris: From Self-Doubt to Confident Leadership. Chris, a senior manager, gained greater confidence to handle tough conversations and challenging situations. He also improved his ability to create a safe environment which empowered his team to take more ownership.
- Vaylene: Performance Conversations Made Easier. Vaylene made two key changes: regular one-on-ones with each team member and structured debriefs after projects. These created a consistent rhythm of communication that made performance management feel natural, not forced.
Why It Worked at Westview
Every management team that’s gone through this program has improved—but Westview stood out. Here’s why:
- The CEO Led by Example. Mike wasn’t just supportive—he was the most committed learner. He took the program seriously, reflected on his own leadership, and held managers accountable when they didn’t align with the new culture.
- Highly Coachable. Coachability requires the confidence to know you can handle new and challenging situations and the humility to know you have room to improve. Many of Westview’s managers showed a strong “growth mindset”—they could hear feedback without getting defensive and were eager to improve.
- Team Commitment. Every participant signed a commitment outlining minimum expectations. This created clarity, accountability, and a sense of shared responsibility across the team.
Building a Leadership Culture that Endures
Leadership transformation doesn’t come from a couple of offsite retreats. It starts with a leader who’s willing to change—and a team that’s ready to grow together.
If you’d like to explore whether this program could work for your organization, reply to this email to set up a meeting.
