Your culture is the pulse of everything your organization does. It represents the way employees work to produce a product or service.

“Culture eats strategy every time—for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—and culture is the pulse of what the organization is doing,” says Dr. Troy Hall, chief strategy officer for $1.8 billion asset South Carolina Federal Credit Union in North Charleston. “Culture is the lifeblood of the organization. The people are the lifeblood.”

But culture is more than just the rituals, stories, customs, and traditions, Hall says. While those are parts of a culture, a “cohesion culture” is one where you create an environment of belonging where individuals feel valued because they have purpose, and where your organization remains committed to employees.

Organizations that have this type of culture in place will have employees who work together cohesively and, as a result, perform better.

“The framework around the cohesion culture is what’s important,” says Hall, author of “Cohesion Culture: Proven Principles to Retain Your Top Talent.” “Create a sense of belonging, create value, and create commitment where you are first focused on the individual and then on the organization.”

In his CUNA News Podcast interview, Hall also discusses the characteristics a CEO needs to successfully implement a cohesion culture, how to retain employees, and more.

Listen and subscribe to the CUNA News Podcast in Apple’s iTunes Store, Spotify, Google Play, and Stitcher Radio.

In this episode:

4:06: What is a cohesion culture?

7:54: The four transformative principles that reflect how we interact with each other.

13:47: Why people leave an organization and how to retain employees.

15:07: Characteristics of today's workforce.

18:50: Why a CEO needs to be teachable.

21:10: The importance of greetings, laughter, and handshakes.