The Culture Works

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author, Thinkers 50 Executive Coach, Standing Ovation Keynote Speaker

The Culture Works

The Culture Works helps create great places to work—where people are engaged, enabled and energized. Built upon extensive research into the most profitable and sustainable cultures, The Culture Works has developed a process, services, and products used with organizations worldwide to enhance employee commitment and drive real business results.

- See more at: http://www.thecultureworks.com

Partner and Founder of "The Culture Works"

As a Culture and Leadership Guru, and an Apostle of Appreciation, I preach about the power of celebrating what people are doing right at work, not just correcting what is going wrong. Creating the right culture where people believe that what they do matters and that they make a difference everyday. And when they make a difference, it is noticed and celebrated!

Culture and Leadership Expert

Thinkers50

It's an honor to be included among the top 50 executive coaches in the world by Thinkers50, and supported by Coaching.com

Coaches50 

100 Coaches

I was invited by Marshall to participate in his 100 Coaches Program (#MG100). The aim of 100 Coaches is to inspire successful people and leaders to “pay it forward” by helping others achieve positive, lasting change and behavior; for themselves, their people, and their teams.

100 Coaches brings together diverse individuals who are leaders in their field to provide coaching and support to other successful leaders based on the unique needs of their industry and position.

Dr. Goldsmith is recognized as the #1 Leadership Thinker in the World (by Thinkers50), #1 Executive Coach & #2 Leadership Thinker (by Global Gurus), as well as one of the top ten Most-Influential Business Thinkers in the world. The #MG100 project became the most watched video in LinkedIn’s history when it was announced on the platform.

Executive Coach

One Kind Act a Day

Advisory Board Member

Build then Bless

Build Then Bless Ambassadors are an elite group of seasoned business experts who know how to create and build winning cultures. Ambassadors not only raise awareness about building and blessing others, but they know how to inspire others to do the same. 

Build Then Bless® helps companies and organizations implement a first-of-its-kind culture operating system that creates happier people, increases employee retention, provides higher client satisfaction, and gives the entire organization a greater sense of purpose.

Build Then Bless Ambassador

Cornell University

In my role as guest lecturer at Cornell, my goal is to describe, inspire, enable and lay out a blue print on how employees can fulfill their personal ambitions, create a culture of belonging as well as a Best Place to Work.

Guest Lecturer

O.C. Tanner

Apostle of Appreciation

Blair Television

I ran the unwired networks for Blair TV clients.

VP Marketing

Chester Elton, Bestselling Author, Executive Coach, Keynote Speaker

Chester Elton
Author | Executive Coach | Keynote Speaker | Building Great Workplace Cultures

Chester Elton is a #1 New York Times Bestselling Business Author, Organizational Culture, Employee Engagement, and Leadership Expert.

One of today’s most influential voices in workplace trends, Elton has spent two decades helping clients engage their employees to execute on strategy, vision, and values. In his provocative, inspiring, and always entertaining talks, Elton provides real solutions to leaders looking to build culture, drive innovation, and enhance wellness. Elton’s work is supported by research with more than one million working adults, revealing the proven secrets behind high-performance cultures and teams. 
 
He has been called the “Apostle of Appreciation” by Canada’s Globe and Mail, “creative and refreshing‚” by the New York Times, and a “must-read for modern managers” by CNN. Elton co-authored multiple award-winning bestselling leadership books, including All In, The Carrot Principle, Leading with Gratitude, and Anxiety at Work. His books have been translated into more than 30 languages and have sold more than 1.6 million copies worldwide. The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Fast Company, and the New York Times often quote Elton. He has appeared on NBC’s Today, CNN, ABC, MSNBC, NPR, and CBS’s 60 Minutes. 
 
Elton consistently ranked among the world’s top leadership and organizational culture experts. He co-founded The Culture Works, a global consultancy, and is a board member of Camp Corral, a non-profit for the children of wounded and fallen military heroes. 

Why Chester Elton as your Executive Coach?
Chester is a Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Leadership (SCL) Certified Executive Coach. He uses a proven methodology of one-on-one sessions, report-outs and frequent assessment to enhance an individual’s leadership skills and effectiveness. Improvement is gauged through surveys and 360s with pre-selected colleagues, team members, and other stakeholders.

Chester provides real solutions to help leaders develop robust cultures, increase their employee engagement, and lead high-performance teams. He is a distinguished Thinkers50 Coaching Award winner and serves as a leadership consultant and executive coach to high-performing executives. A few clients are American Express, The World Bank, Zoox, momofuku, McKee, Kitsap Credit Union

What happens when gratitude moves from feeling to action?




Every now and then, a moment reminds you what community really means.
This moment did that for me.

What started as a small call for help in our New Jersey town turned into 1,000 bags of food, hundreds of people stepping up, and more acts of generosity than you could count. 

If you’ve ever wondered whether small efforts still matter, this one’s for you.

Chester Elton

Executive Coach | Keynote Speaker | Culture as a Competitive Advantage. I teach leaders how to build high-performing teams in a rapidly changing world

You know that voice inside that wants to win at everything? I had it too—until I met someone who rewired my thinking.

Earlier in my career, I was competitive about everything. I didn’t just want to be number one, I felt like I had to be number one in every category. I

When I Learned Winning Wasn't the Goal

Melanie Krepp

This time of year reminds us that the most meaningful gifts never come wrapped. A kind word, a thoughtful gesture, a moment of patience can change the course of someone’s day. As you move through the season, look for small chances to lift others up. Those simple choices create the real holiday spirit.

Grateful for the chance to be with the incredible leaders at Harvard University at a recent event.

When we put people first, results follow, trust deepens, and gratitude becomes the way we work, not just a feeling we talk about. Thank you to everyone who showed up with open hearts and open minds.

A thankful heart turns moments into memories. It reminds us to slow down, pay attention, and cherish the people who make life meaningful. 

Wishing you a week filled with small joys, warm connections, and a little extra gratitude.

"We're not gonna manage people here. We're gonna coach people." - Garry Ridge, Former WD-40 Company CEO

This shift helped him grow WD-40 from $250M to $3.5B with 98% retention.
The coaching approach:
- Know the game, don't play it for them
- Observe from the sideline
- Let your team take the podium
- Spend time in the "stinky locker room" where real development happens

Management controls. Coaching develops.

Which approach are you taking?

Link to the episode is in the comments👇

#Leadership #ExecutiveCoaching #WD40

Today is a good day to pause, look around, and appreciate the people who make our lives meaningful. I’m feeling especially grateful for the leaders, teams, friends, and family who choose kindness.

Thanksgiving reminds us that gratitude is more than something we feel. It’s something we share. A simple thank you, a small act of generosity, a moment of presence can brighten someone’s entire day.

To everyone who has supported my work, joined a workshop, listened to a podcast, or passed along a little kindness in your own world, thank you. You inspire me more than you know.

Wishing you and your loved ones a holiday filled with connection, joy, and a few extra carrots.

Happy Thanksgiving. 🥕

The hard truth is that most people do not leave companies. They leave managers.

Garry Ridge’s solution was simple but powerful: shift from performance evaluation to performance enablement.

Not everyone embraced the culture change. His response? "If they weren't happy in the environment, they deserved to be happy somewhere else."

The takeaway: Your role as a leader is to set people up for success, not catch them failing.

Are you grading or enabling?

Listen now: Link: https://lnkd.in/ebdkGfY3

#Leadership #Management #EmployeeEngagement #WD40

In a world that never slows down, the way we lead has never mattered more.
 
Adrian Gostick and I sit down with guests who remind us that culture is built through small acts of kindness, consistent behaviors, and the courage to use your voice with purpose.

Subscribe to The Culture Works Podcast and join us in building workplaces that work better for everyone.

https://lnkd.in/eMe3tpZE

In leadership and in life, clarity often hides behind motion. Step back, take a breath, and give yourself the space to notice what truly matters before you move forward again.

The truth: Culture = Values + Behavior x Consistency

We've all heard this conversation: "Our culture's in trouble. Sales are down, morale is low. Can you help us fix it? Oh, you have 45 minutes."

Real culture change requires sustained effort over years, not quick fixes over lunch.

Garry Ridge grew WD-40 Company to $3.5B by understanding this fundamental truth.

Are you cooking with a microwave or a crockpot?

Listen now: https://lnkd.in/ebdkGfY3

#Leadership #CultureTransformation #ExecutiveLeadership #WD40

"WD-40 was born from learning moments." - Garry Ridge, Former CEO

39 formulas failed before they found the one that worked.

This mindset shift from "failure" to "learning moments" created the psychological safety needed for true innovation.

The result? A product that's been solving problems globally for 70+ years.
Innovation requires permission to fail forward.

How is your organization handling setbacks?

Link in comments 👇

#Innovation #PsychologicalSafety #Leadership #WD40
Adrian Gostick

"Most people leave organizations because they hate their boss. We had nearly 98% of people say they respected the person they reported to."

That's just one incredible insight from our latest Culture Works Podcast episode with Garry Ridge, former CEO of WD-40 Company.

Under Garry's leadership, WD-40 grew from $250M to $3.5B market cap while achieving: 
→ 98% employee retention 
→ 97.7% manager respect rating
→ Global culture that thrived through uncertainty

His secret? Transforming from a management mindset to a coaching culture built on:
- "Learning moments" instead of failures
- Servant leadership principles
- Tribal belonging and psychological safety
- Values that actually guide tough decisions

Garry's story about turning down $4M to avoid putting cancer warnings on their products perfectly illustrates values-based leadership in action.

This conversation will inspire any leader working to build cultures where people actually want to stay.

🎧 Listen now: https://lnkd.in/ebdkGfY3

What's your biggest culture challenge right now?
#CultureWorks #Leadership #ServantLeadership #EmployeeEngagement #WD40

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Chester Elton's Linkedin Analytics

Chester Elton

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Chester Elton

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