In this episode of our Strategy & Leadership Podcast, we spoke with Wesley Middleton, managing partner of MRZ, a certified public accounting firm in Houston, Texas. MRZ is a top 300 firm in the USA, and a top 25 firm in Houston. As a managing partner, Wesley has helped form an organization that is focused on growth and committed to culture – he even wrote a book about it: Violent Leadership: Be a Force for Change: Disrupt, Innovate.
In addition to leading strategy at MRZ, Wesley speaks at conferences across the USA, about culture, strategy, and how to grow and build successful organizations. Throughout our conversation with Wesley, he talked with us about:
- The importance of developing an organization that revolves around culture, and why it is smart to hire those who fit within or add to your work place culture. (He dives into what he calls the “Five Ps” of culture: the place, the people, the purpose, the passion, and the practices)
- How leaders can live and share the desired culture with employees, leading to an aligned team that feels supported.
- How to define what your culture is, if it is the culture you want, and how to develop or change it in an intentional way. (He shares different activities that can help you assess and develop your organizational culture, with actionable steps that support your culture goals)
- How to overcome risk aversion and to take reasonable and calculated risks that benefit your organization.
- How supporting failure (but not repeated failure) can lead to success, as success and new ideas come from taking risks and trying new ideas. Not all new ideas work, but some will be great.
