Creating a High Performance, People-First Culture
People are the engine of an organization. Without our teammates, nothing can get done and yet too often organizations focus on busine outcomes instead of prioritizing the humans that make it all happen. This is why we need to embrace building a people-first culture. A people-first culture isn’t just a trendy term, it’s a transformative approach that redefines the employee experience while energizing organizational succe .
Michel Falcon, entrepreneur and author of People-First Culture: Build a Lasting Company by Shifting Your Focus From Profits to People, shared his approach to building workplaces where people thrive. Through practical strategies and real-life examples, he demonstrates how prioritizing people can lead to enduring succe .
What Is a People-First Culture?
At its core, a people-first culture values employees, customers, suppliers, and investors equally. It means treating everyone with the same thoughtfulne as your highest paying customer.
Michel’s philosophy is simple: how you treat your people internally reflects on their ability to deliver an incredible customer experience that ultimately drives the organization’s succe . This holistic view—encompa ing employees, suppliers, and stakeholders—creates a ripple effect that benefits the entire organization.
Michel’s strategy revolves around his "3P Framework":
Purpose: Define a clear mi ion that guides decisions and behaviors.
Proce : Develop systems to integrate the mi ion and values into daily practices.
Profit: View profit as a natural outcome of a thriving culture.
Purpose: The Foundation of Succe
Purpose is more than a nice statement; it’s the "why" behind an organization’s existence. At Brasa Peruvian Kitchen, the purpose centers on empowering employees with opportunities to earn, grow, and addre income inequality. In addition to clarifying an organization's purpose, Michel believes that every individual must know their purpose. As managers, we can then help align employees’ personal goals with organizational objectives which ultimately strengthens commitment and engagement.
Managers can start by having open conversations with their team members about their individual purposes and ambitions. Supporting those goals—even if it means preparing someone to eventually leave the organization—creates trust and loyalty.
In fact, Michel suggests we see team members who leave our organizations as ‘graduates’. With this mindset, it’s easy to support the career growth of a colleague and want to support them during their employment as well as stay connected after their departure. When employees have an incredible experience at our organizations, they remain loyal amba adors far after they’ve left.
Proce : Building Systems That Reflect Values And Enable Work
Proce es are the bridge between purpose and outcomes. Michel’s emphasis on thoughtful onboarding is just one example of creating systems that reflect the organization’s values. These systems don’t need to be complex, but they do need to be intentional and aligned with organizational values.
Values become meaningful when they shape day-to-day interactions. Michel’s approach at Brasa Peruvian Kitchen provides a glimpse into how this works in practice. For example, during an interview, candidates are asked, "What is an indulgence you can’t live without that costs under $20?" On their first day of employment, they receive that item alongside a handwritten welcome note that says “Thank you for choosing us. We can’t wait to work with you!”.
This simple gesture achieves three things:
Personalization: Shows employees they are seen and valued as individuals.
Engagement: Creates a memorable start that deepens emotional connection and heightens the brain’s ability to learn, making the training during the first week stickier.
Reinforcement of Culture: Models the kind of thoughtful interactions employees are encouraged to deliver to customers.
By embedding values into proce es, leaders ensure the culture is consistent and tangible, not just aspirational.
Profit: The Rewards of Good Busine
While many organizations prioritize short-term financial gains, Michel views profit as a byproduct of investing in people. High employee retention, strong customer loyalty, and positive free media attention are just a few of the non-monetary "profits" of a people-first approach.
This perspective challenges traditional thinking. Instead of focusing on quarterly earnings, managers are encouraged to take a long-term view, recognizing that investing in people leads to sustainable succe .
Michel explains that a key part of what leads to profits is that performance and cultural fit are equally important. High performers who undermine team morale can have a detrimental impact, making it e ential to addre i ues promptly.
Borrowing from Netflix’s philosophy of "do not tolerate brilliant jerks because the cost of teamwork is too high," Michel stre es that preserving positive team dynamics and trust is non-negotiable. Performance metrics should be paired with evaluations of collaboration and alignment with company values.
Just as we wouldn’t overlook a nice person who was not delivering on their role’s responsibilities, we cannot keep individuals who are highly skilled but do not act in alignment with the company values.
A people-first culture is more than a strategy—it’s a commitment to building workplaces where people feel valued, connected, and inspired. By focusing on purpose, embedding values into proce es, and rethinking profit, managers can create environments where teams and organizations flourish.
Managers have the opportunity to create transformative experiences for their team members. By showing respect, offering guidance, and investing in growth, leaders can foster a culture that brings out the best in everyone. Whether through small shifts or sweeping changes, every step toward a people-first approach brings us closer to workplaces that prioritize humanity and succe in equal measure.
Listen to the full episode to learn more.
Listen to the full episode →Keep up with Michel Falcon
- Follow Michel on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn
- Visit Teams by Michel Falcon for more information here
- Grab a copy of Michel’s book People-First Culture here
FREE Consultation with Michel Falcon
Michel is offering a free consultation to one member of Podcast+. You can use this time to get advice or pick Michel’s brain on how to help you, your team, or your organization, foster a people-first culture.
To get this guest bonus and many other member benefits, become a member of The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community.
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