Heart and Soul

Four smiling Interstates team members.

Scott Peterson | January 26, 2022

The last 18 months have been anything but ordinary. Now, as the economy begins to improve, our schedules are naturally getting busier. It can be hard to decide where to spend our time or where to put our focus. Our efforts should be about finishing strong with this current chapter and entering the next chapter by leading well. This means focusing on our people and our culture – both of which have a unique meaning at Interstates.

PEOPLE. One way to describe this is as a team. Here, it’s about the Interstates Family. Our people are the heart and soul of Interstates. Those same people are also the key to our success in serving you, our clients, well. They help us identify which elements of our culture are the most powerful, and they tell us what keeps them motivated and engaged.

CULTURE. This is a shared way of doing something with passion. It can be shared attitudes, goals, or outlooks. At Interstates, it’s about our values, vision, and why statements. In March 2020, we had no idea how important the culture of Interstates would be. Like many other organizations, we leaned on it to survive during COVID and found areas where we were falling short and areas where we could be successful.

Here are some of the cultural elements that stand out to the Interstates Family:

  • Zero-injury safety culture
  • Individual development
  • Opportunities for our team members
  • Environment of psychological safety
  • Purposefully connecting with each other

The saying “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone” could probably describe 2020-2021 for most of us. Let’s look for and take advantage of opportunities to connect. We want to keep people engaged and excited about their role on the team because everyone is important.

Whether it’s a big event or a brief hallway conversation, let’s focus on our relationships and culture. It matters more than we might think.