At the end of the day, work is still about the bottom line, producing, networking, and climbing the ladder (sound familiar?). Despite the behind closed door conversations and hard work we put in, I deeply believe that we need each other. No one got to where they are today alone. Community in the workplace is imperative to succeeding in the office and is why building relationships are so important to your career.

To Tell Me When I Have Pizza on My Face

I’m not going to know if I have pizza on my face, unless you tell me. A trusting community of people who care about each other, and who gives each other permission to point out blind spots, helps us to narrow the gap between our strengths and weaknesses. To not get stagnant or complacent, it is important to hold the bar high on being “for” one another with the goal being for everyone to up their game. As I always say, iron sharpens iron. Use your community to improve yourself, ask for honest feedback, and trust that the feedback is being given from a place of respect.

To be Re-Inspired By

We all have our creative genius. Some of the best ideas come out of impromptu brainstorming sessions. While you are analyzing numbers for your job, or struggles with customers, ask your community for help. Having a new set of eyes to look at your situation could offer a very simple solution that you weren’t able to see. (And we all like to have influence and be a value-add in someone else’s life.)

To Celebrate With

When things are going well, having community around builds you up. It gives you a group to celebrate the wins with. Remember the last time you all went out after work to the bar down the street for happy hour because your sales team surpassed your goals? Signing big contracts and picking up new clients doesn’t feel as good when you’re alone. Be careful to not pass up the opportunity to celebrate your colleagues successes, so when it’s your turn the entire team will be cheering alongside you.

To Get Messy With

Relationships are messy, which can only mean building a community at work will get messy. There are times that you are going to be angry with your community or want to quit because of something someone said or did. Community requires trust and openness. Everyone in the group needs to be selfless, making decisions that benefit the group. This is a lot to ask of individuals and as with every relationship you will need to extend grace. Accept that the messy times are there for the opportunity to build the relationship deeper.

Community is vital. If you don’t have it, find it. Create it. In order to be a highly successful leader in your industry you need to build community. You need to connect with your colleagues, employees, and co workers on deeper levels than just “I’m Fine.” Don’t quit when things get messy, and don’t settle on only celebrating the good times together. Encourage your community to get outside of their comfort zone together, to help build each other up, and support each other in both your personal and professional lives.

Sam Watson is Co-Founder, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cool Springs Life, LLC and Cool Springs Financial Group, LLC. Based in Franklin, Tennessee, the company is engaged in providing life insurance to wealthy Americans and foreign nationals through proprietary premium finance platforms.

He is an established veteran in the life insurance industry and is the architect of over a half-dozen premium finance platforms that have financed in excess of $7 billion of life insurance face amounts for affluent clients all over the world.

Sam created the BeOne Foundation, after his daughter, Lara, returned from a service trip abroad and informed him that she wanted to spend the rest of her life rescuing, feeding, clothing and educating impoverished children. The platform’s design provides wealthy individuals with a vehicle to fund annual donations to BeOne and other favorite charities without the donor ever writing a check.

We are honored to get to know Sam more in our most recent Culture Chat, highlighting what motivates him, his biggest obstacles with creating a healthy culture and his thoughts on the most important leadership qualities.

How did you meet Jeanne?

I met Jeanne a few months ago at the Inheriting Wisdom Conference in Chicago. Jeanne took half of the group to Lou Malnati’s Kitchen where her husband, Marc confirmed what I have always known, I can’t cook! :) I also learned a bit about The Culture Group, and how it can help executives communicate better with colleagues and employees as well as how to create a culture within a new or existing business. I was instantly impressed with Jeanne.

Name a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader. Why and how did this person impact your life?

The most influential person in my life was my father Bryant Watson. From the time I was a child my father taught me that I have the choice to either be a positive influence to others or a negative one. He was clear that positive people are happier than negative ones, who doesn’t want to be happy?

What motivates you?

Being the best I can be. I am very fortunate and I have already lived an extraordinary life, especially given that I was told by many that my decision not to go to college would keep me a middle income person at best. Well, they were wrong. Since I was young I was told we are to do our work for God and not for men. That makes me strive harder in business and in all that I do.

What’s the biggest obstacle when creating a healthy work culture?

Personalities and Politics. Sometimes regardless of what you do it seems some people just cannot respect each other and when that happens someone has to go. I usually choose to keep the positive and hardest working person. We have a saying at our company “Be Good or Be Gone”! It’s not hard to be good at your job, it simply takes dedication. I’ll bet if I spent more time with Marc I would learn how to make a MEAN PIZZA! Or not. :)

What’s one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess?

Heart. Things aren’t always roses and when times get tough the tough get going. Every GREAT LEADER knows that they MUST LEAD BY EXAMPLE.

What does honest communication look like to you?

The truth, good or bad. I was an expert witness last week and spent a day giving a deposition. When it was over the opposing counsel said I was the most truthful witness he had ever encountered. I was flattered of course. Our team at Cool Springs Life know that the one thing I will not tolerate is being given inaccurate information. If someone doesn’t feel that something is handled properly they know I expect them to speak up, otherwise, how else can we solve problems.

What is it about your company culture that excites you?

Our team loves each other and our clients are like our extended family. If you don’t naturally have a deep rooted love for people when you join our firm, you will obtain it or be gone. We solve major financial issues for wealthy Americans and that is exciting, but when a client dies their heirs are the most important priority in our business. Our firm rally’s around the family to let them know their loved one had planned ahead for this day with them in mind.

What do you want to be remembered for?

Be a follower of Christ, He provided the perfect example of love. I can only hope that when I die people will say “that man loved Jesus”.

Thank you Sam for the honest answers and great tips.

If you would like to connect with Sam you can contact him through Cool Springs, LLC  or his charity BeOne Foundation