Culture often gets dismissed as the “soft side” of business. But what if leaders could prove that connection—between people, performance, and purpose—moves real numbers?
In a frank conversation, two rising leaders did precisely that: Megan Russo, director of sales operations, Southeast, at BradyPLUS, and Sarita Ceron, quality control and compliance manager at CCMS. Both have reputations for building systems that people want to use—and cultures teams are proud to join.
From resumés to results
Russo’s journey began right out of Florida State University, where a recruiter pulled her into the industry as a field sales rep. Nine years on the street taught her customer reality and relationship discipline. She later led a 20-person team across Florida, moved into national partnerships, and now oversees sales operations for BradyPLUS in the Southeast.
Ceron came to facilities services with certifications in environmental engineering and quality management systems. At CCMS, she helped standardize procedures and support ISO 9001 recertification, while contributing to CIMS and other program achievements. Her focus is on integrating compliance, training, and inclusion so front-line teams see how their daily routines ladder up to the mission.
What measurable culture looks like
Asked what “measurable culture” means in practice, Ceron framed it as shared values made visible through daily action. “Culture is built through daily actions, through habits, through shared moments, through communication,” she said. When those practices align with the organization’s mission and vision, you can see the outcomes: engagement, collaboration, and quality.
Russo agreed and pushed it further into operational cadence. Measurable culture, she said, requires “a company actively soliciting feedback, but more importantly, taking action to improve.” In her experience, you can sense culture in the energy before a meeting starts, the tone of conversations, and whether discussions lean toward curiosity or defensiveness. Those signals aren’t soft; they’re leading indicators.
Tracking morale without micromanaging
How do you monitor motivation without turning into a hall monitor? Russo argued for genuine, structured touchpoints: one-on-ones that make room for honesty, and a clear, shared target—“that goal to be the best that we can be.” When teams see that leaders are listening and using input to remove friction, accountability feels empowering rather than punitive.
Ceron emphasized inclusion as a system, not a slogan—especially in multilingual environments. CCMS built bilingual training, feedback, and recognition flows so everyone can participate. “When communication is open … everyone feels connected, feels part of [it],” she said. The payoff showed up in quality scores and compliance, but also in day-to-day confidence.
One deceptively simple practice Ceron championed is “phrase of the week.” In regular meetings, a team member shares a short thought that inspired them. It sounds small; it isn’t. The ritual created space for empathy, reflection, and belonging—and unlocked conversations that improved communication and teamwork.
Tying recognition to the numbers
Russo is explicit about linking culture to outcomes like retention, revenue, and service quality. Recognition has to be timely, specific, and cross-functional—not just reserved for top sellers. “Our drivers matter,” she said, noting their direct impact on sales and quality scores. When recognition spreads across functions, “you create a system where recognition fuels performance.”
Her favorite metric captures that idea. “Recognition velocity,” she explained, is “the rate [at which] employees are recognized across teams and levels.” Why track it? “Recognition is a leading indicator of engagement, morale, and retention.” In other words, speed and frequency of praise predict tomorrow’s performance as reliably as last month’s dashboard.
Ceron pointed to a complementary gauge: A participation index. If people are submitting ideas, joining initiatives, and offering suggestions, it signals trust. “When someone speaks, it’s because they trust that their voice will be heard,” she said. Participation isn’t vanity; it’s a measurable sign of psychological safety.
Where to start: Listen, then quantify
Leaders who want to improve culture—and prove it—often ask for a first step. Ceron’s answer began with presence: “Listening is simple, but it is the foundation of cultural growth.” Observe how recognition, communication, and participation actually happen in your operation. From there, install small mechanisms that make inclusion the default—bilingual materials, visual training, and shared rituals that fit the team’s rhythm.
Russo recommends a baseline survey that employees can trust. “Conduct a voice-of-the-associate survey,” she said, and make it anonymous. If 25% of a team reports they don’t feel valued—or 76% would recommend the company to a friend—that’s not just data. “That’s direction.” Use it to focus on what’s working, and where energy should go next.
The takeaway
Culture isn’t a poster, a pizza party, or a quarterly town hall. It’s the lived system that connects people to purpose and turns effort into outcomes. Russo and Ceron showed how to make that system visible and verifiable: listen first, recognize fast, include everyone by design, and track the human signals that move the business.
Do that consistently, and you’ll have more than a good feeling about culture. You’ll have a scoreboard—and a team that’s excited to play.
