“The first thing that I needed to do was to start creating a safe space for my staff to challenge me. The harder part was for my staff to fail. And sometimes when they failed, we lost clients. And that was really bitter, bitter pills to swallow. But I realized very quickly that if I was to create the safe space, I had to stop micromanaging. Because the minute I started micromanaging, the space was no longer safe.“
We're republishing one of our "Culture Classics" featuring Dillon Jearey, a Cape Town-based serial entrepreneur known for his transformation from micromanager to heart-led, empathic leader. Dillon is the founder of several innovative ventures:
In this episode, Dillon gets real about what it takes to build a thriving company culture. He shares how he evolved as a leader, the systems he’s put in place to protect culture as his companies scale, and why emotional safety, flexibility, and trust aren’t just buzzwords, but business strategy. Dillon believes “culture is what happens when no one is watching,” and he backs that up with actions: giving factory workers flexible hours (a radical move in his industry), prioritizing mental health, and putting power in the hands of a culture committee made up of his own team. Whether you're building a business or leading within one, Dillon’s story offers a masterclass in creating companies people love to work for.
📢 Do you want to build a high-performance culture? It all starts here: www.rethinkculture.co
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to discover:
· How Dillon transformed from a micromanager into an empathic, heart-forward leader
· Why culture became a priority only after his team hit 30 people
· What it means to create a workplace where it’s safe to fail and speak up
· How Dillon uses a culture committee to address tough team issues
· The surprising ways Dillon brings flexibility into factory work
· Why mental health is non-negotiable for team performance
· The secret to attracting top young talent and keeping them
· How a culture of accountability and trust strengthens the entire business ecosystem
Further resources:
· Dillon Jearey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dillon-jearey/
· Dillon Jearey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DillonJearey
· Kilowatt: https://kilowatt.co.za/
· Humankind, by Rutger Bergman: https://www.amazon.com/Humankind-Hopeful-History-Rutger-Bregman/dp/0316418536