Arcellx

“Take care of your employees, and they’ll take care of your business. It’s as simple as that.” — Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group."

As leaders, we’re asked to deliver results—quickly, consistently, and often under pressure. The natural instinct is to focus on strategy, execution, and metrics.

But over time, I’ve come to believe something different: the most sustainable results don’t start with the business, they start with people.

Whether we are inheriting a team, building one from the ground up, or leading an established group, I’ve found that one question consistently shapes how effective we can be: Do I truly understand what matters most to the people I lead?

That question is what led me to create and use a simple tool I call the “What Matters Most” Profile.

The Tool: “What Matters Most” Profile

This is a one-page profile that creates space for people to share who they are, what drives them, and how they want to grow.

Name:
Birthdate (Month & Day):

Personal Snapshot
Spouse/Significant Other:
Children (names & ages):

Journey
Date you joined the organization:

Career Aspirations
Short Term (1–2 years):
Long Term (3–5 years):

What Drives You
What motivates you each day?

Recognition & Rewards
How do you prefer to be recognized?

Core Values
What matters most to you?

Life Outside of Work
Hobbies and interests:

Strengths
What do you do best?

Growth Areas
What are you working to improve?

Manager Support
How can I best support you?

Great Leadership
What made your best manager effective?

Favorites
Restaurants, food, snack, beverage, store, sports team, candy, quote, meaningful memory

Early in my career, I realized how easy it is to lead based on assumptions—what we think motivates people, how we think they want to be recognized, or what we believe drives their performance. Sometimes we get it right, but often we miss the mark. This profile creates a different starting point. It helps me understand the individual behind the role—their values, aspirations, preferences, and personal motivators. In my experience, that is where trust begins.

"Take care of your employees, and they’ll take care of your business. It’s as simple as that."

How I’ve Put It Into Practice

One of the things I appreciate most about this tool is how flexible it is. I’ve used it in a few different ways depending on the team and the moment.

Sometimes I’ve used these questions informally in a 1:1 “get to know you” conversation. That approach keeps the discussion natural and allows connection to build in real time.

Other times, I’ve asked team members to complete the profile in advance, and then we’ve discussed it together during a weekly 1:1. That tends to create more reflection, more depth, and more honest conversation.

I’ve also used it as a team-building exercise, where we dedicate time for each team member to share what matters most to them with both their manager and colleagues. That setting does more than strengthen the manager-employee relationship—it helps the team understand one another on a more human level, which builds empathy, trust, and connection across the group.

From Insight to Impact

What I’ve learned is that the value of this profile is not in the document itself—it’s in what we do with the information.

I’ve used what I learned to tailor how I communicate with each person, to help them strengthen skills in their current role, and to support their development into new opportunities or future promotions. It has also helped me show care in the smaller moments that often matter just as much. That might mean celebrating someone’s birthday with a bottle of their favorite wine because they listed it on their profile, or making sure their favorite snack or candy is sitting at the center of the table during a team meeting.

Those may seem like small details, but that is exactly the point. Small touches send a big message. They let people know they are seen, remembered, and cared about.

And when that happens consistently, trust grows. Communication gets better. Collaboration gets stronger. Engagement deepens. Over time, that foundation shows up in the way people partner, support one another, and perform.

Culture in Action

We spend a lot of time talking about culture—defining values, aligning on principles, and articulating what we stand for. But culture is not what we say. It is what people experience.

For me, this profile has been a practical way to bring that idea to life. It turns “people first” from a leadership phrase into a leadership practice. It helps create an environment where people feel known not just for what they do, but for who they are.

Final Thought

If there is one thing I’ve learned, it is this: we do not build high-performing teams by starting with strategy. We build them by starting with understanding.

When people feel seen, they show up differently. When they feel valued, they contribute differently. And when trust is present, performance follows.

Sometimes the most powerful leadership tools are not the most complex. They are the most human.