Building a Culture That Drives Growth: An Interview with Keith Barthold

 

 

When you’re scaling a business, it’s easy to focus only on strategy and performance metrics. But according to Keith Barthold, founder and former CEO of DKB Innovative, culture is just as critical—and often overlooked.

Over eight years, Keith used Doug Diamond’s Culture & Engagement Survey as a cornerstone of his leadership approach. In this interview, he shares why measuring culture consistently was transformative for his team, how it strengthened the business when it was time to sell, and what he learned along the way.

Why did you first decide to start measuring your culture?

We started using Doug’s Culture Survey about eight years ago, and honestly, it was invaluable from day one. Strategy only gets you so far. You have to have a vibrant culture to really move the business forward.

Without some way to measure it, you’re basically flying blind. You can guess, you can observe, but you’re not really tracking it. The survey gave us a clear, anonymous pulse on how our employees were feeling about the business, leadership, and their own roles.

What impact did the survey have on your team?

It was huge. One of the most powerful things it did was uncover perceptions we never would have seen otherwise.

For example, one year the survey showed that employees felt we didn’t promote from within. But in reality, we had multiple examples of people who had moved from entry-level roles all the way to the executive team. The problem was we weren’t communicating that well internally.

That was eye-opening for us because it wasn’t some big structural failure—it was a communication gap. And by simply being more intentional about sharing those stories, we changed the perception almost overnight.

Some leaders worry about uncovering issues they can’t fix. Did you ever feel that way?

That’s a common misconception. A lot of people think, “If I ask for feedback, I’m going to get criticism I can’t do anything about.” But in our experience, many times it was little things—like clarifying goals, having more regular one-on-ones, or prioritizing better communication.

It’s really about making small, 1% improvements over time. And those little changes compound. Over the years, they added up to a culture we were proud of.

How did you share the survey results with your employees?

Transparency was important to us. Every quarter, we shared the results at our town halls—good, bad, or indifferent. We didn’t just collect data and file it away.

We showed people exactly what we heard and what actions we were taking as a leadership team. That closed the feedback loop and built trust.

When employees see that you’re listening and acting on what they shared, they’re more engaged the next time around. They feel heard, and that changes everything.

Did you see your culture improve over time?

Absolutely. Having a score we could measure and watch improve gave us a sense of progress. It’s one thing to think, “I think people are happier,” but it’s another to see it in black and white.

As an owner, it meant a lot to know we were creating a place people wanted to be—a culture they felt proud to be part of.

How did culture measurement factor into selling the business?

Culture was actually a big part of our valuation when we were preparing for acquisition. Buyers want to see that you’ve built something sustainable.

Being able to show that we had measured culture consistently—and that it had improved over time—was a huge advantage. It wasn’t just a gut feeling. It was data we could stand behind, and it made for a much smoother process.

You were one of the first companies to track Employee Net Promoter Score. Can you share why that was important?

During the acquisition, we needed to start tracking Employee Net Promoter Score as a key metric—basically, how likely employees were to recommend DKB as a place to work.

Doug was incredibly accommodating. He modified the survey to include that, and it became one simple number we could track. It made the process of reporting and benchmarking so much easier.

For companies who haven’t tried a culture survey yet, what would you say?

Culture is hard. It takes work and consistency. But this survey gives you an easy, free, anonymous way to see where you stand—and keep improving over time.

If you care about scaling your business and creating a workplace people love, it’s a no-brainer. Why wouldn’t you do it? It’s free—and it works.

Ready to see what your culture looks like?
Learn more about Doug Diamond’s Culture & Engagement Survey at www.bizimprovement.com/survey.

Ready to get started?
Learn more about Doug Diamond’s Culture & Engagement Survey at www.bizimprovement.com/survey.