In this solo YouTube presentation, Louis Carter explains how KnowBe4, a leading cybersecurity firm, has deliberately built a workplace that employees love. He outlines five concrete leadership practices that drive engagement and culture: (1) daily alignment through brief all‑hands briefings so everyone hears the same message; (2) replacing blame with ownership, treating mistakes as learning opportunities; (3) embedding paid learning time into the workday (one hour per day) to foster growth; (4) celebrating wins, milestones, and even quirky holidays loudly and frequently; and (5) leading as a human, accessible leader who shows humility. For each practice he gives a short “try this” action step, explains why it matters (reducing anxiety, building safety, encouraging growth, shaping culture, and fostering commitment), and ends with a call to the audience to start one of the moves that week.
Chapters
If your team isn't energized for Monday, it's not on them. It's on how you lead. KnowBe4 is one of the most successful companies in cybersecurity and also one of the most loved. That's not a coincidence. They didn't stumble into a great culture. They built it intentionally every day. And here's what they do and what you can apply right now if you want your company to be a place people love to work, not just show up. Number 1, they align everyone every day. Their CEO starts each morning with a short all-hands briefing. Everyone hears the same message, no guessing, no silence. Try this, hold a short weekly alignment meeting, share what's happening, what matters now, and where you're going, then listen. Why? Because silence breeds anxiety, clarity, Builds trust. Number 2, they replaced blame with ownership. When something breaks, the first question isn't, "Who messed up?" It's, "What can we learn?" Everyone's expected to own it, and they're backed when they do. Try this: normalize mistakes. Focus on fixing, not faulting. Set the tone yourself. Why? Because fear shuts people down. Safety brings them forward. Number 3, they built learning into the rhythm of work. At KnowBe4, everyone gets paid 1 hour per day to learn. Every single day. Try this, give your team time each week, even just an hour, to grow their skills. Encourage curiosity, reward it. Why? Because people stay where they grow and leave when they don't. Number 4, they celebrate loudly and often. From team wins to birthdays to weird little holidays, celebration is part of their operating system. And when the company hits its goals, everyone shares in the reward. Try this. Recognize progress, not just results. Make appreciation part of your weekly rhythm. Why? Because what you celebrate becomes what you're known for. Number 5, they lead like human beings. The CEO is accessible. People walk into his office, ask anything. He once dove into a cake just for fun because humility matters more than hierarchy. Try this, drop the mask. Let people see who you really are. Be present, be real, be reachable. Why? Because people commit to leaders who feel human, not untouchable. Bottom line, KnowBe4 is a most loved workplace because they built a system that proves it, not a slogan that says it. If you want a culture people love, you need to lead like it matters. What's one thing here you could start this week? I'd love to hear what lands for you.
