Sign-In
Cart
Your Character Is Your Culture: Lessons From UnitedHealth Groups Transformational Journey
Hardcover
ISBN13: 9781966168782
Publisher: Indie Books International
Published: May 22 2026
Pages: 190
Weight: 0.94
Height: 0.50 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
Why do most attempts at corporate culture change fail? Too often, they are treated as outside-in HR mandates or superficial marketing campaigns relying on creative slogans, top-down directives, and forced compliance training.
In Your Character Is Your Culture, Dave Sparkman offers a different, field-tested path. Drawing directly from his nine-year tenure as Senior Vice President of Culture at UnitedHealth Group-a Fortune 5 enterprise with hundreds of thousands of employees-Sparkman submits that sustainable organizational change only happens from the inside-out. It requires individuals to personally invest in company values, fundamentally transforming how they think, behave, and work every single day.
As a former Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and partner at Arthur Andersen, Sparkman bridges the gap between rigorous financial discipline and human-first leadership. He bypasses abstract academic theories to deliver a tactical framework showing how deeply embedded core values act as a direct engine for long-term economic performance, operational excellence, and employee retention.
What You Will Discover Inside:
- The SPARK Framework: A structured, inside-out blueprint designed to move your organization past flavor-of-the-month programs into a culture owned by the business and lived by the heart.
- 18 Practical Trail Markers: Standalone, actionable chapters providing proven tactics to navigate cultural dissonance, align metrics, and sustain momentum over a multi-year timeline.
- The Truth About Culture ROI: Clear guidance on how to look past rigid mathematical formulas to measure what truly matters, balancing institutional IQ with critical emotional intelligence (EQ).
- Real-World Case Studies: Honest reflections from UnitedHealth Group's cultural transformation, detailing both the breakthrough successes and the systemic challenges faced along the way.
Whether your organization consists of a small team or a global workforce, culture is advanced one person, one day, and one step at a time. This book provides the practical roadmap senior executives, team leaders, and aspiring managers need to build a healthy, high-performance workplace that stands the test of time.
Also in
Management
Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Second Edition
Switzler, Al
Grenny, Joseph
Patterson, Kerry
Paperback
Quiet Girls Can Run the World: Owning Your Power When You're Not the Alpha in the Room
Holman, Rebecca
Paperback
The Art of Communication: How to Be Authentic, Lead Others, and Create Strong Connections
Apps, Judy
Hardcover
Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect
Guidara, Will
Hardcover
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Managing Yourself, Updated and Expanded (Featuring How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christensen)
Review, Harvard Business
Drucker, Peter F.
Gallo, Amy
Paperback
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Mental Toughness, Updated and Expanded (Featuring How to Stop Worrying about What Other People Think of You by Michael Gervais)
Review, Harvard Business
Gervais, Michael
Duckworth, Angela L.
Paperback
Take Breaks, Work Better: Measure Impact, Not Hours, and Transform Your Profitability
Briggs, John
Paperback
Surrender to Lead: The Counterintuitive Approach to Driving Extraordinary Results
Kriegel, Jessica
Terry, Joe
Hardcover
Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit
Brown, Brené
Hardcover
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Leadership, Updated and Expanded (Featuring Begin with Trust by Frances X. Frei and Anne Morriss)
Review, Harvard Business
Edmondson, Amy C.
Ibarra, Herminia
Paperback
How We Could: The Framework to Lead Without Drama, Build Alignment, and Call Teams to Greatness
Dorr, Alex
Hardcover
What the Heck Is Eos?: A Complete Guide for Employees in Companies Running on EOS
Bouwer, Tom
Wickman, Gino
Hardcover
The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More, and Change the Way You Lead Forever
Stanier, Michael Bungay
Paperback
Get Scalable: The Operating System Your Business Needs To Run and Scale Without You
Deiss, Ryan
Paperback
Stop Asking for Referrals: Build a Magnetic Business Through Intentional Care & Real Relationships
McNally, Flor de Maria
Paperback
The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you
Fitzpatrick, Rob
Paperback
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It
Voss, Chris
Raz, Tahl
Hardcover
The Year in Tech, 2026: The Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review
Review, Harvard Business
Anthony, Scott D.
Webb, Amy
Paperback
Bookkeeping - Accounting for Small Business: A Quickstudy Laminated Reference Guide
Epstein, Lita
Other
Building Great Businesses: Create Momentum, Overcome Setbacks, and Scale with Confidence
Becker, Scott
Hardcover
Influence and Persuasion (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Cialdini, Robert B.
Review, Harvard Business
Morgan, Nick
Paperback
The First 90 Days, Updated and Expanded: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter
Watkins, Michael D.
Hardcover
Hbr's 10 Must Reads 2026: The Definitive Management Ideas of the Year from Harvard Business Review (Featuring the Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift by
Review, Harvard Business
Meyer, Erin
Flyvbjerg, Bent
Paperback
Take It Personal: How to Succeed by Building Relationships and Playing the Long Game
Grutman, David
Hardcover
Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving in
Ury, William
Patton, Bruce
Fisher, Roger
Paperback
Anchored, Aligned, Accountable: A Framework for Transcending Bullsh*t and Transforming Our Lives and Work
Bethea, Aiko
Hardcover
Feedback That Works: How to Build and Deliver Your Message, Second Edition
Center for Creative Leadership
Paperback
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Strategy, Updated and Expanded (Featuring the Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy by Michael E. Porter)
Kim, W. Chan
Review, Harvard Business
Porter, Michael E.
Paperback
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on High Performance, Updated and Expanded (Featuring Nine Things Successful People Do Differently by Heidi Grant)
Review, Harvard Business
Grant, Heidi
Goleman, Daniel
Paperback
The Algorithm: The Hypergrowth Formula That Transformed Tesla, Lululemon, General Motors, and Spacex
McNeill, Jon
Hardcover
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Managing People, Updated and Expanded (Featuring Are You a Good Boss--Or a Great One? by Linda A. Hill and Kent Lineback)
Review, Harvard Business
Goleman, Daniel
Hill, Linda A.
Paperback
The Phoenix Project: A Novel about It, Devops, and Helping Your Business Win
Behr, Kevin
Spafford, George
Kim, Gene
Paperback
Genius at Scale: How Great Leaders Drive Innovation
Hill, Linda A.
Tedards, Emily
Wild, Jason
Hardcover
Dirtbag Billionaire: How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away
Gelles, David
Hardcover
The 360 Degree Leader Workbook: Developing Your Influence from Anywhere in the Organization
Maxwell, John C.
Paperback
Competing in the Age of AI: Strategy and Leadership When Algorithms and Networks Run the World
Lakhani, Karim R.
Iansiti, Marco
Hardcover
Getting You Ready for Power: A Woman's Guide to Building Confidence, Community, and Career Success
Meruelo, Alexis
Paperback
Generative Ai: The Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review
Review, Harvard Business
Mollick, Ethan
Cremer, David De
Paperback
The Way of the Shepherd: Seven Secrets to Managing Productive People
Pentak, William
Leman, Kevin
Hardcover
What Could Possibly Go Right?: The Essential Journey to Scale an Enduring Culture
Meyer, Danny
Hardcover
Indispensable: How to Become the Company That Your Customers Can't Live Without
Calloway, Joe
Hardcover
The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth about Extraordinary Results
Papasan, Jay
Keller, Gary
Hardcover
The Asshole Survival Guide: How to Deal with People Who Treat You Like Dirt
Sutton, Robert I.
Paperback
The Oz Principle: Getting Results Through Individual and Organizational Accountability
Smith, Tom
Hickman, Craig
Connors, Roger
Paperback
The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: Empowering Organizations by Encouraging People
White, Paul
Chapman, Gary
Paperback
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Emotional Intelligence, Updated and Expanded (Featuring What Makes a Leader by Daniel Goleman)
Review, Harvard Business
Goleman, Daniel
Ibarra, Hermina
Paperback
The 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team
Lencioni, Patrick M.
Hardcover
Playing to Win, Expanded with Bonus HBR Articles: How Strategy Really Works
Lafley, A. G.
Martin, Roger L.
Hardcover
Demand-Side Sales 101: Stop Selling and Help Your Customers Make Progress
Engle, Greg
Moesta, Bob
Hardcover
The Hard Thing about Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers
Horowitz, Ben
Hardcover
The Heart Work of Modern Leadership: 6 Differentiators of Exceptional Leaders
Grossman, David
Paperback
How to Win Friends and Influence People: Updated for the Next Generation of Leaders
Carnegie, Dale
Hardcover
Inner Excellence: Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance and the Best Possible Life
Murphy, Jim
Paperback
Biblia del Vendedor: Tecnicas Efectivas Para El Vendedor Competitivo
Dey, Alejandro
Dey, Alex
Paperback
The Octopus Organization: A Guide to Thriving in a World of Continuous Transformation
Le-Brun, Phil
Werner, Jana
Hardcover
Never Settle: Persuasion and Negotiation Skills to Get What You Want
Richardson, John
Qureshi, Attia
Hardcover
Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most
Heen, Sheila
Patton, Bruce
Stone, Douglas
Paperback
The Things We Hide: A Guide to Identifying Hidden Barriers and Leading with Authenticity
Dickerhoof, Tyler
Hardcover
Say This, Not That: How to Master 7 Dreaded Conversations As a Leader in the Modern Workplace
Flickinger, Chris
Paperback
You Don't Need a Title to Be a Leader: How Anyone, Anywhere, Can Make a Positive Difference
Sanborn, Mark
Hardcover
Leadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential
Wilkins, Muriel M.
Hardcover
The Founder's Mentality: How to Overcome the Predictable Crises of Growth
Allen, James
Zook, Chris
Hardcover
The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business
Lencioni, Patrick M.
Hardcover
Team Topologies, 2nd Edition: Organizing Business and Technology for Fast Flow of Value
Pais, Manuel
Skelton, Matthew
Paperback
The Leading the Unleadable: How to Manage Mavericks, Cynics, Divas, and Other Difficult People
Willett, Alan
Paperback
Positive Intelligence: Why Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve Their True Potential and How You Can Achieve Yours
Chamine, Shirzad
Hardcover
The Outsiders: Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success
Thorndike, William N.
Hardcover
The Trusted Advisor: 20th Anniversary Edition
Green, Charles
Maister, David H.
Galford, Robert
Paperback
The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World
Grashow, Alexander
Linsky, Marty
Heifetz, Ronald A.
Hardcover
The Lean Six SIGMA Pocket Toolbook: A Quick Reference Guide to Nearly 100 Tools for Improving Quality and Speed
Price, Mark
George, Michael L.
Rowlands, David T.
Paperback
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You
Maxwell, John C.
Hardcover
The New Gold Standard: 5 Leadership Principles for Creating a Legendary Customer Experience Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company
Michelli, Joseph A.
Hardcover
Rewired: McKinsey's Playbook on How Leading Companies Win with Technology and AI
Lamarre, Eric
Smaje, Kate
Levin, Robert
Hardcover
Human + Machine, Updated and Expanded: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI
Daugherty, Paul R.
Wilson, H. James
Hardcover
The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done
Drucker, Peter F.
Paperback
Nolo's Guide to Single-Member Llcs: How to Form & Run Your Single-Member Limited Liability Company
Steingold, David M.
Paperback
Fight Less, Win More: How Master Negotiators Influence Hearts, Minds, and Deals
Smith, Jonathan B.
Gaunt, Derek
Hardcover
Harvard Business Review Entrepreneur's Handbook: Everything You Need to Launch and Grow Your New Business
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation
Dixon, Matthew
Adamson, Brent
Hardcover
Croc: How I Invented the World's Most Popular Shoe, Became a Massive Success, and Nearly Destroyed Myself---In 15 Easy Lessons
Boedecker Jr, George
Hardcover
The 360 Degree Leader: Developing Your Influence from Anywhere in the Organization
Maxwell, John C.
Paperback
Dare to Think Differently: How Open-Mindedness Creates Exceptional Decision-Making
Zaltman, Gerald
Hardcover
Tax-Free Wealth: How to Build Massive Wealth by Permanently Lowering Your Taxes
Wheelwright, Tom
Paperback
The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate the Three Essential Virtues
Lencioni, Patrick M.
Hardcover
Our Iceberg Is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions
Rathgeber, Holger
Kotter, John
Hardcover