As we approach the holiday season and the close of another year, I’ve been reflecting deeply on the concept of organizational culture—what it means, how it shapes our businesses, and how we can all work to improve it. Culture is more than just a buzzword; it’s the lifeblood of an organization, influencing our interactions, decisions, and outcomes. I’d like to share some insights we’ve gained at Alliant National and offer practical thoughts. I hope you find them useful as you think about your culture-building efforts.
Understanding Cultural Paradigms
Organizational culture can be viewed through various lenses. Some companies focus on performance, where results and individual achievement drive culture. Others adopt a purpose-driven culture, aligning actions with a higher mission or set of values. At Alliant National, we’ve found our greatest strength in fostering a culture of trust. But it’s important to note that no single cultural paradigm is inherently better than any other. The key is to identify which approach aligns most closely with your organization’s values and mission.
In the title insurance industry, relationships are at the heart of everything we do, and that’s why we ultimately decided to build our culture on the foundation of trust. Behind every transaction is a person or family entrusting us with their dreams and future. Trust is the cornerstone of these relationships, enabling us to be part of critical moments in people’s lives. Without trust, we’re merely facilitating transactions; with it, we’re partnering in something much more significant—helping people pursue the American Dream of economic prosperity.
The 3Cs: Our Foundation for Trust
To cultivate this trust, we’ve centered our culture around three key principles we call the 3Cs:
Care for Others: Genuine care involves truly listening and understanding the needs of those we serve—our agents, partners, and colleagues. It’s about making meaningful connections and offering assistance that can have a positive impact on someone’s life.
Competency in Our Work: We believe in continuous improvement. By staying informed, honing our skills, and striving for excellence, we ensure that we’re equipped to meet the needs of our clients and each other effectively.
Commitment: This is about reliability and follow-through. Doing what we say we will do, meeting our obligations, and being dependable in every situation reinforces the trust others place in us.
These principles aren’t just corporate ideals. We try to live them as daily practices that guide us through our interactions with our agents and fellow team members.
Intentional Culture Building
Good culture doesn’t happen by accident. It takes intention, reflection, and a willingness to change. A few years ago, we took an important step by developing a booklet describing our company culture. It’s essentially a collective expression of what makes Alliant National special on our best days. It includes our Purpose, Mission, Vision, Core Value, and Guiding Principles. Simply stated, the “Alliant National Way” is: caring about people by providing uncommonly valuable help that delivers a positive impact. This articulation of our shared beliefs has provided a compass for our actions.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to define what’s most important about your culture, we’ve found that the exercise can be incredibly valuable. For us, it wasn’t about creating something new, but rather about uncovering and articulating what was already true about our organization. We found that the project gave us a rare opportunity to talk to our team, reflect on shared experiences, and capture our unique narrative.
Beyond defining culture, it’s important to take steps to live it more deeply and consistently. To support this, we established an Employee Engagement Team to ensure that culture remains an ongoing focus. This group serves as a conduit for feedback and ideas, helping culture rise from every level of the organization.
Other important initiatives included creating a set of Management Rules of the Road, which outlines what employees can expect from their managers. Additionally, our culture has been strengthened through regular Outward Mindset seminars from the Arbinger Institute. The goal of these sessions is to help team members understand that other people’s needs matter just as much as their own. They encourage collaboration, break down silos, and remind us to work together.
Steps to Building a Great Culture
Every company, regardless of size or industry, stands to benefit from a strong, intentional culture. Based on our experience, here are a few steps that we hope may be helpful in your own cultural journey:
Define Your Core Values: What principles are non-negotiable for your organization? Whether it’s trust, innovation, customer focus, or something else entirely, clarity here sets the foundation. A key aspect in defining your values is also in prioritizing them. It’s easy to say loyalty, honesty, and integrity are the values of the company. What happens when these values are in conflict?
Engage Your Team: Culture is a collective endeavor. Regularly involve team members at all levels in discussions about values and practices. Their insights can be surprising and powerful.
Be Intentional: Develop initiatives, programs, and traditions that reinforce your values. Solicit feedback from employees to ensure alignment and celebrate your cultural successes regularly. Values are most reflected in an organization based on who gets promoted or rewarded.
Measure and Reflect: Utilize tools like surveys, focus groups, or external certifications to assess your cultural health. Benchmarks provide valuable insights into where you’re succeeding and where there’s room to grow. For example, at Alliant National, we’ve participated in the Great Place to Work certification process for over eight years, and in 2024, we were recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the Best Small Workplaces and one of the Best Places to Work in Real Estate.
Embrace Continuous Improvement: Culture isn’t static. Be open to change and ready to adapt as your organization grows and the environment evolves.
Recognition and Celebration
One great way to promote culture is to share stories of success. At Alliant National, we’ve found tremendous value in communicating and celebrating our cultural achievements during Alliant National Live!, our bi-monthly all-hands call. My favorite part of the call is a feature we recently added — the Winner’s Circle. It’s an opportunity for employees to nominate colleagues who exemplify what it means to work the “Alliant National Way.” Most importantly, this peer-nominated recognition is to identify someone who demonstrates one of more of the 3Cs. A nomination takes time and effort, so these nominations reflect the genuine appreciation and respect colleagues have for one another’s contributions. These stories and celebrations help our team feel more connected and aligned with the company’s values.
Looking Ahead and Staying Committed
As we approach 2025 and our 20th anniversary, I couldn’t be more excited about the future of Alliant National. Our imminent partnership with Dream Finders Homes marks an exciting new chapter, creating new opportunities to grow and better serve our agents. Additionally, we are eager to continue innovating with tools like our anti-fraud solution, SecureMyTransaction, which reinforces trust and security in real estate transactions.
As I look ahead, I’m reminded that our success is built on our cultural foundations that enable us to provide value to our agents. While there’s much to be proud of, no culture is ever “finished.” It requires continuous care and attention to ensure alignment with our mission and goals.
Whatever cultural foundation you choose—whether trust, purpose, performance, or a blend—it’s important to invest in it intentionally. At Alliant National, we’ve found that fostering a culture of trust has brought great benefits to our team, agents, and partners.
Thank you for being a part of our journey. Here’s wishing you a happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year!
As Thanksgiving approaches, I am reminded of the important people and partnerships that have made this year successful. While we strive to express our gratitude every day, this season gives us an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the progress we have made together.
I am so thankful for each of our independent agents. Many of you have endured significant challenges, from difficult markets to severe weather. Your dedication to your clients, teams, and communities is truly inspiring. I am deeply grateful for your commitment and the trust you have placed in us. Your resilience drives us to keep innovating and finding new ways to support you.
We are thrilled with our imminent partnership with Dream Finders Homes. This alliance will create new opportunities for us to grow and strengthen our ability to serve you. I am eager for our team to show you how this new relationship will help drive your success in the New Year.
We know that challenges like fraud also continue to pose real risks to our industry, and I am especially thankful for your insights and feedback, which have been instrumental in the continued development of SecureMyTransaction. This solution helps protect your clients and safeguard your business from fraud. Your collaboration is making SMT truly practical and effective. Together, we are tackling these threats head-on, and I am confident that we will keep making a meaningful impact.
Next year, Alliant National will celebrate its 20th anniversary—a milestone made possible by you. For two decades, we have worked to build a business centered on trust, always placing you at the heart of what we do. Your success is our success. As we celebrate, we look forward to honoring your partnership and dedication.
This Thanksgiving, please know how deeply appreciative I am for your belief in Alliant National and friendship with our team. Together, we are building something truly remarkable.
Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Creating an inclusive workplace is a complex task. After all, people are anything but simple. None of us have merely one “self.” Every person is a mixture of intersecting identities that influence how people see us and, conversely, how we see them.
How, then, can a business foster an inclusive workplace, particularly around the holidays? As Stacy Stolen, HR Manager at Alliant National, explains, it requires being mindful of how our biases shape our perceptions while working toward a culture where everyone can be recognized and respected. I spoke with Stolen on the complexities of this work, what Alliant National is doing to promote inclusivity, and takeaways for agencies looking to build inclusive workplaces during the holidays and year-round.
Inclusivity begins with empathy
When asked how she defines inclusivity, Stolen said, “Simply put, inclusion and being inclusive is to have empathy,” adding that, “at a company-level, it takes developing a shared understanding that we all have our own unique experiences that occur within a society filled with inequalities.”
Once this understanding is established, productive work can begin. “We can then start to relate and learn from others. This is important because empathy allows us to humanize one another and feel responsible for everyone’s safety and well-being. We can positively influence our surroundings and ensure everyone feels seen, validated, and heard – even if we don’t directly relate to everyone else’s experience,” Stolen said.
Easier said than done
What makes this easier said than done, however, are social constructs and the unconscious biases they produce. Identity composes a wide range of attributes – from race, sexuality and ethnicity to education level, family of origin and belief structures. Some of these identities, said Stolen, carry more power in the world than others. Depending on how someone identifies, they may find themselves unjustly stereotyped by the dominant power structures of society.
Building an inclusive workplace, then, necessitates building a culture where people can feel safe and supported enough to interrogate their biases and push back on the inclination to stereotype. A first step involves simply accepting that such biases exist and that typically we have little opportunity to reconsider our ingrained beliefs. As Stolen explained, “Quite often, we interact with folks who look, feel, act like us, or have identities roughly like ours. Therefore, we can’t do anything aside from perpetuate these stereotypical beliefs about folks in other social groups. That’s because we aren’t being exposed to anything different to dismantle these inaccurate ideas. We need to break this cycle and cultivate mindfulness to expand our idea of what collective community looks like.”
It also involves seeing this work as more of a journey rather than a destination. “This work requires consistent and intentional engagement with yourself and others that you interact with daily,” said Stolen. “Just like anything else you aspire to change in yourself or in your environment, you must commit that same time and effort in showing up as an ally and advocating for necessary change.”
Taking action
So, what does this look like in practice? Stolen noted that Alliant National’s commitment to building an inclusive workplace involves investing in culture awareness training and dialogue. For example, in 2024, the company launched an internal committee dedicated to ensuring that its priorities are considered through an inclusive lens.
Stolen described how these efforts are not viewed as one-offs by the company. Instead, they are part of a continuous, holistic and ever-evolving move toward a more inclusive culture. This is an important feature of Alliant National’s larger goal of being a workplace where every employee feels comfortable bringing their authentic self to work and can:
Remain present even when uncomfortable;
Accept that we are all part of the problem and must work to change society for the better;
Learn how to empathize with others’ experiences that are different from their own;
Make mistakes while striving for a better tomorrow;
Educate themselves and those around them; and
Not expect those with the least power in society to do the brunt of the work.
How to promote inclusivity during the holidays and everyday
Holiday periods are a perfect opportunity to promote an inclusive culture, Stolen noted. For many, holidays are informed by cultural identity. It is important to be mindful around language and emphasize respect for all regardless of individual beliefs. “Just because you don’t celebrate certain holidays doesn’t mean that you are exempt from being aware and educated on holidays and religious practices that others celebrate,” Stolen observed.
Of course, there are many other ways to build inclusivity year-round, including:
Researching histories of marginalized groups and investing in cultural awareness development.
Developing ally programs/affinity groups and creating places for folks to find community and to encourage dialogue around challenging topics.
Hosting “Lunch and Learns” that expand cultural humility and awareness. Alliant National, for example, recently hosted one titled, “Challenging Stereotypes and Microaggressions.”
Surveying your workplace to better understand understand your company’s culture better and find opportunities for improvement.
There is no time like today
Building an inclusive culture takes work; there is no doubt about it. But as the holiday season continues, there is no better time to begin nurturing greater respect, empathy and belonging in the workplace. Stolen noted that when companies commit time and resources to encouraging inclusivity, great things can happen.
“Workplaces that commit to inclusivity become more instrumental to their employees, customers and communities.”
For Alliant National’s team, the mutual benefits of becoming involved in association work are evident for the industry and those who serve.
The Alliant National team includes people from all walks of life who are united by a shared commitment to independent agents. Another commonality is a dedication to the broader title community that goes beyond the nine-to-five. At every level of the company, you’ll find individuals who have made a commitment to leadership in various title insurance, real estate, legal, and similar professional organizations. It is a commitment that has a broad impact.
A more informed and inclusive community
One of the benefits of association involvement is the opportunity to build community and share valuable information. “I served with an amazing group of volunteers,” said Margaret Cook, EVP, General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer and Past President and Board Member of the Land Title Association of Colorado (LTAC). “It gave me a chance to give back and expand my knowledge and network.”
Micah Owen, South Carolina and Georgia Agency Manager, recently became a Director of the Palmetto Land Title Association (PLTA) and noted that she appreciates the opportunity to contribute fresh ideas and help the association grow. She also relishes bringing more of the community into the conversation by calling “upon people that have great ideas but may be too shy to share.” Owen added that associations are a wonderful mechanism for disseminating crucial information, such as PLTA’s “Case Law Update.”
“Dawn Watkins is our current legal liaison,” said Owen. “She does a great job keeping the board and members current on all judicial updates. Attorneys are so busy as it is, so we try our best to help them.”
KC West, Sr. Vice President and Southwest Regional Manager, echoed Owen’s sentiments, noting how associations foster a more connected and inclusive industry. Having recently taken up the mantle of President of the Oklahoma Land Title Association (OLTA), West said that it is an “honor to serve the title professionals of Oklahoma and to be the voice in the room for those that aren’t always available to attend.” Being involved in leadership, he added, “gives you a chance to act as the voice for the collective” and ensure the “views of title professionals [are reflected] in the decisions being made.”
Collaborating to drive critical improvements
The value of joining associations goes beyond the opportunity to build an informed and inclusive community, however. Associations also provide a framework for professionals to collaborate on important operational and industry initiatives and drive substantive improvements.
Alliant National’s TJ Johnson, Assistant Vice President and State Agency Manager for Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, and Utah, recently held leadership roles in two industry organizations. He sat on the Colorado ‘Good Funds’ committee and served as PAC Chairman for the Land Title Association of Arizona (LTAA), where he collaborated with like-minded professionals to improve industry processes and bolster organizational finances.
In working with the “Good Funds” committee, for example, Johnson “discussed best practices for disbursing insured payoff and proceed funds while mitigating risks to title agents and the general public.”
“Part of the committee’s fact-finding process involved polling other states to compare and, in some cases, better our own standards,” he said. “We eventually sent our findings to the state’s department of insurance to influence their protocols.”
During his time as LTAA PAC Chairman, Johnson worked on equally important initiatives. One of the organization’s goals was to “develop strategies on how to best target our campaign contribution funds,” Johnson said. In addition, the committee launched the “Past Presidents Classic Golf Tournament” and a silent auction to strengthen the association’s finances and deliver more benefits for the Arizona title community.
Rodney Anderson, EVP and National Agency Manager of Alliant National, also had the chance to make a dynamic impact on the industry by serving as President of the Texas Land Title Association (TLTA) from 2023-2024. Assuming this role was the culmination of a long-held goal for Anderson. During his tenure, he worked with others to strengthen the association’s educational programs, ensure access to the latest information and training, assist with navigating legislative and legal changes, and advocate for policies beneficial to the industry and consumers.
Creating a favorable legislative environment
Industry-related legislation is one area where the value of associations can perhaps be most vividly seen and felt. Title associations, said Anderson, help “industry professionals collaborate […] and stay informed about regulatory changes and market trends,” which “vary significantly by state and frequently face attacks at a state and federal level.” Individuals who join industry organizations, he said, contribute their “expertise, leadership and commitment” to “shape standards and practices” and “ensure the integrity of the industry.”
During her time in leadership, Cook found herself immersed in similar responsibilities. “While I was with the association, Colorado revised its title insurance regulations and market conduct examination procedures. It was a very busy time,” she said. “It’s fascinating how many bills and regulations could negatively impact real property records and the ability to securely close and insure transactions. It takes countless volunteer hours to positively influence the outcome.”
Furthermore, two of Alliant National’s underwriters have spent time working with industry groups to improve the field’s legislative and legal environment. Brianna Dowling, Underwriting Counsel, has been involved with the LTAC board of directors “for quite a few years now.” Perhaps the most rewarding for Dowling has been “working through legislative initiatives.” The industry must have a “seat at the table when it comes to real estate and insurance legislation,” she said.
As the Immediate Past Chair of the Title Issues & Standards Committee for the Real Property Probate and Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar, Rebecca Wood, Alliant National’s Assistant Regional Counsel Florida and VP, was also positive about becoming involved in leadership. She noted that these positions allow volunteers to shape the industry’s future. “What I found most rewarding about serving on the committee was coordinating continuing legal education programming,” she remarked.
Building a stronger, safer and more effective industry
Given the Alliant National team’s experience, one thing becomes clear: whether it be fostering a more informed, inclusive community or developing better processes, protocols, or legislative outcomes, association work delivers benefits on multiple levels.
Individual title experts, for example, “gain benefits and career development from this experience,” said Cook, reflecting on her time. Johnson seconded this: “Every title and escrow professional,” he said, “should serve on a board or committee. It will broaden your knowledge base and increase your influence within our industry.”
Anderson noted that becoming involved can also strengthen by proxy the company that an association member comes from. Taking part in these organizations helps build “relationships with partners, clients and other stakeholders who value the company’s role in advancing the industry,” he said. In Alliant National’s case, for instance, the company has been able to have “its perspectives considered in broader industry conversations,” which builds its credibility and solidifies its position as an industry thought leader.
Most significant, however, is that when title professionals get involved in association work, the entire industry stands to gain. Anderson probably said it best, remarking: “In essence, both the organizations and the people who participate in them are vital for maintaining the stability, reliability and growth of the title industry.”
And this fact makes it an entirely worthwhile effort for anyone thinking about throwing their hat into the ring.
Wellness includes mental, psychological and physical health; don’t dismiss it!
Employee wellness is at a crossroads in 2024. Despite increased attention from employers, mental and emotional health challenges remain distressingly common in the workplace. In a recent ADP survey, nearly half of employees said their work has suffered due to poor mental health. Additionally, the number one cited workspace challenge was burnout.[i] These results should serve as a wakeup call for businesses, especially when you consider the consequences.
Many business leaders know turnover is a huge driver of costs, with some estimates saying that replacing a worker can cost “half to four times the employee’s annual salary.”[ii] That means if you’re “hiring for a job that pays $60,000, you could be spending upwards of $180,000 to fill that role.”[iii]
Given these costs, investing in employee wellness is not just beneficial — it’s essential. To mark National Wellness Month this August, we spoke with Alliant National HR Director Stacy Stolen about the significance of wellness and how agencies can better address this crucial need.
The multifaceted nature of wellness
Most people would agree that workplace wellness matters. However, if you asked folks about what exactly goes into wellness, you’d probably get a range of answers. That’s because wellness isn’t one thing but the “culmination of one’s mental, psychological AND physical health,” said Stolen. “Achieving wellness is a uniquely individual experience,” she continued. “It’s based on one’s lifestyle, identities, cultural understanding and commitment level to change.” Businesses must embrace this idea and approach wellness with something more than a one-size-fits-all approach.
The relationship between wellness and inclusion
Naturally, this means wellness connects with inclusion, a topic previously explored on this blog. Inclusion initiatives, said Stolen, “help employees feel safe bringing more of themselves to work.” This approach is different from what has often been done historically, which required employees to downplay “parts of themselves for purposes of assimilation.” When companies show that they genuinely value every team member’s knowledge, skills, input and life experience, they help foster an inclusive culture which, in turn, promotes employee wellness. This doesn’t happen automatically, said Stolen. It requires “a trusting relationship between employer and employee” born out of a company making “intentional and informed choices that allow [employes] to fully show up and contribute their maximum potential.”
Connecting the individual to the collective
How does a business make space for everyone’s individual needs while still focusing on its collective identity and goals? For Stolen, it is a symbiotic relationship. “By working collaboratively with each other through the process of learning and unlearning,” she said, “we can ensure the success of the individual AND the collective.”
Much of this can be accomplished by simply reframing the golden rule of “treating others as you want to be treated,” to treating “others as they want to be treated.” By doing so, employees stop seeing everything solely through the lens of personal experiences. Over time, a culture emerges where employees genuinely want to recognize the experiences of others. That’s because they will feel confident that their own experiences and abilities will also be respected and embraced.
Wellness in action at Alliant National
There are numerous ways that organizations can cultivate wellness in the workplace. Here are of some of tools and resources Alliant National has created to contribute to the wellness of staff and external agents:
A standing activity at all-company calls,which is designed to give executive leadership a moment to address staff concerns and increase transparency.
An “Employee Resource Group,” which champions “Caring” across all levels and functions of the organization.
A paid volunteer day for all employees.
An “employee engagement team” whose purpose is to create an environment where employees feel engaged, rewarded and personally committed.
All-staff wellness challenges, such as a recent “Fitness Challenge.”
“Mental Health Awareness” month activities, wheremanagers focus on encouraging work/life balance, sharing mental health resources and making space for employees to find support.
CEO email check-ins on employee stress levels.
The Alliant National Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which delivers free, professional and confidential support and guidance to employees and their families in the following areas:
Family
Work
Money
Legal services
Identity theft recovery
Health
Everyday life concerns
Company-wide, HR-led meetings that are specifically geared toward addressing wellness.
The lasting importance of wellness
When asked for her final thoughts on wellness, Stolen was unequivocal: “The work we do is already stressful, right? We don’t need to add additional layers and barriers to entry. Instead, we want to open doors and drive innovation. We must rethink what we’ve been taught about others and center employee wellness as a foundational pillar to company success.”
Ensuring that all employees feel their experiences and capabilities are valued can go a long way toward building this type of wellness and helping businesses thrive. Incorporating strategies and resources such as those listed earlier can be similarly effective.
Stolen reinforced these ideas, noting that when companies take these steps, everyone benefits. “Toxic workplaces obviously can damage one’s mental state, whereas an inclusive and safe environment can motivate people,” she said. “Companies should want to address these issues because it’s the right thing to do and because it’s a business necessity. If you don’t ensure employee wellbeing, it can have negative impacts on your team and lead to poor business outcomes.”
