It’s great to work in an organization that feels like family—one where people care deeply about each other, trust runs high, and collaboration comes naturally. But there’s a catch: family-style cultures can sometimes avoid the very behaviors needed to drive performance.

At Blue Cross of Idaho, leadership realized this firsthand.

“We had a niceness over courage approach – we were a family quadrant on the map,” said Drew Hobby, Executive Vice President. “This led to difficulty in adapting and execution. We really needed to move from family to a Last 8% Culture of more courage and execution… and this has led to an increase in execution and productivity. I was amazed at how much we were able to accomplish this year compared to last.”

The Last 8%—those tough conversations, difficult decisions, and uncomfortable truths most people avoid—can be the missing ingredient in a so-called “nice” culture. That’s why Blue Cross of Idaho partnered with performance science experts JP Pawliw-Fry and Bill Benjamin, co-creators of the Last 8% Culture System.

Through a high-impact keynote and a series of leadership sessions, BCI gave their team the tools to tackle the Last 8% head-on. Backed by brain science and built for real-world execution, the system equips leaders to be courageous—and skillful—when it matters most.

“We’ve seen significantly higher employee referrals. It’s tripled since implementing the Last 8% Culture System,” said Paul Zurlo, CEO of Blue Cross of Idaho. “The fact that people are telling the story, they feel it, they feel the difference in the culture—it’s a place where they want to be. And it goes right to the bottom line. Close to $10 million in savings.”

High-care cultures are good. High-courage cultures perform.

If your organization is stuck in “nice,” it might be time to ask: What’s our Last 8%?

Ready to move from comfort to courage?
Let’s talk about bringing JP Pawliw-Fry or Bill Benjamin to your next event.  Reach out to us today!