Creating Cultures of Belonging

Culture Is Not a Buzzword. It’s a Strategy.

In this episode of Culture Conversations, Megan Robinson sits down with Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to explore a question many leaders think they’ve answered—but often haven’t:

What actually creates a culture where people feel like they belong?

Because culture isn’t built through mission statements or values on a wall.

It’s built in the everyday experiences people have inside your organization.

And if we’re honest, most teams are still trying to figure out how to get that right.

Tease Key Insights

• Belonging is a Performance Driver: When people feel like they truly belong they contribute more openly and collaborate more effectively. Belonging is not created by intention alone. It’s created by experience.

• Culture Lives in the Micro Moments: Bonnie emphasizes that culture is actually shaped in the small, consistent moments such as invitations to conversations, ideas that are acknowledged (or overlooked) and how feedback is given.

• You Can't Build Belonging Without Awareness: Leaders can’t create inclusive, high-performing cultures if they’re not paying attention to their own behaviours and the dynamics within their teams.

  
  

Why this Matters?

We spend so much of our lives at work.

And yet, too many people still feel like they have to shrink themselves to fit into the environments they’re part of.

When leaders commit to building cultures of belonging:

• engagement increases

• trust deepens

• innovation expands

• and performance becomes more sustainable

But more importantly, people feel seen.

And that changes everything.

Listen Now

This conversation with Bonnie is a powerful reminder that culture isn’t something you declare—it’s something you practice.

Take a listen to the full episode and reflect on what belonging looks like in your leadership today.

Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk

President

Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk is a marketing consultant and workplace advisor focused on helping professional services firms grow with intention and build cultures where people want to work and thrive. As the founder of bbr companies, she works closely with accounting and advisory firms to clarify their messaging, strengthen relationships, and connect their expertise with the audiences who need it most.

Bonnie is also the president of the Accounting MOVE Project, an annual research and benchmarking initiative that uses demographic data and workplace culture insights to support greater inclusion and long-term resilience in public accounting. Her work sits at the intersection of culture, talent, and business strategy, particularly around how firms can retain great people while navigating rapid change.

In addition, Bonnie is a co-owner of Rally Rounds, mastermind groups designed to help accounting growth professionals solve problems, better serve their firms, and build meaningful, accountable connections through small group, facilitated conversations.

Bonnie was recently named to Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting list for the sixth time and is known for her fearless, practical approach. She is a trusted voice for firm leaders seeking sustainable growth without losing what makes their organizations human.

Full Episode

Megan:

Hello and welcome to Culture Conversations, the podcast where we explore the people side of work. I'm your host, Megan Robinson. For years, I've found myself deep in discussions about workplace engagement with industry experts. Now I get to share this wisdom with all leaders, new and experienced, on their journeys to build cultures that maximize potential. We spend so much of our lives at work. Let's make it a place where our teams can grow and succeed. Hello and welcome to Culture Conversations. My name is Morgan Robinson and I am thrilled for today's session because we are really going to be talking deep into culture belonging. How do you crack those communities that really bring out your best in teams? And today I have a special guest with me, Bonnie Buell-Russick. She is absolutely fantastic and a true expert in this field, doing deep research, tons of expertise. Bonnie, I'm so excited to introduce you.

Bonnie:

Oh, thank you so much. Wow. Now I feel like I have to live up to something. I really appreciate being here today.

Megan:

Oh, of course. Well, a quick bio about Bonnie just so everyone understands where she's coming from. She's the marketing consultant and workplace advisor focused on helping professional service firms grow with intention, build those cultures where people want to work and thrive. As the founder of BDR Companies, she works closely with those accounting and advisory firms to clarify their messaging, strengthen relationships, and of course, connect their expertise with the audiences who need them most. Bonnie's also the president of the Accounting Move Project, which is an annual research and benchmarking initiative that uses demographic data and workplace culture insights to support greater inclusion and long-term resilience in public accounting. Her work sits at that intersection of culture, talent, business strategy, particularly around how those firms can retain really great people while navigating the rapid change. In addition, Bonnie's also the co-owner of Rally Rounds, a masterminds group designed to help accounting growth professionals solve problems, better serve their firms, and build meaningful, accountable connections through small group facilitated conversations. I think everyone understands why Bonnie is going to be joining us today. On top of all that, Bonnie was recently named accounting today's top 100 most influential people in accounting list for the sixth time and is known for her fearlessness, practical approach. She's a trusted voice for firm leaders seeking sustainable growth without losing what makes sense with their organizations, humans. Thank you, Bonnie.

Bonnie:

I'm tired. Now I understand why. Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

Megan:

It's a lot to hand. And I love that you're at that intersection of such an accounting profession, which tends to be so data driven and analytical, and that marketing profession, which is really a lot of that psychology and that human element. And being able to balance both of those and speak both languages is really, really incredible. It's one of those unique abilities. And you've definitely got it. And seeing how that shows up in your work of creating those cultures that are still measurable and accountable and specific with having that human element is incredible. So when I asked you about some of the things that you're passionate about, you really mentioned creating that work environment where people feel accepted for who they are and supporting that growth in ways that aligns with those strategic goals. Tell me more about that. What does that mean for you?

Bonnie:

I, well, here's the thing. I think there are, and I've had conversations with a lot of people that are working in environments where they don't feel like they can be themselves. And, you know, a lot of times people are like, bring your whole self to work. And I think that's great. We are not talking about, you know, showing up in your PJs and, you know, that sort of whole self. But if you can't, Be yourself and be comfortable in the environment where you're working. You're trying to tamp down part of yourself, right? You're maybe being less open and that energy that you're spending trying to be what you think you need to be to thrive in that office environment is energy you're not spending on taking care of your clients or learning new things. And so it just becomes this internal battle of sorts, right? I specifically remember, and this has been a number of years ago, but I was having a conversation with a senior manager at a Midwestern accounting firm, and he was telling me that, you know, he he was gay. He had a child with his partner of, I want to say they've been together like 15 years, long time. But yet he did not feel comfortable being out at work. He could not have pictures of his family on his desk like his straight counterparts could. And, you know, he was constantly worried about being outed or somebody saying something And, you know, he at the time was looking for another job. He was probably gonna go into, you know, more of a corporate environment than public accounting. And I just remember that drove it home to me that, you know, I felt for him. Like I can't imagine just having to hide such a big and important part of yourself to thrive in a work environment. And he loved public accounting. He loved the what he did for clients. He loved his clients, but there were leadership at that firm that were very comfortable making really inappropriate gay jokes and things like that, and he knew that he was not ever going to be able to thrive in that environment or be promoted in that environment, and he dreaded the Christmas parties because, you know, you're supposed to bring your spouse or your significant other, and he couldn't, you know. I know I'm giving you a really long answer to something, but it is kind of one of those things that drove home the idea that people should be able to be who they are and feel safe doing so.

Megan:

Is that the story that really was the turning point for you, or how did you get involved with this, or championing this cause?

Bonnie:

You know, I think part of it is I live in Atlanta, Georgia, and it is, Uh, the, at one point, I don't know if this is still the case, but it was like the third largest environment for, um, or we had the third largest percentage of gay citizens per capita. Um, and part of that's because it's the big city in the South and people from all over the South that are not supported in the, in the cities or where they live at the time would come to Atlanta and, you know, be able to thrive. Um, That was one of the things, you know, and hearing that specifically about public accounting and the environment and how important that culture and the environment that you work in and all of that was a bit of a tipping point for me. There were a number of them, but that one always sticks with me.

Megan:

Of course, it's powerful and it's something that's relatable and not relatable because there's so many challenges for people and that being one aspect where they feel that they can't share. And that's definitely the extreme. And I imagine it shows up in a lot of smaller ways, just as much as those big ways.

Bonnie:

Oh, yeah. And, you know, culture is so important to, you know, I talked to so many firm leaders now and, you know, they, about how is it they're creating their culture, what is important to their culture, and it is not always what you expect it to be, necessarily. And that's okay, too. I think as long as you're honest about it and, you know, the type of environment you want to create, the type of culture you want to create, and you share that with employees, you share that with people you're interviewing, you know, hopefully you can paint a honest picture. I think a lot of times what happens is people have aspirational, excuse me, aspirational ideas about what they want their culture to be and they talk about that But yet they don't invest the time or the energy or the resources that are needed to actually create that culture. So, what I have heard from some folks is that they feel like they were sold a bill of goods in a way, and that all these promises were made, but what they thought they were. real and what they were was they were promises and aspirational. So, you know, I think that's another one of the challenges of we have to be really honest with ourselves about what kind of environment have we created? And if it's not the type of environment that we want to have, then what are we going to do to reach that aspiration that we have instead of just talking about it and not making it happen?

Megan:

I think that's so powerful because that honesty with that, I love that you phrase it as honesty, that reality check, the, I'll even say that critical, what's vision versus reality. It's great, especially for leaders to have that vision and this is what we're driving for and this is what we want, but not to actually put together the strategy to implement that. and just leave that that vision out there or that aspirational message is oh this is what we're working towards without having any of those elements to underpin it to make it real.

Bonnie:

Well are you really working toward it you know that's something you have to be really honest with yourself about and it it can be painful that answer when it comes back sometimes.

Megan:

Part of me has an accountability question where I want to know Who's going to hold them accountable to that? Because part of me says it almost needs to be the people and being able to speak up and say, that's not what the reality is. Or that's even telling someone you sold me a bill of goods on this. You said this and you're doing this. Which one is it? Is it fear that gets in the way? Because this would perpetuate unless someone's going to be held accountable. And what does that look like?

Bonnie:

I think it shows up in your recruiting and your retention first because Currently, you know, within public accounting, there is still a fairly substantial talent shortage. So honestly, if you're a talented employee, you can, in a lot of cases, quit a job today and have a different one tomorrow. And that is what I love about Gen Z, is that they're also not shy about doing that. Having a work culture and a work environment where they can contribute, but yet they also feel like they are working towards something, not just financially rewarding, but personally rewarding is important. So if they're being told one thing and they're experiencing another, they're probably going to start looking for another job. And, you know, so I think it shows up in your recruiting and your retention first before it hits maybe your clients or your revenue. And it's that external messaging versus internal reality that if that's at odds, there's only so long that you can keep up that charade.

Megan:

I love that focus on Gen Z. And I do think the more I look at new generations entering the workforce and the challenges everyone says they have with younger generations, it's the same challenges. It's always just washed for whatever they used to say about the young kids of that day when you were going through it, when I was going through it. And it's so interesting because they are the ones that are willing to hold people accountable. They are willing to speak up. They have less of that pressure and they have, in a sense, less to lose, but you also see that employee-employer balance of power start to shift, which is where it becomes critical, where other industries where you don't have that type of freedom or flexibility or confidence, you don't see the change happening as fast, most likely.

Bonnie:

Yeah, yeah. And I'll say when I entered the workforce in my, you know, early 20s, It was in a time when, you know, people were being laid off left and right. It was hard to find a job. So, uh, you know, at that point it was leader, firm leadership or, you know, whoever the C-suite, whatever, um, that were kind of wielding more power. But now with a talent shortage, and this ebbs and flows all the time, you can look at it in like five, six year cycles generally. But yeah, now it's employees that are in that position of power. And I think where I'm Gen X, where we were less reluctant to take that power, I feel like Gen Z is like, we raised Gen Z and we raised them to take it.

Megan:

That's very fair. I'm part of the millennial generation. And I just remember everyone complaining about how entitled we were and how we didn't want to work, right? Everyone thought millennials were entitled and had no work ethic behind them. And a lot of the things that you hear, it's almost getting amplified in every generation, or it just sounds different being on a different side of the table. I'm not sure which one it is.

Bonnie:

I think it's probably a combination of all of it.

Megan:

I'm sure you mentioned a lot about the belonging and that gap between maybe awareness or honesty with it for the executive team setting some of that culture. How do you make sure that you're infusing belonging in part of the culture that you're creating?

Bonnie:

I think one of the most important things to do is to talk to your people and And actually, I will say before you even do that, I think it's really important to have an external resource survey them and find out, okay. Make it as, be as honest as you possibly can. You are safe in your answers here. I've done a lot of these types of surveys. I will tell you every single time I tell leadership that I will not tell them who said anything. And every single time they've asked who said something, I have to go back and say, you remember the conversation we had at the beginning? I'm still here and you are not gonna get names. But, you know, find out where are your weak points. How do your people really feel? And then talk to them. Find out what would make them feel like they belong more. I think so many times we have these, you know, leadership teams that are sitting at tables trying to come up with all the answers when they don't have to. You know, I mean, they're coming at it from a perspective of having worked for a long time of having experienced a lot of different sort of scenarios where your people may not have that much experience or may have completely different experiences and. I love one of the accounting move project firms that has participated for many years. They kind of saw that as an issue and they had it on their executive committee, which was primarily board members and firm partners and things like that. They actually created a couple of revolving seats that was somebody with less than 10 years of experience. And it was also either always a woman or person of color. And the idea was to make sure that all voices were being heard. And, you know, the first couple of times they tried it, it was, you know, these people that were kind of there temporarily were pretty intimidated. And they, you know, so there had to be some conversations around that and that. Their voices really did were important and they wanted to hear what they had to say, but just adding those two seats to an eight person committee made a huge amount of difference and change the tenor of the conversations, because it's not just. a lot of people with a lot of experience, which is important too, but it kind of made for a much more interesting conversation and created outcomes that were much more appreciated by everybody within the firm.

Megan:

I love one, making sure that you have an openness for it, because even when you prep someone that you're gonna get some feedback and you may not have all those details, it's so funny how much they still want that. Every time I do a 360, every time I do some sort of feedback survey, I always say, do not try to find out who said what. I know it's natural instinct, but you can't do it. I won't tell you. critical. People do it intuitively, but having that openness, having that flexibility, being willing to receive some criticism, I think are just great listening skills are frankly often what's missed for a lot of leadership and what is necessary. But I love this aspect of also forcing that opinion or encouraging that opinion through more formalized structure, not just through the anonymous or getting that feedback outside of it, but also infusing it into your daily course of business of putting those seats on the board. Because I guarantee not only did they get the perspective from those seats, but they also improved their leadership skills by learning how to include them, by coaching those people into the other, like they would have never gotten that practice, they would have changed, they would have never had a change in the style of conversations, in the desire to listen, because so often those executive meetings and those board meetings are not about listening to each other.

Bonnie:

Yeah. I mean, sometimes they are, but a lot of times it's just, you know, when you're anything that's homogenous. So, you know, it's a group of people in there generally often say late 40s to early 60s. Frequently, you know, primarily men, primarily white and, you know, and you're primarily also upper middle class in their, you know, how they were raised and how they've lived. And that's an important voice to have too. I am in no way saying that we don't need those voices because we do, but we also need other voices because it's when you're coming from different walks of life, different experiences and everything, you have so many, different ideas and people are coming at problems from different perspectives that you create much better answers. And I think a lot of times that's what gets missed too.

Megan:

I love that perspective. Okay, last question. Because you worked across a ton of different firms, you've seen a lot of different leadership, a lot of different teams. What are some of those leadership behaviors that you see are most strongly tied with more of that sustainable growth, regardless of generation, regardless of those titles? What are those core behaviors that you see?

Bonnie:

You know, tied to growth, that's a good question. Sustainable growth. Sustainable growth is one thing. I would say a willingness to evolve. And to evolve in a way that, you know, AI has just entered, not just entered our world, but is definitely the thing that everybody is talking about. I don't know if you've looked at any conference schedules for 2026, but it's like wall to wall AI. You know, so how are we going to evolve to get what we need from this tool without losing what is core to what we do and how we serve our clients? So and I think another one I would say is investing in your people as a strategy and not as a perk. So things like, you know, we are here to make sure that you have all the information you need. We have firms that we talked to this year in the MOVE Project that are investing in mental health for their employees, not just the, what is the ESP? There's a very popular program, but like, very expanding on that. So making sure that you remember that it's the people that are really the most important part of the firm and investing in them in a way that is going to return long-term results.

Megan:

I love that. I love that so much, especially this is being recorded at the beginning of the year. And so having that new year, that strategy, really focusing on where that investment is, but also I always call it kind of the growth mindset, a little bit trite by now, but making sure that you're balancing both that where you want to be growing and how you want to be investing in them. Critical leadership skills. Thanks, Bonnie. Is there any other tips or tools that you'd like to share to help people really make sure that they're connecting and creating those cultures of belonging?

Bonnie:

I would say just, again, listen to your people. Be open to hearing things you don't want to hear. And then, you know, respond to that so you don't have to hear those same complaints over and over again, right? And, you know, anybody that's interested in learning more about the Accounting Move Project, that's our website. And we are always looking for firms to participate. The more firms that participate, the better information we have to share with the profession. And we have reports going all the way back to 2010 on the website, free reports that are what we learned this year kind of thing. So feel free to go there and download whatever you want to, and if you have any questions, just reach out.

Megan:

Thank you. I've personally read a couple of the reports, several of them, and they're just chock full of information and trends and the resources and making sure that you're shining the spotlight on it because you're going to learn where you stack up, what's happening, what's emerging with it, and getting that type of information and data just continues to make you more robust as a leader. It gives you more of those ideas. It's more conversation topics to take back to your team as we continue to grow together. So thank you for doing the work. We will include that in the show notes links to the Accounting Move project. If you do know of an accounting firm that would like to participate or you think they should participate, please send them the information. And if you do want to reach out to Bonnie, I do encourage that. She has a wealth of knowledge and this information, but she's also, we even get to tap into the incredible marketing genius and those mastermind groups on how you, again, create those cultures, create those communities, and that shared understanding that really, really has that sustainable growth. Thank you so much.

Bonnie:

Thank you.

Megan:

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Culture Conversations. I'm your host, Megan Robinson, founder of eLeader Experience, a professional leadership development company. Today, we shared actionable ideas to navigate the evolving workplace landscape, compete for talent, and build cultures that maximize potential. If you're looking to learn more about how to support your organization's leaders, you can learn more about our work at eLeaderExperience.com. Now get out there and contribute positively to your organization's culture with your own conversations.