Culture by Design: How Guiding Principles Built a Best Place to Work

For the fifth consecutive year, Kenway Consulting is honored to be named one of the Best Places to Work in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business, a distinction it has earned in five of the past six years. Ranking 28th on the 2025 Best Places to Work in Chicago is an honor Kenway doesn’t take for granted. This achievement is driven by the culture we’ve cultivated and the Guiding Principles that shape how we operate.

At its core, Kenway’s success comes down to one thing: an unwavering commitment to our cultural foundation. Our Guiding Principles are not slogans on a poster or phrases tucked away in an employee handbook: They are the living, breathing standards by which we make decisions, hire talent, deliver client work, and treat one another. These standards are why Kenway employees consistently describe our workplace as authentic, empowering, and deeply human.

Treating Each Individual Uniquely

One of Kenway’s foundational beliefs is to treat each individual uniquely: To welcome and respect the uniqueness of every person we engage with. We believe that every employee brings a distinctive combination of experiences, perspectives, and potential. Rather than molding people to fit a predefined template, we create an environment that allows them to grow into the best version of themselves. From this belief emerged Kenway’s goal-setting and mentorship framework, through which employees set personalized development goals to pursue throughout the year with guidance from their career counselors or senior leaders.

This principle shapes how we approach mentorship, professional development, and project assignments. Employees are encouraged to stretch into challenging work, backed by leaders who support rather than dictate their path. The emphasis on individuality also fuels our commitment to diversity, celebrating our differences as sources of strength and creativity.

Integrity

To Kenway, integrity means more than honesty: It means consistency between what we believe, what we say, and what we do. We hold ourselves to the standard of doing what’s right, even when it’s not easy or profitable.

This approach permeates every level of our business, from how we engage with clients to how we recruit new team members. Our hiring process seeks individuals who not only possess the right skills but also demonstrate a deep alignment with our values. Employees are trusted to bring their ideas to life in ways that reflect our values and commitment to integrity.

The result is a culture where trust thrives: Trust between employees and leadership, between project teams, and between us and our clients. That trust, in turn, creates the psychological safety needed for innovation, collaboration, and long-term success.

Means Over Outcomes

Perhaps the most distinctive of our Guiding Principles is our commitment to Means Over Outcomes. In a results-driven world, this mindset can feel counterintuitive, but it’s what makes Kenway who we are.

We believe that how we achieve something matters just as much as what we achieve. We never compromise our principles or integrity for short-term wins. Whether it’s a business deal, a client engagement, or an internal initiative, Kenway evaluates success not solely by outcomes but by whether the process aligned with our values. For example, in a recent engagement, our team opened an honest conversation with client stakeholders about their future-state vision. While the “easy” path would have been to keep Kenway engaged indefinitely, helping the client build in-house expertise was ultimately the better route to long-term success. Kenway then supported the client in pursuing this vision: One where they would no longer be reliant on us.

This philosophy gives Kenway employees clarity and confidence. They know they will be supported when they make decisions for the right reasons, even if those decisions don’t immediately maximize revenue. That freedom fosters accountability, creativity, and pride in one’s work. It’s why our employees are both productive and fulfilled.

Connection Through Communication

Strong communication is another pillar of our culture. Kenway believes in communicating swiftly and effectively through all channels, whether the news is good or bad.

Internally, this means open debate and active listening before decisions are made, followed by full alignment once a direction is chosen. Externally, it means transparency and responsiveness with our clients. We see communication not just as an exchange of information, but as a way of building trust and connection. By fostering clear, honest dialogue, we avoid the misunderstandings and silos that can undermine teamwork. Employees feel informed and included, and clients feel confident that we are true partners in their success. In a recent project, the Kenway team had to communicate a difficult truth: Our client simply lacked the headcount to deliver everything they wanted within their desired timeframe. Instead of creating an unrealistic project plan, Kenway worked closely with the client to prioritize the highest-value deliverables while helping build a business case to address the organizational challenges limiting their success. Working from a place of understanding and empathy, Kenway was able to deliver value far beyond “just” project deliverables.

Entrepreneurial Spirit & Tenacity

Our final principle, Entrepreneurial Spirit and Tenacity, captures the drive that keeps our culture dynamic. We encourage every employee to act like an owner: To identify opportunities, challenge the status quo, and contribute ideas for improving how we work.

Team members are empowered to shape internal operations, lead new initiatives, and help build the company’s future. We never rest on our laurels, and we constantly look ahead to maintain and strengthen our strategic advantages.

That sense of shared ownership creates engagement. Employees aren’t just working at the company: They’re actively helping to build it.

Why Culture Matters

When people ask why Kenway employees are so engaged, they sometimes expect the answer to involve perks: Flexible work arrangements, social events, or generous benefits. While Kenway does take care of our people in those ways, the real differentiator is cultural alignment.

Our employees know that they are part of a community built on respect, integrity, communication, and shared accountability. They understand that our principles are not negotiable, and that our leadership is genuinely committed to living them. That is what makes this a place where people want to come to work every day.

In an era when many organizations struggle with employee disengagement, burnout, and distrust, Kenway’s culture remains a competitive advantage. It’s the reason we attract top talent, deliver exceptional client outcomes, and earn recognition as one of the best workplaces in Chicago.

Holding true to “means over outcomes”, Kenway does not chase awards, but when we receive them, they affirm what we already know: that a strong, values-driven culture doesn’t just make for a great workplace. It makes us one of the Best Places to Work in Chicago.

As we celebrate this recognition, we’re reminded that culture isn’t a finish line - It’s something we build together every day. I’m grateful to my colleagues for making Kenway what it is, and we’re excited to keep growing, learning, and leading with our Guiding Principles at the heart of everything we do.