Rebuilding Culture Beyond Compliance w/ John Dickerson – Ep. 68

Most IDD leaders don’t intend for their culture to drift into compliance mode… but it happens. High turnover, stretched-thin supervisors, endless documentation, and increasing regulation all push agencies toward control instead of connection.

In this conversation, John Dickerson—founder of MyQuillo, longtime ARC leader, and master storyteller—joins Nate to unpack why compliance-heavy culture takes root… and how leaders can turn things around.

This episode is packed with stories that will make you rethink orientation, DSP relationships, behavior plans, “independence,” and what culture actually looks like day to day.

If you’ve ever wondered why parts of your organization feel flat, reactive, or disconnected—and what leaders can DO about it—this episode will feel like a breath of fresh air.

Part 1 of 2.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 — “Every minute of every day you’re building culture…”
01:49 — Why organizations slip into compliance mode
04:04 — John’s journey: ARC leadership → “failed retirement” → MyQuillo
07:25 — The real orientation problem: training without relationships
10:36 — “What’s your good life?” — the moment a DSP was asked the right question
15:41 — When rigid plans override common sense (the Steelers story)
23:13 — “What brings you joy?” — the church choir story
26:12 — Eddie’s yellow folder: seeing only failures instead of strengths
31:46 — The pizza story: when behavior plans miss the point
40:00 — Rethinking supervision and the future of person-centered services
46:30 — Action Move: Ask “What brings you joy?” + burnout assessment link

Learn More
Explore MyQuillo:
➡️ https://myquillo.com/

Register for an upcoming free, live session in collaboration with the Institute on Community Integration from UMN:
➡️ https://iddleader.com/