I was once a toxic employee but instead of getting fired, my 'remarkable results' got me promoted to president. My new startup has an award-winning company culture - here's how I did it.

• JT McCormick is the president and CEO of Scribe Media, a publishing company ranked #1 Best Place to Work in Austin by the Austin Business Journal.
• McCormick recalls being promoted to President of a software company and thinking he would never hire himself, now that he was the leader of a company.
• He explains how giving praise in group settings and accepting criticism helped him grow from being a selfish salesperson to a team-focused leader.
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When I was promoted to President of a software company eight years ago, I walked into my new office and was struck by the realization that this was not just about me anymore - I was now responsible for the livelihoods of hundreds of people.

This sudden awareness of what it means to be the leader of the company came from a simple question:

As President, would I hire myself?

The answer was a resounding "no."

I can admit now that up until that day, I had not been a culture fit for the company. In fact, I was downright toxic. My remarkable results as the Executive VP of Sales got me promoted to President, but deep down, I knew I didn't deserve the job.

Prior to that moment, it had been all about me. I would close deal after deal - even those we shouldn't have taken - chasing sales targets with a complete disregard for the stress it put on our engineers.

Although I was considered a superstar in the company, I wasn't yet a leader. Not even close.

We had a solid culture before I became president, but it wasn't anything to write home about. In the years following my promotion, the company was consistently recognized for its culture and started ranking among the top ten best employers in Texas.

When I left to join a new startup, Scribe Media, the practices that served our team at the software company had a similar result. We were named America's #1 Company Culture by Entrepreneur Magazine, and the #1 best small company to work in Austin by the Austin Business Journal.

Creating a thriving company culture for your team isn't easy, but it is simple. Here are the principles that served me in growing from a selfish salesperson to a team-focused leader.

1. Allow everyone to be themselves at work, and support them when they do

You know the saying, "It's business, not personal"? I can't stand it. None of us are Batman. I reject the idea that people should have different selves for work and for life.

The average person will spend 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime. Work should be a harmonious part of life, so instead of trying to achieve work-life balance, we strive for total life alignment instead.

At Scribe, we've created a "Whole Self" Program, which includes everything from monthly mentorship and coaching sessions, to deeply emotional work like doing a One Last Talk, an exercise that helps participants uncover and speak their truth by asking, "If you were to leave this planet tomorrow, what would you say, and who would you say it to?"

By fostering connection, we've been able to remove the artificial walls separating work life from personal life, to support and accept our people for who they are as a whole. We've helped members of our tribe achieve major personal and professional breakthroughs.

2. View criticism as the beginning of a conversation, not the end

True professionals always try to improve, which can only come from honest and direct feedback. Improvement does not come from mindless praise.

We see confrontation as good, so long as the idea is being confronted, not the person. People want to feel like their identity is safe - even if their ideas are not. By discussing only the idea ("Idea X is bad, because of reason Y"), and never putting the person down ("You are stupid for having Idea X"), you can create an environment that has people intensely debating and rigorously scrutinizing ideas.

The best way to work together effectively is to share and combine all of our best ideas, wisdom and knowledge. Create a discussion space where ideas are discussed honestly.

3. Give praise in group settings

I never understood the idea of waiting until someone's funeral to say out loud how wonderful we think they were. If you think highly of someone, wouldn't it be so much better to just tell them in person?

At Scribe, we run a "Strengths and Obstacles" session once per year, where the entire company celebrates one employee at a time - not just for their work accomplishments, but for all the things that make them special as a person.

This environment creates a powerful impact on people, many of whom have never heard such direct input on what makes them special, especially from colleagues. I've never missed a single session, and I can say that, without fail, everyone leaves with a deeper self-understanding, more confidence, and stronger bonds than they thought was possible.

4. Provide in abundance for your employees

While workers today jump between jobs an average of 12 times in their careers, it's our job as servant leaders to build a company that people want to work at until they retire.

A big part of that means providing the best benefits that you're able to offer your employees. Don't leave them wondering how they'll take care of themselves or their families if or when they get injured or sick - and that goes beyond insurance.

Scribe has a one-time emergency fund available for Tribe members who find themselves in a challenging situation. If they are in a pinch, the company will provide them with $1,500 dollars. No questions asked. No repayment required.

If you want people to thrive in your culture and measure their tenure in decades, not years, it's important to create an environment that provides for team members and helps them grow. In an ideal world, they should always have the option to leave, but should never want to.