Associates share what it takes to succeed at Danaher

What personality traits help people thrive in our innovation-driven culture? 

When we asked our associates what makes someone successful at Danaher, their answers revealed something interesting: it’s not about having a specific background or checking certain boxes. Instead, it’s about how you approach challenges, collaborate with others and embrace continuous improvement. 

Goal-oriented with big-picture vision

The work at Danaher is rarely linear. Adam Chernick, PhD/MBA, at IDT explains it this way: “We are always innovating, which means our work can change a lot over the course of a project or initiative.” This constant evolution requires people who can adapt while staying focused on the ultimate objective.

The most successful Danaher employees don’t get derailed by changing circumstances—they view shifts as opportunities to find better solutions. They maintain clarity about what they’re trying to accomplish, even when the path to get there evolves. 

Natural problem solvers who ask “why” 

“If you’re someone who’s naturally curious, likes to solve problems, and doesn’t mind rolling up your sleeves to figure things out, you’ll probably do well here,” says Danaher’s Matt Hicks. This curiosity isn’t just encouraged at Danaher—it’s essential.

Emotionally intelligent collaborators

With work spanning disciplines and requiring close collaboration between teams, emotional intelligence is crucial. Sarah Kehoe at Danaher says this trait is “extremely important” and “a key to executing on the successful innovator ingredients of working well in teams.” 

Adam Chernick adds that strong communication skills are vital because “much of the work we do spans different disciplines and requires associates with very different backgrounds to work closely together.” The ability to bridge communication gaps between technical experts, business leaders and customer teams isn’t just helpful—it’s how breakthrough innovation happens. 

Resilient and agile under pressure 

Working on products and solutions that impact human health requires a particular kind of resilience. Speaking from her experience at Beckman Coulter, Sheralyn Loxton notes: “Our work is important and people’s lives depend on it. You need resilience to work in a fast-paced environment with the pressure to deliver the highest quality work for our customers.” 

This isn’t about tolerating stress—it’s about channeling that pressure into focused excellence while maintaining the agility to adapt as situations change.

Driven by mission and impact 

Perhaps most importantly, the people who thrive at Danaher are genuinely motivated by the company’s mission. Sarah Kehoe looks for candidates who are “passionate and drawn to our mission to innovate at the speed of life for the purpose of helping improve the lives of patients around the world.” 

Determined yet flexible problem solvers

One of the unique aspects of Danaher’s culture is its combination of determination and flexibility. Logan Haller describes this as people who embody both “flexibility” and “determination”—they’re persistent in pursuing solutions for customers while remaining adaptable in their approach. 

This supports Danaher’s value of “best team wins.” Associates compete for customers and shareholders while working together as teammates, channeling their determination toward external challenges while remaining generous collaborators internally.

The data-driven mindset 

Success at Danaher also means being comfortable with data-driven decision making and “going to Gemba”—getting to where the real work happens. Igor Zeltzer explains: “We go to where the data is. We articulate gaps in as objective forms as possible, and this sets us up for problem-solving.” 

This hands-on approach extends to leadership, where managers are expected to “dive deep” and develop a strong business intuition rather than managing from a distance.

What this means for you 

As you consider whether Danaher might be your next career move, reflect on these characteristics. Do you find energy in complex problems? Are you comfortable with ambiguity and change? Can you stay focused on important goals while remaining flexible about how to achieve them? 

The associates we spoke with emphasized that success here isn’t about being perfect or having all the answers from day one. As Matt Hicks puts it: “It’s about being open to learning, being okay with feedback, and being willing to work through challenges with others.” 

If these traits resonate with how you naturally approach work and challenges, you might find that Danaher is exactly the kind of environment where you’ll do your best work.

Meet our featured associates