Tag: company culture

How to Build a Culture for Modern Workplaces

Written by Culture Summit on August 19, 2024. Posted in Company Culture.

Most companies don’t invest in their people.

It’s unsurprising to see these team members be unhappy, underperform, and leave for a better company.

To get the best out of your people, Shane Metcalf knew he had to radically change the way we work.

Shane is the former Chief Culture Officer of 15Five. Before starting the company, Shane had invested in extensive personal development training that had changed his life.

He knew how complex humans could be. Each person has a unique history of wounds, traumas, strengths, dreams, and passions.

Instead of ignoring this history to “get work done faster,” knowing this history can unlock a whole new level of innovation (and happiness).

Shane calls this approach to work as Dynamic Human Leadership.

Over the last 8 years of instilling a culture focused on personal growth, 15Five has grown from 0 to 200+ employees. They’ve won numerous Culture awards that include ranking #3 in Glassdoor’s 2020 Best Places to Work.

Shane credits a big part of the company’s success to Dynamic Human Leadership. Now he’s here to break down what that looks like in practice.

Get to know people at uncommon levels

Humans have a core desire to feel seen and understood. When we hear people’s stories and share our own, we build trust amongst the team.

More trust = more safety = more creative ideas.

There are two big things that Shane does for every team member when they join the company.

Best-Self Kickoff

They start every new hire with a Best-Self Kickoff.

This is a 2-hour meeting between an employee and their manager to get to know each other at an uncommon level.

What are your career ambitions?
What do you hope to get out of their new role?
How do you like to receive feedback?

Questions like these. We don’t want managers to assume their new hire will be like the previous direct report. This conversation is an opportunity for folks in this new relationship to make the implicit, explicit.

The Best-Self Kickoff builds a strong foundation between the employee and manager, which positively impacts their relationship for the years to come.

Weekly 1-on-1s beyond work

Like other companies, managers have 1-on-1s with their direct reports to hold them accountable for the things they said they were going to do.

But at 15Five, they also add time for the manager to help with the employee’s personal growth. These are things they want to accomplish in life, beyond their career.

This intention shows the employee how much the company cares about them as a human, not just as an employee.

Create opportunities for self-revealing and authentic relating

People often wear their “professional masks” when they’re at work and let loose to “be themselves” when it’s the weekend.

15Five created a culture where people can let their true personality shine at work. To do this, they needed to create safe opportunities for people to take these masks off.

Activity #1 – Question Friday

Once a month, the team gets on a Zoom call for Question Friday, a simple and powerful practice that connects the team together.

The “Question Master” for that month chooses a fun question to ask the rest of the company.

How did you spend your money as a teenager?
What’s one of their happiest memories as a child?
What’s the book that shaped your life the most?
What teachers made a really strong impact on you?
If you had $20M in the bank, what would you do?
In an alternate reality, what other career are you in right now?

Then people will go into breakout rooms and share their answers in small groups. It only takes 30 minutes but everyone gets to know each other better in unexpected, delightful, and surprising ways.

Even after 8 years, Shane still learns new things from his colleagues!

Question Friday gives people a chance to share a unique story that has made them who they are today. We feel more empathy and compassion toward each other when we honor and respect each other’s history.

Activity #2 – Meeting on Ramps

Meetings at work generally focus on external items.

How many tasks were completed
How many leads came in that week
How much revenue was generated that month

While those things are important, Shane never wants to forget to check in with how each human is doing first.

Shane calls this practice Meeting on Ramps.

He believes our internal state shapes our ability to produce external results. So Meeting on Ramps is an easy way to create a little bit of space to hear how people are really doing.

What’s a one-word emotion to how you feel?
What’s your internal weather report right now?
What’s your mental and physical energy level on a scale of 1-10?

By asking these questions, we allow people not to hide how they feel and show that we accept them for how they are.

You can have a more productive meeting where trust is built and everybody’s voice is heard.

Practice Radical Strengths Alignment

People are happier and perform better when they are utilizing their natural strengths.

When people use their strengths regularly, they’re 3x more likely to be engaged and 6x more likely to report an excellent quality of life.

But not everyone knows what they are. So 15Five pays for everyone to complete assessments like Strengthsfinder. Then they host a half-day workshop with a facilitator to help people digest their results and integrate them in the workplace.

This was a huge lightbulb moment for everyone on the team. It felt like an epiphany for many people to see how they could connect their natural strengths to the company.

Shane shared that the best part was learning what other people’s strengths were. They helped managers better align their direct reports to tasks that were a better fit.

If you want incredible results from your team, you need to help people unlock their genius and align their work to their natural strengths.

Make personal goal setting and life visioning a part of business as usual

Shane knew that when he felt aligned in his personal life, he went to work with more purpose. Because he better understood how work was closely connected to his personal and life goals.

So he prioritized his team to take part in two transformational growth activities.

Painted Picture

Entrepreneur Cameron Herold created a visioning exercise called the Painted Picture. This could be used for both your business and personal life.

The task is to write out the story of where you want to be in 3 years.

Fill in as much detail of your future self as you can.

Where you’re living
Who your friends are
How much money you’re making
How your career is going
What you’re doing on a day-to-day basis

Write it in the present tense, as if it’s happening in the moment. Then read your Painted Picture every week to recenter you toward your goals.

3 Most Important Questions

Entrepreneur Vishen Lakhani has an exercise called the 3 Most Important Questions.

What do you want to experience in life?
What do you want to learn?
What do you want to contribute?

Answer these individually. Then paste your answer into a shared document that anyone at work can read. By sharing your answers, your team can see what you want and help you get there.

Shane read that one of his team members wanted to drive a racecar. His uncle works for NASCAR and he arranged to have Mitch check out a core life experience.

The company goes from a transactional relationship to being a vehicle to help people realize their dreams.

Conclusion

Obviously the business has to win to support these Dynamic Human Leadership initiatives.

But even in the beginning, Shane wanted to weave these parts in sooner than later so the company builds that strong foundation of trust.

15Five is a shining example of how good things happen when you deeply invest in your team’s personal well-being.

Shaping Your Culture: An Interview with Rian Finnegan

Written by Culture Summit on July 29, 2024. Posted in Company Culture, Interviews.

We’re thrilled to have Rian Finnegan, a leading Employer Brand Strategist who has significantly influenced major B2C tech companies such as Snap Inc., Peloton, Instacart, as a key speaker at Culture Summit 2024!

We interviewed Rian to learn more about their Culture journey and why Rian’s session focused on building an employer brand at any stage of a company is unmissable at this year’s event!

Q: Could you introduce yourself to our audience and provide them with an insight into your work in the Culture Space?

A: My work has always centered on creating meaningful connections, whether it’s between bands and their fans, candidates and the right opportunities, employees and company missions, companies to causes, or local community members to each other via tasty vegan pastries.

Over the past decade, I’ve dedicated myself to building and leading employer brand teams at large B2C tech companies (Snap Inc., Peloton, Instacart, Squarespace, Pandora Music), particularly during periods of significant transformation and scaling.

In 2021, my partner and I embarked on a new adventure, co-founding Little Loaf Bakeshop in the Hudson Valley, New York. We focus on sparking joy through delicious, creative, and high-quality vegan pastries that incorporate as many local ingredients as possible. In our two short years, we have become known as a community-centric business that facilitates connection and provides a warm and welcoming place for all—with a specific lens on the LGBTQ+ community.

I’m also deeply committed to advocacy and volunteer work. I serve on the executive board of Lesbians Who Tech, an organization that champions LGBTQ+ representation and visibility in the tech industry. Additionally, I volunteer as a marketing lead for Work on Climate, a non-profit dedicated to building the workforce humanity needs to address climate change in an equitable and just manner.

Q: What initially sparked your passion for the HR/Culture/People domain, and how has it evolved throughout your career?

A: Earlier in my career, I was an event/concert producer at Pandora Music. My boss at the time transitioned from an external events role to an internal culture role, and given how much I loved working for the company and the relevant skills I had developed in event production and marketing, I pitched her on a job and we worked together to bring me over to her team. The rest is [employer brand] history!

Q: Can you recount the most valuable piece of work or culture-related advice you’ve received in your journey?

“When it comes to shaping your culture, involve your employees early and often. They are the ones who truly shape and carry the culture, and taking their input seriously will help them feel recognized for the critical role they play.” – Me (I’m sure others have said something similar).

“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” – Life advice, quote by Epictetus.

Q: We would like to delve into the session you’ll be presenting at this year’s Culture Summit. What motivated you to choosing the topic of building an employer brand at any stage of a company?

A: The world we live in—including the world of work—is evolving faster than we can keep up with. As a result, we are in an incredibly volatile work climate and job security and stability are not guaranteed. I believe this will lead to the continued normalization of professional “gig work,” aka consulting, freelancing, or fractional leadership, as well as the rise of individuals starting their own small companies, or even completely reinventing what they do for a living.

This shift provides a pause that allows you to think about the kind of business owner or leader that you want to be, the kind of company you want to build, and how you want to show up in the world of work (and beyond).

For those embarking on a freelance or fractional journey, this is an opportunity to look inward and articulate your values and operating principles, identify what you are uniquely positioned to bring to the table, and take ownership of your career narrative.

For leaders building a new company, you are called to connect deeply with your team members as you define what kind of business you want to be, how you engage with each other and with customers and clients, and what is most important to look for when you hire.

For those working full-time within a company, this exercise will help you more clearly understand your values and principles and how they connect with those of the organization, allowing you to be true to yourself and how you lead, drive projects forward, and engage with others.

I am passionate about this topic, having recently transitioned from leading internal Employer Brand teams to owning a business with employees in a completely different field, in addition to doing professional gig work. There is immense power in these exercises that can help you grow your business, make tough decisions, and ultimately feel proud of the work you are doing—and how you show up when you do it.

Q: If you had to highlight one compelling reason why attendees shouldn’t miss your session, what would it be?

A: My session Building an Employer Brand at Any Stage Company, will be designed to get folks thinking about their own purpose, values, and EVP, regardless of whether they are working at a company, starting their own, or consulting. Doing so will help inform the kind of leader they want to be, the kinds of companies they want to work for, the types of clients they agree to work with, and, ultimately, how they move through the world.

Q: Finally, what aspects of the Culture Summit in San Diego 2024 are you personally looking forward to the most?

A: Seeing so many friends and meeting so many more! Also, learning about how leaders and teams are navigating this challenging job market and pushing their companies not to forget the human element of their workforce.

Conclusion

Rian’s session, “Building an Employer Brand at Any Stage Company,” is an unmissable opportunity for anyone looking to enhance their employer brand and foster a positive company culture. This session will provide invaluable insights and practical exercises to help you define your company’s values, purpose, and culture.

Don’t miss out on this inspiring session on Monday, October 7, from 2:00pm to 2:45pm PT. Mark your calendars and join us at the Culture Summit 2024!

Learn more about Rian Finnigan

How Prioritizing Culture Helped Instacart Become a Unicorn Company

Written by Culture Summit on July 19, 2024. Posted in Uncategorized.

Max Mullen and two friends grew Instacart to a $10B company over the last 12 years. He credits their success to hiring the right people and building a world-class culture.

We invited Max to share his framework on how he designed, measured, and scaled the culture at Instacart.

Max’s distills how he sees Culture in four key phases:

Define Culture
Design Culture
Measure Culture
Scaling Culture

While the things that worked for Instacart may not be applicable for everyone, we’re confident there will be at least one key lesson that you can implement for your company.

Let’s dive in.

#1 – Define Culture

When you ask people to define the word “culture,” you’ll hear dozens of different interpretations. To get on the same page, Max defines Culture as the consciousness of your company.

Below is a framework that Max created to define Instacart’s culture.

Base – Artifacts

The artifacts are the company’s core values, mission statement, and brand.

It’s crucial for the founding team to develop this foundation first before designing how your culture functions. Once you have this base, it’s time to make them come to life in four key areas.

Area #1 – People

People are who you are & what you stand for.

Leadership: do you ‘walk the walk’? Your leadership team must live out your company’s artifacts as positive role models so their team can follow suit.
Organization: how is the company structured? How you design your organizational structure strongly affects your culture. Everything from answering who reports directly to the CEO, what teams are organized under which teams, or how big is the average team size at the company.
Relationships: do people care about one another? Your team does better work when there’s cohesion. Relationships become extremely important when your company goes through adversity.

Area #2 – Ambitions

Ambitions are defined as what you do and why it matters.

Vision: do you have a clear future vision? To do their best work, your team should not have any doubts about what the company’s direction is.
Strategy: how does your strategy connect to your mission? Your team needs to see how your vision connects to the mission statement.

Priorities: how aligned are your actual goals with your values? Where you place your resources shows your team what things are actually important for your company.

Area #3 – Rewards

Rewards are behaviors you encourage & reinforce.

Traditions: what stories and traditions do you pass on to every employee? Sharing this knowledge helps team members understand what’s expected in the organization.
Recognition: what does it look like to do a good job at your company and how do people give thanks? Clearly define what excellence looks like and praise team members for their good deeds.
Rewards: who gets promoted, how are people compensated, and what expectations do you set? How you answer these questions sets up the entire incentive system at your company.

Area #4 – Environment

Environment is defined as the content & tools you provide.

Workplace: what’s your physical (or virtual) environment like? Communicate how you work to potential employees so they know what to expect.
Policies: are there a lot of rules? Do you default to trusting employees to do the right things? Make these policies clear.
Systems & tools: what’s in your starter kit for employees? Set your employees for success by giving them tools they need to do their job well on day one.

#2 – Design Culture

Now that you’ve defined your culture, it’s time to design your culture. But this really depends on the stage of your company.

Designing culture in the early days (~10 people)

You have a small team. So your culture simply boils down to the people + core values. And your core values are defined as the founding team’s personal values.

Questions to ask yourselves:

What do we collectively value?
How do we work best?
What does this business need to be successful?

When Instacart first started, they discovered the founding team shared the value of being resourceful.

They didn’t have fancy offices. They cut unnecessary costs. They did things as affordably as they could because that’s what the business needed to be successful.

Designing culture across teams (~100 people)

At the medium stage, culture is more about your people and core values. Your company’s history matters.

History can include company traditions, stories, and even memes.

Ask yourselves:

What marks our most successful employees special?
What rituals exist today and how can we incorporate them into our culture?

You can look back at your company’s history to see data on what worked within your team. Pull out the biggest things that moved the needle and incorporate those items into your company’s traditions.

Designing culture in a larger org (1,000+)

Beyond people, core values, and history, your purpose becomes a stronger pull more than ever at large companies.

Once you have over 1,000 employees, people don’t just show up to work because they feel like it. They need to be drawn to your purpose or why you exist in the world.

Ask yourselves:

Who are our culture carriers?
What’s our unique view on work?
What gets us out of bed in the morning?
What’s your Ikigai?

Prospective employees care about these things when considering joining your company. The more you can define your purpose, the more success you’ll have in attracting the right people at scale.

#3 – Measure Culture

Some people on your team might not be convinced how important it is to invest $ in building company culture. That’s why it’s crucial to measure how culture is impacting the company’s goals.

Measuring culture can be tricky–there aren’t clear metrics like a sales team. However Max was able to measure culture in three distinct ways.

Employee Engagement: The most standard way to measure employee engagement is through surveys. This is both a qualitative and quantitative approach on seeing how your team is doing.
Employee Experience: Ask employees “what is it like to work here every day?” or “how do you describe the culture to other people?” You may uncover many unique insights that you normally wouldn’t find through surveys.
Employer Brand: This is less about who you actually are and more about how you market yourself. What does your “careers” page look like? What are your GlassDoor ratings? These external-facing pages give different perspective about who you are and how you portray yourself to others.

#4 – Scale Culture

A big mistake founders make after doing all this amazing work is not keeping the culture alive.

Culture isn’t something you set up once and forget it. You need to regularly live the culture, review your design choices, and be open to evolve the culture as the company changes.

Max curated three stories of company traditions that he found inspiring.

#1 – Front

On every new employee’s first day, the CEO of Front invites them to pick and build a LEGO set.

Once they finish building their set, they can showcase it in their office for visitors to see. As the company grew, the office went from a handful of sets to see hundreds across the rooms.

Part of their culture is around being builders and making work a fun place to be. So building LEGOs made a ton of sense. And making it visible reminds the team every day why it’s great to work at Front.

#2 – Gusto

Gusto’s office may not be something you’ve ever seen before.

When you walk in, everyone takes off their shoes. Yes, at work. When you walk in, the office is designed to be like one big room which the founders call the living room.

People are working in one big room in a relaxed, casual environment. It feels cozy and comfortable. So when guests or job candidates visit the office, they can immediately see a snapshot of what the culture is at Gusto.

#3 – Twilio

Twilio has this game called Draw the Owl and it goes like this.

Step 1: Draw two circles.

Step 2: Draw the owl.

The idea for Twilio is that we figure things out. We draw the owl.

Summary

Max’s framework for developing Instacart’s culture has four distinct parts.

Define Culture through establishing your company’s artifacts. Making it come alive through your people, ambitions, rewards, and environment
Design Culture through your people, core values, history, and purpose.
Measure Culture through your employee engagement, employee experience, and employer brand
Scale Culture through reevaluating your culture every year and fully living out your traditions

Find where your company is according to this framework and go through the questions we’ve laid out.

You’ll be on your way to building a world-class culture in no time.

Juneteenth Reflections: Instacart’s Path to DEB Excellence

Written by Culture Summit on June 12, 2024. Posted in Interviews.

An Interview with Jennifer Sutton, Head of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging at Instacart

We were thrilled to catch up with Jennifer Sutton, Head of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging at Instacart recently. In this exclusive interview, she shares her professional journey, passion, and what attendees can look forward to in her session focusing on Juneteenth Programming at Instacart.

Q: What initially sparked your passion for the HR/Culture/People domain, and how has it evolved throughout your career?

A: Over the last 17 years, I’ve had the honor of bringing diversity, equity, racial equity, and belonging experience across the tech and finance industries. Currently, I lead the Diversity, Equity, and Belonging (DEB) function at Instacart.

As a business rep in my financial services days, I was tasked with campus recruiting to engage and attract talent for internships and full-time opportunities. From career fairs to information sessions, I thoroughly enjoyed those recruitment activities as I’ve always been passionate about forming and building relationships. Connecting with candidates at these events was key in helping to promote the company culture, thus attracting top talent into the industry. And that same passion and drive remain today.

I believe that the true differentiating factor from one company to another is the people and its culture. In short, anyone can use their transferable skills to work at any company. But what keeps them bought in is the culture. How do they feel when they interact with one another? That keeps me motivated to evolve the conversation and promote the best company culture at every turn.

Q: Can you recount the most valuable piece of work or culture-related advice you’ve received in your journey?

A: Build your squad. Form a community of leaders and peers that will give you the good, bad, and ugly, and will support you on the hardest days while cheering you on during your best days. It’s important that your community is comprised of all walks of life. I believe that various lived experiences will keep me informed as the conversation around inclusion will evolve.

Q: We would like to delve into the session you’ll be presenting at this year’s Culture Summit. What motivated you to choose this particular topic?

A: Since 2021, Instacart has commemorated Juneteenth. It’s a significant date for us to reflect on, and I’m proud to share how we, as a company, have been recognizing Juneteenth throughout the entire month of June with programming and initiatives.

Q: If you had to highlight one compelling reason why attendees shouldn’t miss your session, what would it be?

A: If you’re looking for an honest reflection of what it means to support an evolving company culture, with real-life learnings, you don’t want to miss this session. I’m excited to share the work we’ve done to build our diversity, equity, and belonging function from the ground up, including the wins and powerful learnings along the way.

Q: Finally, what aspects of the Culture Summit in San Diego 2024 are you personally looking forward to the most?

A: The People! Any chance to meet and network with others who are just as passionate about their culture as I am is such a rare gem. There is no right way to support and champion culture. One can find out so much about what makes sense for their company culture by building on the learnings of others. Can’t wait!

Don’t miss A Spotlight on Instacart’s Juneteenth Programming at Culture Summit 2024 this fall to learn more from Jenn Sutton. Learn more

Mastering the Art of Constructive Feedback

Written by Culture Summit on June 10, 2024. Posted in Company Culture.

Giving feedback to our team members can be awkward and uncomfortable.

We’re afraid this feedback will damage our relationship with them. And these feelings are valid–our brains view criticism as a threat to our survival.

When someone asks to give us feedback, our amygdala fires up and we go into fight or flight mode. Feedback attacks our feelings of stability and comfort.

But at the same time, we need feedback to grow into our best selves.

Feedback gives people the opportunity to be better team members, partners, and human beings.

When delivered well, feedback can actually strengthen your relationships.

So if we know feedback is tough but essential, how do we give feedback in a healthy way?

Meet Shaun Sperling, a facilitator and coach who helps organizations feel more connected to each other. Shaun sees two big mistakes people make when giving feedback

They don’t prepare what they plan to say and
They blurt out whatever comes up

But when people don’t prepare feedback well, there’s a higher chance that their feedback won’t land well. And this will damage the relationship.

Shaun has a simple yet brilliant framework on how to easily prepare your feedback. Let’s dive into his philosophy around feedback first. Then we’ll share his FAIR framework that will prepare you for your next important conversation.

FAIR Framework

Feedback is not about criticizing. Feedback is about aligning with the other person’s interests.

Before you give feedback, ask yourself:

Why are you giving this feedback?
What do you care about?
What’s in it for them?

Team members want to develop into the best version of themselves. Good managers want to contribute to their team member’s professional goals.

So when a manager gives feedback to their team members, they are helping them grow. And if they grow, their work is better which aligns with the company’s goals.

Everyone wins.

So how do you prepare for conversations like these? The FAIR framework has three parts.

#1 – Facts

Let’s imagine that Manager Sally noticed Employee Tim had sent poorly written emails to important clients X and Y.

These messages had spelling mistakes and an unprofessional tone.

It’s not enough to tell Tim, “Your emails are really bad…”

Which emails?

The ones he sends to the team? The messages that you two exchange together? And how do you define “bad”?

Sally needs to gather all the data that she sees and be crystal clear of what’s wrong. A good way to think of this is, “What can be proven in court?”

Do you have hard evidence that can support your claims?

In this case, Sally can specify that the last 5 emails that Tim has sent to clients X and Y have had Z combined mistakes.

#2 – Impact

Next, Sally needs to ask herself: what’s the impact of the thing she’s giving feedback on?

Potential ways this impacts the company:

Clients think that the company’s service/product will also be sloppy and rushed.
Clients feel they’re not important enough to be assigned a more senior team member
Client doesn’t trust that Tim is the right person for the job and decide not to renew

It could be any number of reasons. Sally must choose a message that’s relevant to her organization.

#3 – Request

Lastly, Sally can brainstorm a couple of options that can help fix this behavior.

Maybe she can proofread their emails to external stakeholders before Tim sends them. Or take some work off of Tim’s plate to give him more time to write these emails. Or enroll them in a grammar class.

She can have these ideas prepared before starting the conversation.

How to Have the Conversation

Now that you’ve prepared for the conversation, there’s a better chance the other person will hear your feedback.

During your next 1:1, open the dialogue to address the issue and get a sense of where the other person is.

Manager Sally: Hey Tim, I want to talk to you about the last three emails you’ve sent to X client. I’ve noticed some grammatical errors, and the emails feel a little messy. Have you noticed that?

Tim might respond that he has noticed this and take full responsibility for these mistakes. Or he might say how he had no idea that was the case.

Either way, start the conversation with a curious question instead of an interrogation. This will make Tim feel less defensive and be more open to engage in dialogue.

To wrap things up

We give feedback to better align ourselves with the other person. It’s about getting closer to the other person, not further from them.

So don’t think about feedback as criticizing their behavior. It’s seeing an opportunity for them to grow into a better version of themselves. And when you have the right intentions, giving feedback can feel like a gift.

Never give feedback without a plan. Use the FAIR framework to prepare. When you have the conversation, open the dialogue with curious questions. This helps you better understand where they’re at before jumping to conclusions.

Ignite Your Sparkle: An Exclusive Interview with Charley Lapomardo

Written by Culture Summit on May 13, 2024. Posted in Interviews.

Welcome to our latest Speaker Spotlight Blog!

In this edition, we are thrilled to introduce Charley Lapomardo, affectionately known as “Sparkle.” As an Experience Facilitator, Charley is dedicated to helping professionals excel in their roles by fostering an environment where creativity and authentic expression thrive.

Join us as we delve into Charley’s journey, their passion for workplace culture, and what you can expect from their highly anticipated session at Culture Summit 2024.

Q: Could you introduce yourself briefly and share your prominent role within the Culture space?

A: I am Charley Lapomardo (aka Sparkle), an Experience Facilitator helping professionals be and work their best. I am active in thriving culture-focused communities, including Culture Summit, Culture First San Diego, Covve’s Connection Crew, and Lesbians Who Tech.

Q: What initially sparked your passion for the HR/Culture/People domain, and how has it evolved throughout your career?

A: I’ve always been a connector, helping people feel safe to express themselves authentically, knowing they belong. As a user researcher at Wayfair, I learned that HR and employee experiences are often neglected in relation to customer experiences.

Driven by the desire to make a positive impact on the lives of my coworkers (our captive users), I became an expert student of workplace dynamics, large-scale enterprise systems, and the nature of leadership and power. Frustrated by the indirect influence of the research role, I shifted into an active embedded culture-building role. I created community gathering spaces, memorable group experiences, and process efficiencies to help my team work better.

Now, through my workshop company, Sparkleworks, I focus solely on collaborative creative problem-solving.

Q: Can you recount the most valuable piece of work or culture-related advice you’ve received in your journey?

A: “What makes us special makes us strong.” Sure, that’s from Shrek the Musical and not a mentor, but it’s valuable nonetheless!

Q: We would like to delve into the session you’ll be presenting at this year’s Culture Summit. What motivated you to choose this particular topic?

A: Sparkling is my nature, and my purpose is to bear witness to the transformative power of that energy. The Applied Sparkle Workshop: Transforming from Stuck to Energized is among the tools I’ve developed which apply sparkle as a creative catalyst to break down ambiguous problems and generate solutions. I share these insights and resources abundantly, because it is life-giving to see people light up, inspired to take grounded action to build their best life.

Q: If you had to highlight one compelling reason why attendees shouldn’t miss your session, what would it be?

A: If you’re sick of soul-sucking meetings and mandatory team-building events, don’t miss this opportunity to unblock your creative energy and get a new perspective on complex problems.

Q: Finally, what aspects of the Culture Summit in San Diego 2024 are you personally looking forward to the most?

A: Creating new memories with existing and new kindred spirit connections in the Culture Summit community.

Don’t miss Charley Lapomardo’s Applied Sparkle Workshop at Culture Summit 2024.

This session promises to be a transformative experience, helping you have renewed energy and motivation to ‘Sparkle’ when faced with work challenges!

Learn more about Charley by visiting their profile on the Culture Summit Website.

Bridging the Saying-Doing Gap: Transformative Strategies for Cultural Consistency

Written by Culture Summit on April 18, 2024. Posted in Company Culture, Interviews.

In the quest to foster consistently great experiences across the employee lifecycle, Derek Newberry, a luminary in organizational culture and design, is poised to illuminate the path at Culture Summit 2024.

As the Head of Organization + Culture Design at co:collective, adjunct professor at UPenn, and author of “The Culture Puzzle,” Newberry brings a wealth of knowledge and insight into the dynamics of cultural architecture.

His upcoming fireside chat, “Cultural Architecture: A New Approach for Creating Consistently Great Experiences Across the Employee Lifecycle,” promises to equip attendees with the practical tools needed to bridge the often pervasive “saying-doing” gaps within organizations.

Culture Summit caught up with Derek to learn more about his interest in this area and gain a preview to his upcoming session.

What initially sparked your passion for the HR/Culture/People domain, and how has it evolved?

“My fascination with organizational culture began at UPenn, where I received my PhD in Cultural Anthropology. I’m driven by the power of culture to unite people in overcoming challenges and achieving collective greatness.”

Can you recount the most valuable piece of work or culture-related advice you’ve received?

“The notion that humans are the ‘storytelling animal,’ as stated by historian Yuval Harari, resonates deeply with me. Great storytelling is crucial for leading and transforming organizational cultures.”

What motivated you to choose this particular topic for the Culture Summit?

“The pervasive ‘saying-doing’ gaps in organizations, especially post-pandemic, highlight a disconnect between stated values and actual behaviors. My session addresses this critical issue, offering solutions for realignment.”

If you had to highlight one compelling reason why attendees shouldn’t miss your session, what would it be?

“Attendees will gain actionable tools for aligning organizational behaviors with strategic visions, ready for implementation.”

In Summary

Derek Newberry’s session at Culture Summit 2024 offers an unprecedented opportunity to delve into the mechanics of cultural consistency, ensuring your organization’s values are reflected in every action and decision.

Don’t miss this chance to transform your approach to organizational culture and bridge the gap between aspiration and reality.

Join Culture Summit 2024 in San Diego on Monday, October 7,and attend , “Cultural Architecture: A New Approach for Creating Consistently Great Experiences Across the Employee Lifecycle,” 11:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. PT to learn more!

Human-Centric Design in Hybrid Workspaces: An Interview with GoFundMe’s Giana Rodriguez

Written by Culture Summit on April 16, 2024. Posted in Company Culture, Interviews.

As Culture Summit 2024 approaches, we were thrilled to sit down with Giana Rodriguez, Sr. Manager of Workplace & Employee Experience at GoFundMe. Giana brings deep expertise in creating engaging employee experiences that build vibrant workplace cultures. We caught up with her and delved into her approach to managing employee experience in hybrid environments.

Q1: Can you share what ignited your passion for HR and how it has evolved?

“I have always had a passion for employee relationships and people strategy. I began developing people programs early in my career in the education and volunteerism space and have always taken an interest in ensuring strong cultures within the organization.”

Q2: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received regarding workplace culture?

“The work is about empowering others to succeed, which reflects your success. Once I realized that it was ok that my passion didn’t reside in one field, product, or mission, but was about helping the people doing the work, I felt liberated to follow that passion.”

Q3: What motivated you to focus on ’employee experience design in a hybrid workplace’ for your session at this year’s summit?

“Working environments look different from company to company and it can be difficult to find the ‘perfect’ Employee Experience happiness solution. My session is about anchoring Employee Experience work in a foundation that allows for flexibility and creativity while still tracking data and providing space for reflection and forward thinking. It challenges the idea that there is a ‘perfect’ solution, but rather a framework that focuses on meeting people where they are at and addressing their humanity first.”

Q4: Why should attendees not miss your session at Culture Summit?

“The Workplace & Employee Experience model I will be highlighting can be used for any type of company, employee/volunteer demographic, and with any budget. The session is centered around building programs that are human-centered, easy to communicate value to employees and leadership, scalable, and flexible.”

Q5: What aspects of the upcoming Culture Summit are you most looking forward to?

“Connecting and chatting with all of the amazing people who are dedicated to such important work. I always learn new things when I meet people doing the same work and feel a part of something greater.”

Giana Rodriguez’s insights into employee experience design are invaluable for anyone navigating the complexities of hybrid workplaces. Her session at Culture Summit 2024 will equip you with the strategies needed to foster a supportive and adaptive work environment. Learn more about her session ‘A people-first approach to employee experience design in a hybrid workplace.’

Remote Revolution: Inside the Trailblazing ‘Shippo’s Everywhere’ Model

Written by Culture Summit on April 9, 2024. Posted in Company Culture.

In an era when the workplace concept is being redefined, Teryle Aguilar, SVP of People at Shippo, is leading innovation with Shippo’s remote-first model. With a background that spans DoorDash to NBCUniversal, Aguilar brings a wealth of experience in HR and people team leadership.

Ahead of her session at Culture Summit 2024, we dive into her journey, the evolution of her passion for HR, and the groundbreaking “Shippo’s Everywhere” strategy that is setting new standards for remote work.

What initially sparked your passion for the HR/Culture/People domain?

“My passion was ignited under an inspiring HR leader during a summer job. Although my initial path was in biochemistry, I discovered my true calling in HR, leading to a career dedicated to enhancing workplace cultures across various industries.”

Can you recount the most valuable piece of work or culture-related advice you’ve received?

“One key lesson is that you cannot simply copy and paste cultural practices from one company to another and expect success. It’s crucial to tailor strategies to fit your unique organizational context.”

Delving into the session you’ll present at this year’s Culture Summit can you tell us what motivated you to choose this particular topic?

“Remote work remains an unsolved puzzle for many. At Shippo, we’ve experimented extensively with our ‘Shippo’s Everywhere’ model, finding unique ways to engage our team and enhance our culture. This session will share our journey and insights from these experiments.”

If you had to highlight one compelling reason why attendees shouldn’t miss your session, what would it be?

“This session will unveil unique remote work strategies developed at Shippo, addressing leadership challenges and showcasing our innovative programs and data-driven insights for the future of ‘Shippo’s Everywhere.'”

In Summary

Teryle Aguilar’s session, “Shippo’s Everywhere” – Strategies & Insights from Shippo’s Innovative Remote-First Model, at Culture Summit 2024 is a must-attend for those eager to explore the frontiers of remote work and cultural transformation. Join us on Tuesday, October 8, from 10:15 to 11:00 AM in San Diego to learn more!

Empowering Change: Inclusive Benefits in the Face of Rising Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation

Written by Culture Summit on April 4, 2024. Posted in Company Culture.

In an era where visibility for LGBTQIA+ individuals is at an all-time high, yet legislative challenges continue to surge, Haley Everheart and Megan James step forward to lead a crucial conversation at the Culture Summit 2024.

As veterans in their respective fields, their upcoming session, “Breaking Barriers: Building Inclusive Benefits in the Wake of Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation,” promises to be a beacon of insight and empowerment for organizations striving to fully support their LGBTQIA+ employees.

Culture Summit caught up with them both to learn more:

Could you introduce yourselves and share more about your roles within the Culture space?

Megan: “Specializing in employee benefits for over 15 years, I focus on empathetically supporting employees and strategizing benefits as a crucial part of business culture.”

Haley: “With over 15 years in digital storytelling and community building, I now lead marketing at FOLX Health, enhancing LGBTQIA+ care through diverse audience engagement.”

What initially sparked your passion for the HR/Culture/People domain?

Megan: “Benefits were my entry point, evolving from a ‘warm and fuzzy’ addition to a strategic business component that retains talent by supporting various life phases.”

Haley: “My passion stems from early interests in novels and cultural production, further deepened by my communications and ethnography studies and allyship for marginalized communities.”

Can you recount the most valuable piece of work or culture-related advice you’ve received?

Megan: “Decisions made in the best interest of employees are always the ones you’ll stand by without regret.”

What motivated you to choose this particular topic for the Culture Summit?

Megan: “With over 450 anti-LGBTQ+ bills tracked by the ACLU, there’s a pressing need for action beyond employee resource groups to support employees genuinely.”

Haley: “Facing an unprecedented number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills, it’s crucial to discuss creating inclusive organizations amidst increasing visibility and societal backlash.”

If you had to highlight one compelling reason why attendees shouldn’t miss your session, what would it be?

Megan: “Awareness is the spark that initiates change.”

Haley: “Your LGBTQIA+ employees need you more than you realize.”

Conclusion

Now is the time to gain vital insights for creating a supportive and inclusive environment for all employees.

Don’t miss Megan and Haley’s session “Breaking Barriers: Building Inclusive Benefits in the Wake of Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation” on Monday, October 7, from 10:15 am to 11:00 am PT at Culture Summit 2024, San Diego!