Tag: expert insights

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.

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.

Second Chance Culture: An Interview with Michelle Cirocco

Written by Culture Summit on July 27, 2023. Posted in Company Culture, Interviews.

We were thrilled to have the opportunity to interview Michelle Cirocco, Chief Impact Officer at Televerde and Keynote Speaker at Culture Summit 2023. She shared the importance of fostering a culture of second chances and her own transformative journey.

Her unique perspective not only encourages businesses to rethink their hiring practices but also reinforces society’s need to change its perception of individuals with criminal backgrounds.

Her words serve as an inspiration for others to become advocates for change within their organizations, promoting the transformative power of second chances.

Learn more in our interview below.

What initially sparked your interest in fostering a culture of second chances within the workplace?

My personal journey sparked my interest in fostering a culture of second chances within the workplace. I served a 7-year sentence at the Arizona women’s prison when I got my first exposure to Corporate America through Televerde. This opportunity for a second chance was not just a lifeline but a complete transformation. It saved my life and opened my eyes to the untapped potential within the incarcerated community. However, the stigma associated with this community was a barrier that kept many of us in the shadows. I saw talented, capable, and qualified women who had built significant knowledge and experience while working for Televerde during their incarceration being sidelined in the hiring process after their release. They were cast aside because of a past mistake, and their applications were discarded when they checked the box indicating a felony conviction. This was a heartbreaking reality that I was desperate to change. I wanted to challenge this narrative and bring to light the capabilities and potential of these individuals who, like me, were seeking a chance to prove themselves. I wanted to show that a person’s past does not define their future and that the stigma of incarceration should not be a life sentence in itself.

Despite the awareness of the benefits, why do you think companies still exclude qualified talent from their hiring practices?

Despite the clear benefits, many companies still exclude qualified talent from their hiring practices due to a combination of risk management and unconscious bias. The stereotypes associated with individuals with criminal backgrounds often overshadow their potential. These conscious or unconscious biases paint a picture of dishonesty, unreliability, and potential harm to the company’s reputation. This is a narrative we need to challenge and change. The reality is that people with criminal backgrounds are just as capable, hardworking, loyal, trustworthy, and dedicated as anyone else. They deserve the opportunity to prove themselves and contribute to society. By excluding them, we are not only denying them a chance at redemption, but we are also limiting the diversity and potential within our companies.

From your experience, what are the business benefits of investing in “second chance” employees? How does it positively impact companies?

Investing in second-chance employees brings significant business benefits. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Getting Talent Back to Work initiative and research released by SHRM, the SHRM Foundation, and the Charles Koch Institute, hiring individuals with criminal backgrounds can increase loyalty, lower turnover rates, and create a larger talent pool. These individuals often display high commitment and dedication, grateful for the opportunity to prove themselves. Furthermore, consumers increasingly demand total inclusion, making it not only a moral imperative to invest in this community but a business one. These individuals are not just employees but a testament to the power of redemption and the potential for transformation. They bring unique skills and resilience that can contribute to a company’s innovation and adaptability.

Why must HR and culture professionals actively work towards building a culture that allows second-chance employees to thrive?

It is crucial for HR and culture professionals to actively work towards building a culture that allows second-chance employees to thrive. This is not just about doing the right thing morally; it’s about smart business. True inclusion means not excluding anyone, including individuals with criminal backgrounds. By fostering a culture of second chances, we are not only giving these individuals an opportunity to rebuild their lives but also enriching our companies with a workforce that embodies resilience, determination, and diverse life experiences. We are challenging the status quo and pushing the boundaries of true inclusion. It’s about recognizing the potential in every individual and creating an environment where they can thrive and contribute to the company’s success.

Could you highlight what makes your session at Culture Summit 2023, “How a Culture of Second Chances,” a not-to-be-missed session for Culture champions?

Our session at Culture Summit 2023 How a Culture of Second Chances Will Help Businesses Thrive in the Future of Work is a must-attend for culture champions because it challenges the status quo and pushes the boundaries of true inclusion. It’s an enlightening exploration of the untapped potential within the incarcerated community and a call to action for companies to embrace a culture of second chances. This session will not only change the way you view hiring practices, but it will also inspire you to become an advocate for change within your organization. You will leave with a renewed perspective on the power of redemption and the potential for transformation. It’s not just about giving someone a second chance; it’s about changing lives and enriching our companies.

In Conversation with Samra Zafar: Creating the Workplace of Belonging

Written by Culture Summit on July 12, 2023. Posted in Interviews.

Welcome to an exclusive interview with Samra Zafar, a prominent figure in the HR/Culture/People space, who will be delivering a captivating keynote session at this year’s Culture Summit. Samra’s talk, titled “The Workplace of Belonging: Where Inclusion and Wellness Meet,” on Wednesday, September 27, from 9:30 am to 10:30 am PT.

In this interview, we had the opportunity to catch up with Samra and gain insights into her inspiring journey into the Culture space. We also delved deeper into the importance of fostering inclusion and wellness in the workplace.

Q: What initially attracted you to the Culture space?

A: As an ambitious woman and a person of color, I faced numerous moments of exclusion and microaggressions both in my corporate career and personal life. These experiences resonated with countless individuals who reached out to me after learning about my work. This inspired me to delve into the intersectionality of human experiences, the science of inclusion and belonging, and how we can apply these learnings to foster equity and break barriers for everyone to thrive.

Q: How has your attraction to this space evolved throughout your career?

A: Over the course of my career, I transitioned from banking to psychiatry, combining the neuroscience of human behavior with the business world and authentic leadership. Our innate need to belong as our authentic selves drives us as human beings. This necessitates developing inner resilience, fostering workplace cultures that embrace authenticity, and implementing intersectionality and DEI in diverse workplaces. To unlock the power of diversity, we must first build psychological safety that welcomes and values the contributions of diverse individuals.

Q: What drew you to develop expertise in fostering mental health within workplaces?

A: My passion for fostering mental health within workplaces stems from a trifecta of lived experience, scientific expertise, and business acumen. Having faced trauma and adversity in my own life, I became fascinated with understanding the science of how our brains function and unlocking the power of inner resilience. Applying this knowledge to the workplace allows us to foster inclusive mental health and authentic leadership. By combining inclusion and mental wellbeing, we can create a sense of true belonging and empower individuals to reach their fullest potential.

Q: Could you share your thoughts on the business benefits of fostering a psychologically safe workplace?

A: The need to be part of a community is ingrained in the core of our brains—it’s not just a “nice to have,” but a fundamental requirement. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs places social needs, including attachment, belonging, and recognition, just above physiological and safety needs. When these social needs are met, we can reach the pinnacle of the hierarchy—self-actualization, innovation, and creativity. By establishing a psychologically safe workplace where authenticity is welcomed and included, we take a vital step toward cultivating a culture of innovation, creativity, and business success.

Q: What is the biggest challenge for HR and Culture professionals post-pandemic?

A: In the post-pandemic era, one of the most significant challenges we face is loneliness. Extensive research demonstrates the negative impact of loneliness and disconnection on our mental health. While technology enhances efficiency, it also diminishes opportunities for organic human connection—sharing stories, personal interactions, and common experiences. Studies indicate that in-person meetings create more meaningful connections compared to virtual interactions. (See LinkedIn article June 2023) . Balancing technological efficiency with building inclusive, human, and authentic workplace cultures poses one of today’s greatest challenges and opportunities.

Q: It’s the year 2030, what is the workplace culture dialogue about?

A: I believe we are moving towards more open dialogue and inspired action about things we traditionally left outside of the office door. In 2030, my hope is that we will be talking openly about mental health, understand the role of intersectionality, and end the stigma around these difficult but necessary conversations.

Q: Why is your session a MUST-ATTEND event at this year’s Culture Summit?

A: Mental health and DEI are often seen as separate topics. In my session, I will unveil the extensive overlap between the two—they go hand in hand. The intersection between mental health and DEI is where true belonging lies. By attending my session, you will gain profound insights into fostering a psychologically safe workplace, unlocking the potential for diversity and innovation within your organization.

During my keynote session, I will share eye-opening stories, enlightening scientific insights, and valuable business leadership lessons. Get ready to be inspired to take action today and join me at the Culture Summit 2023. I look forward to seeing you there!

View further information on Samra Zafar’s Culture Summit Keynote: The Workplace of Belonging: Where Inclusion and Wellness Meet here.

5 Reasons you should attend Culture Summit 2023

Written by Culture Summit on May 4, 2023. Posted in The Basics.

As the world navigates these unprecedented times, the role of culture champions has become more critical than ever before. Mass layoffs have left organizations struggling to maintain a positive and engaging workplace culture, leading to demoralized employees and quiet quitting.

In the face of such challenges, people professionals are faced with the daunting task of restoring their company culture and re-engaging their workforce to ensure their organization’s survival and success.

In light of this reality, here are 5 reasons why this year’s Culture Summit is a ‘Must Attend” event for HR, Culture and DEI professionals

Our theme of “Re-Engage” – This year’s Culture Summit has chosen the theme of “Re-Engage” to illuminate the challenges facing today’s culture leaders and discuss approaches to address them. In these difficult times, transparency, equity, and trust should be at the heart of all staff interactions. Our conference will provide the tools to help you rebuild your company culture and grow.

Reduce the cost of quiet quitting – Did you know that up to 67% of US employees and 85% worldwide could be quietly quitting? (Source HR Daily Advisor) This can be costly for businesses. According to The Conference Board’s recent study, quiet quitting costs US businesses $450 to 500 billion annually. Learn more. Using the latest techniques to re-engage with staff is vital to reduce the impact of quiet quitting for your organization.

Gain access to the latest data, strategies, and frameworks – The industry leaders at Culture Summit 2023 will share the latest data, strategies, and frameworks to help you rebuild your corporate culture and reconnect with your workforce and provide you with practical strategies you can apply in your workplace.

Hear from leading culture and DEI professionals – This year’s event will feature leading Culture and DEI professionals from a cross-section of sectors, including Claude Sliver, Chief Heart Officer of VaynerMedia, Danny Guillory, Chief People Officer at Glassdoor, and Dr. Jenny Woo, Founder of Mind Brain Emotion. New speakers will be announced shortly! View a sneak peek at our lineup here.

Build your Brand: If you’re interested in sharing your experiences with 15,267 culture champions or building your company’s presence among this audience. Attendance is a must!

PS: If you’re interested in getting your company in front of 15,267 culture champions, Apply to be a sponsor today.

Advanced Lessons on Driving Big Change at Large Organizations

Written by MC Staff on February 27, 2018. Posted in Scaling Culture, The Basics.

Whether subbing out a CEO, troubleshooting a culture of bias, or reorganizing to pursue a new market opportunity, every organization will face a point in its development when it needs to change. And while we all know the basics of implementing any new initiative (get buy-in, craft a plan, follow through), there are nuances to driving big change within an organization that only those who have “been there, done that” can point out.

Today, Tatyana Mamut, General Manager and Director of Product Management, Design, & Engineering at Amazon Web Services, and Ellen Leanse, author, Stanford instructor, and former Apple executive, are going to walk us through five advanced (and sometimes counterintuitive) lessons on the best way to approach large organizational change to make it stick:

1. Ambiguity is what makes change hard

It’s natural to assume that the bigger a change is, the harder it will be to implement, and the smaller the change is, the easier it is to implement, but that’s not true. In fact, some very large, significant changes, like a CEO succession, can be fairly straightforward because there’s so much information around the topic. Organizational change is hard or easy not based on the size of the change, but on the ambiguity of the change process.

“Companies will often send out a press release about what a big change it is to replace a CEO, but most of the time it’s not a difficult change because it comes with a very well known playbook – we know what needs to be done and how to accomplish it,” says Mamut. “What makes a change hard is when there’s no playbook for it and it’s ambiguous, uncharted territory. You don’t know if you have a full commitment from other leaders to head down the same path, and the machinery and mechanisms aren’t there to support the change.”

2. Small changes can actually be more difficult to implement

Even with a clear playbook for change, small changes can often be more difficult to implement than large ones because we assume we can accomplish them under the radar, without looking at the big picture. But we can’t.

“If you try to change one or two small things at a time, the immune system of an organization will respond and show up to attack the changes,” says Mamut. “Small changes fail because people don’t take the time to design the larger holistic playbook and the context into which those changes will fit. If there’s a big goal you want to achieve, you may have to change everything all at once in an orchestrated and coordinated move rather than making small changes over a period of time.”

3. The most powerful change is changing how people spend their time

Whatever particular change you’re planning for your organization, try to focus on what impact it will have on how people spend their time at work. Not only will that give your team a definite example of how the change will affect their work but it will make it clear that the change is a holistic one, meant to impact everything about the way they do their job.

“The number one thing that makes a difference in creating sustainable culture change in companies is when they have certain agreements or encouragements about how time is spent,” says Leanse. “The most powerful change is getting your team out of their time rut of easy work and meaningless checklist items in favor of real, deep thinking. Companies that can change that can change everything.”

4. You can’t “Do it right and be done”

Implementing a big change within an organization requires a lot of planning, and that planning can be painstaking work. But no matter how much effort you put into the coordination and strategy behind the plan, the rollout of change is the beginning of the work, not the end. Going through the process with an open mind and a sense of persistence will yield insights, integration, and value.

“When change isn’t easy right away, people tend to want to say, ‘I did it right, and it didn’t work, so I give up,’ and the business world tries to reinforce that kind of thinking,” says Leanse. “But when you’re implementing a really big change, you’ll never get to a point when you can say, ‘My work here is done!’ Real, lasting change is built on asking hard questions and embracing and reacting to input, even when it disagrees with yours.”

5. Successful change is always top down

The first step in making any culture change within an organization is to get buy-in from the leadership team, but it’s even more important when it comes to driving big change in a large organization. The board of directors down must understand and commit to the plans for change (and why there’s a need for it) in order to give the change the support it needs to be truly transformative.

“Middle managers are always looking for stories of how a small team did something big in a bottom-up way, but it’s very rare,” says Mamut. “I’ve worked with CEOs on large transformation initiatives – including the transformations at Life Technologies and Procter & Gamble – and it’s always led by the top and coordinated with the support of the board of directors.”

How can you initiate this kind of support? Focus on getting an advocate on the board of directors: “Find at least one person on board who understands the change and can guide the conversation for the entire board around it, asking questions like, ‘Will we need to change our metrics of success, including our financial metrics?’” and ‘How are we going to assess the success of the C-suite for the next 2-3 years for the investment?’” says Mamut. “This person needs to not just be on board with the plan – no pun intended – but actually drive the strategy around it.”

If you’re on the verge of driving big change within your organization, we hope these tips will help get you in the right mindset to be successful. And of course if you have any experience to share, please let us know in the comments!