How to Manage the Whole Person, w/ SnackNation President and COO Ryan Schneider

By now you’re probably familiar with the concept of "work-life integration," which is rapidly replacing the outdated notion of "work-life balance."

Work-life integration simply acknowledges the reality that work is a major part of our lives. Most of us spend 8, 9, 10 or more hours at the office every day, so to pretend that there’s a distinction between “work” and “life” just isn’t on the level.

But acknowledging this reality is just the first step. For people-focused leaders, the next question becomes, how does this change the way we manage people? How do we manage in a way that acknowledges that work and life are one? In other words, how do we manage the whole person?

That’s one of several topics we explore in this week’s episode, featuring SnackNation President and COO Ryan Schneider.

As the President and COO of SnackNation, Ryan's job requires him to know how every single team member impacts the business. This not only requires a holistic understanding of the state of the business at any given moment, but a deep understanding of  the complex factors that motivate employees both inside and outside the office. That's exactly what we mean by "managing the whole person," and Ryan's experience leading teams both in the startup world and at Fortune 500 companies has given him a unique perspective on this practice.

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why Ryan personally interviews 98% of the people who interview at the company - no matter what the position.
• The planning process Ryan uses to maintain a holistic understanding of the business at all times.
• The risks involved with not managing the “whole person.”
• How to transition from a “top-down” culture to one that’s led from the bottom up, and why that’s so important.

Links

• Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn 
• Sapiens by Yuval Harari
• The Axe Files interview with Joe Maddon