Claire Hughes Johnson

Claire Hughes Johnson is a corporate officer and advisor at Stripe, where she previously served as COO, helping the company expand dramatically. In this engaging discussion, she emphasizes taking personal responsibility and setting clear boundaries to overcome victim mentality. Johnson also advocates for the importance of authentic communication in leadership and shares insights on the value of reading fiction for empathy and self-awareness. The conversation explores strategies for effective email management and navigating professional dynamics with personal accountability.

Joining the conversation are Coach George Raveling, a legendary basketball coach and former Nike executive, and Claire Hughes Johnson, a former COO of Stripe and author focused on scaling teams. They discuss the transformative power of self-talk and its impact on motivation, alongside the significance of authentic communication in leadership. George shares insights from his extensive memorabilia collection, emphasizing the weight of history and relationships. Claire elaborates on effective team dynamics, self-awareness, and the importance of personal growth in professional settings.

Claire Hughes Johnson, former COO of Stripe, shares her journey of scaling the company from startup to powerhouse. She discusses the crucial role of personal leadership and self-awareness for effective management. Claire highlights the importance of establishing clear operating principles and structured frameworks for growth. She offers tactical advice on improving internal communication and decision-making processes, emphasizing the need for a strong organizational foundation. Insights from her experiences at both Stripe and Google provide a roadmap for aspiring leaders.

Claire Hughes Johnson, former COO of Stripe and author of "Scaling People," shares powerful insights on management and creating thriving teams. William Ury, co-founder of Harvard's negotiation program and author of "Getting to Yes," discusses transformative negotiation tactics from the Camp David Accords, emphasizing the importance of understanding interests over rigid positions. Together, they offer a treasure trove of advice on productivity, collaboration, and the art of negotiation, perfect for anyone looking to enhance their personal and professional lives.

Our guest today is Claire Hughes Johnson, former COO of Stripe and author of the new book, “Scaling People: Tactics for Management and Company Building.” Claire joined Stripe as its COO back in 2014 and, over the course of her nearly seven years in the company’s executive suite, she oversaw rapid growth as Stripe scaled from under 200 employees to over 7,000. Prior to Stripe, she spent 10 years at Google leading various high-impact business teams. In today’s conversation, In today’s conversation, Claire takes us behind the scenes at some of the most pivotal moments in her life that turned her into the type of leader she is today, including: The inside story of her lengthy, no-stone-unturned process of interviewing with the Collison brothers for the COO seat.  How she applied some of those same lessons for hiring exceptional talent, including the right way to do reference checks and her own theories on why it’s so hard to get executive hiring right.    How her parents instilled her deep curiosity and fierce independence at a very young age.  Why she believes all high-performers are “learning organisms.”  You can follow Claire on Twitter at @chughesjohnson. Check out her new book, “Scaling People,” as well as the book she recommended from Fred Kofman titled “Conscious Business.”You can email us questions directly at review@firstround.com or follow us on Twitter @firstround and @brettberson.

Claire Hughes Johnson, the former COO of Stripe and author of "Scaling People," shares her insights on effective team management and leadership. She discusses the impact of AI on workplace dynamics and the importance of self-awareness in leadership. Claire emphasizes Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as crucial for high-growth companies and offers tips for young professionals to align their strengths with their career paths. Personal stories and reflections enrich the conversation, underscoring the value of candid communication and mindful interactions.

Anne and Frances are joined by their first “Master Fixer," author Claire Hughes Johnson, who’s here to help you fix your meetings! Her book Scaling People: Tactics for Management and Company Building draws on her executive experiences at Stripe and Google and reveals her techniques for getting the most out of the people she’s leading – especially while they’re gathered together. In this episode, Claire shares her recipe for better meetings, including how to make them more inclusive, why it’s crucial to delegate tasks, and how to make space for dissent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Claire Hughes Johnson, former COO of Stripe and a seasoned leader with a decade at Google, shares valuable insights on leading reorganizations. She explains that reorganizations can signal growth, not just problems, and highlights triggers like misaligned structures and talent issues. The importance of acting swiftly is underscored—don’t let ice cream melt! Claire discusses the need for strategic alignment and effective communication, while also advocating for accountability in leadership. She emphasizes the shift from management to visionary leadership during change.

Silicon Valley Legend Claire Hughes Johnson shares her best operating advice on topics including attracting and convincing talent, understanding the player vs victim mindset, the power of diversity and inclusion, management vs leadership, the nature of adaptive leadership and the role of disappointment, change management analogy, and the special qualities and intelligence of two remarkable individuals.

Claire Hughes Johnson, former COO of Stripe and author of "Scaling People: Tactics for Management and Company Building," dives into management strategies that can make or break a company. She discusses the importance of empathy in leadership and how it fosters team connection, especially in remote work settings. The conversation also touches on effective communication, employee motivation, and the evolving nature of workplace culture amidst economic challenges. Johnson’s insights aim to help managers nurture diverse teams for long-term success.