No one is immune to burnout. It affects even the most passionate and resilient people. The mental and emotional exhaustion of burnout can slowly chip away at anyone’s fortitude. That’s why, especially in times like these, organizations need to support their people and bolster their resiliency however they can.   About Dr. Jacinta Jiménez Dr. Jacinta Jiménez (Dr. J) is an award-winning  Board-Certified Executive Leadership Coach with a 15-plus year career dedicated to the betterment of leaders. She’s worked with leaders in top organizations in Silicon Valley and throughout the world. A graduate of Stanford University, Dr. J is a sought after expert in bridging the fields of psychology and leadership. As the former Global Head of Coaching at BetterUp, she developed ground-breaking science-backed coaching approaches for helping today’s top organizations, while also leading a global community of 1500+ international Leadership Coaches in over 58 countries.   Balancing Agility with Resiliency As the difficulties of the current year play out, the dual qualities of agility and resilience come up time and again. Certainly, it is important to lean into agility during unpredictable times. We need to shift as the ground beneath us changes. Yet, to do this at the expense of supporting the protective factors of resilience, causes burnout to become a serious risk.   Making The Shift Towards More Resiliency We’re all being tested by difficulties, particularly uncertainty. Dr. J recommends combating this by focusing on what remains in our control. Staying grounded while the world around us spins seemingly out of control is easier said than done. The fix is not trying to control the outside world. Rather, it’s focusing on what we still have power over - our words, attitudes, and mindset. When we push purely for productivity, we end up damaging ourselves and the people we rely on. We need to make the cultural mindset shift that it’s okay to rest. Nobody can hustle nonstop. Ultimately rest and recovery are needed to fuel the productivity that we seek.   In This Episode The important distinction between agility and resilience [1:25] The three symptoms of burnout [3:58] How companies and organizations can support resiliency in difficult times [7:24] The payoffs of leveraging the art of leisure [10:10] Managing stress before it develops into burnout [14:42] How organizations can encourage their people to balance agility with resilience [18:25] Questions that team leaders should be asking their people [22:15] Encouraging people resistant to accepting the need for leisure [26:58]   Quotes “Now, more than ever, we need to make sure that we’re putting more into our resilience piggy-banks.” [3:23] “We’re entering into this new world of work and life, but a lot of us are still hanging on to outdated formulas of what it takes to be resilient and successful over the long-haul.” [7:53] “Stress is not bad. Stress is good in small doses. It stimulates growth. We need stress. But you can’t have chronic stress without recovery.” [11:18] “The most important asset you have to make an impact on this world is you. If you fail to invest in yourself, you run the risk of damaging the very tool you need to make the impact.” [15:15] “What burnout comes from is when the requirements of our work mismatch with our capacities as a human.” [25:59]   Key Takeaways Nobody is immune to burnout. Simply trying to avoid it can actually cause it. There are tools to strengthen resiliency in the workplace that will lead to more productivity in the end. A central part of this is leveraging leisure, something that managers should encourage.   Links & Resources Find Dr. Jacinta Jiménez online The Burnout Fix   Find 15Five online Follow 15Five on Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  

What does company culture have to do with business results? At 15five, we see an incredibly strong link between the two. So does today’s guest who has used culture and values to build a pool of enthusiastic employees who are motivated to do their best work every day.   About Steve Zahm Steve Zahm is the president and Chief Culture Officer of Procore where he’s responsible for human resources, learning, development, and facilities and real estate. Steve is focused on the creation and scaling of positive workplace culture as a sustainable competitive advantage for achieving superior business results.   Why Culture is a Strategic Advantage for Business As the Chief Culture Officer, Steve works to make his company’s culture one of its greatest assets. He sees an undeniable connection between the culture of a company and its success. Good workplace culture pays back in so many ways. It attracts the best and most enthusiastic talent. When a company has a positive culture, employees are easier to attract, maintain high levels of engagement, and create a competitive advantage.   Putting Your Values Into Action Stating your values isn’t enough. You need to take deliberate action to ensure that your stated values prosper within your company. You have to hire and fire according to your values. When managing your employees, put the language of your workplace culture front and center. Ultimately, training in accordance with your values ensures that everyone knows how to do their best work in alignment with the company’s vision. When your workplace culture is able to do this, your people will become strong advocates of your values. This naturally leads to a strengthening of these values into something larger than the founders could have done on their own.   In This Episode The role and value of Chief Culture Officers [0:50] Signs that your culture is working [7:23] The attributes of a positive culture [9:18] Intentionally setting up company values to be acted upon [13:08] The dangers of not operating according to your stated values [20:08] How founders impart their personal values to their company [21:50 How workplace culture can evolve for the better as a company scales up [27:07] The power of strong workplace culture to respond to crisis [28:56] Practical steps to creating an inclusive work environment [33:33]   Quotes “People don’t realize that businesses invest in culture because culture improves the business.” [1:56] “With culture, not only do you have to speak the language, you have to do the language. You have to do things that are in accordance with your values.” [21:07] “A crisis is a horrible time to find out what your values are as a company. It’s a great time to have your values as a company.” [30:06] “One of the goals to enable the success of the business has to be letting my people do their best work. Every single day I should be pushing to get every employee that can into that state of flow.” [36:30]   Key Takeaways 1. Having a clear company vision will lead to a more engaged and motivated workforce. 2. A strong company culture will differentiate your company and make it more robust when there is a crisis.   Links & Resources Find Steve Zahm online at Procore Check out Procore’s free courses Learn about Procore’s social impact work   Find 15Five online Follow 15Five on Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin   Links & Resources    

Meaningful organizational change comes when we focus on what’s right with people rather than what’s wrong. This means understanding that not everyone thinks and operates the way that you do. When we appreciate these differences, we see them as assets that create stronger leaders, teams, and organizations. Darren Virassammy is a TEDx speaker and the Co-Founder and COO of 34 Strong. His team believes that everyone deserves a great place to work and that any workplace can be great. As a leading expert in the global workplace engagement community, the 34 Strong team leverages a strength-based approach to human development to create massive shifts within organizations.  When you understand how people in your organization learn best, you can identify how to best apply their strengths. Everyone thinks and processes information and ideas differently. Understanding this allows everyone to show up at their best. This creates a more effective and supportive work culture.  To breathe life into your strengths, Darren urges leaders to guide their people to identify what exhausts them as well as energizes them. To create the foundation for great workplaces, leaders should support an environment of trust, compassion, stability, and hope. How can you recognize the individual strengths of your people? Let’s talk about it in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode What happens when we view differences as strengths How team-awareness starts with self-awareness The power of empathy to eliminate frustration Encouraging your team to pursue what gives them energy Leveraging the team’s strengths to succeed in challenging times   Quotes “It has to start with how we look at ourselves. It’s the self-awareness to team-awareness when we’re working on the culture side. But we have to start with self-awareness.” [7:35] “We have so many unknowns that are coming at us, whatever comes at me, whatever comes at our team, I just want to make sure that people’s minds and emotional energy is showing up at the strongest level that it possibly can.” [18:49] “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others. Our differences can be our greatest advantages.” [38:59]   Links 34 Strong Follow 34 Strong on Facebook | Twitter | YouTube Leading Strong Podcast    Benjamin Zander TED Talk Good Life Project Podcast Strength’s Based Leadership by Tom Rath   Find 15Five online Follow 15Five on Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin

In March of 2020 when COVID-19 hit, many organizations updated their remote work policies at least temporarily to allow people to work from home. Twitter made headlines in May by announcing that a remote work option would be available to their 5,000+ full-time workforce, forever! 15Five CEO, David Hassell interviews Twitter’s head of HR to discuss what Twitter has learned from making this shift after several months.  Jennifer Christie is the VP of People and Chief Human Resources Officer at Twitter. She leads the global people team and works with the executive management team and board of directors to support the strategic direction of the company. Jennifer oversees talent acquisition and management, diversity and inclusion, people systems and analytics, organizational and performance management, and training and development. Even before COVID, Twitter allowed employees to work remotely as part of their larger strategies around decentralization and Diversity & Inclusion. Now as a fully remote organization, in order to maintain the camaraderie that existed in the office, Jennifer and her team find ways to maintain deep connections between “Tweeps” in the remote space. Additionally, they have shifted their benefits plan to support people’s health and well-being in a new reality where gyms are closed and people need certain staple equipment to be successful at home.  Hopefully, in the next year or so, the health risk will abate and people will begin returning to the office once it is safe to do so. Twitter, like many other businesses, are planning a “return to office” strategy. At Twitter, offices will be available for the people who want to return to a shared physical working space. For now, Jennifer shares how to maintain social and emotional connections without a physical office and why it’s imperative that companies start planning for this readjustment now.  How has Covid created new roles for HR within your organization? Tell us in the comments on the episode page!   Also in this episode: Going fully remote and returning to the office  Helping employees with resources, setting boundaries, and remote benefits “Camp Twitter” - Supporting parents when school and camp are closed Diversity & Inclusion at Twitter - a comprehensive strategy including transparency, and setting goals that optimize for D&I efforts  HR as strategic partner to the Board and the rest of the C-suite   Quotes “If we want to be able to attract and retain this growing employee base that is growing very rapidly, we’ve got to start shifting our culture. We have to shift how we work if we’re going to be inclusive of that work style.” [0:57] “We want to try to engineer a different experience so people don’t feel compelled to come back to the office if they don’t want to because they feel like they’re missing out on something.” [13:33] “I don’t think you can nail inclusion if you don’t have a diverse workforce. Decentralization is a key driver of that.” [27:05]   Links Start With Why by Simon Sinek Washington Post: “Twitter Employees Don’t Ever Have to Go Back to the Office (Unless They Want to)” Keeping Our Employees and Partners Safe During #Coronavirus   Find 15Five online Follow 15Five on Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  

Best-Self Management is returning for Season 5 on August 12th! In this season, David and Shane will be talking with HR leaders from some of the largest, most successful, and most progressive companies in the world, including Twitter, Okta, and Siemens. We'll discuss culture, people strategy, and how to thrive during turbulent times, for which there is no roadmap.   On the Best-Self Management podcast, we explore the brave new world of bringing your whole self to work. Best-Self Management proposes that if leaders build cultures and institute practices that support people in being and becoming their Best Selves, then high performance and uncommon loyalty is the result. What is Best-Self Management? A proven, research-based methodology proposing that when leaders build cultures that support people in being their best selves, high performance and engagement naturally result. Who are the hosts? David Hassell and Shane Metcalf have a uniquely healthy and productive cofounder relationship which they have leveraged to build 15Five into an 8-figure business, with a stellar culture that’s rated #3 in the country on Glassdoor! Why should I listen? You love interviews with top business and HR leaders who are revolutionizing our understanding of human performance and explain how to build thriving cultures that succeed by guiding every employee towards greatness. Links Listen to Seasons 1 - 4 of Best-Self Management Here Find 15Five online Follow 15Five on Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are receiving more attention these days, with many more companies asking, “How can we create more equity and a sense of belonging?” But have you ever considered the negative—exclusion? By shutting people out, consciously or not, we create shame and trauma. This is a powerful force that affects all aspects of society, not just work. It has become increasingly important to examine the root-causes of how current dynamics of exclusion began and the science behind the way we think, feel, and operate in the world.  Today, we welcome Rajkumari Neogy back to the show—an epigenetic coach and executive consultant focused on the intersection of neurobiology, culture, and empathy in today’s business world. Rajkumari believes that passionate self-reflection coupled with dedicated curiosity defines true leadership. Specializing in the tech sector, S/He has trained leaders at high-powered organizations, including Google, Facebook, and Salesforce.  In this episode, Rajkumari helps us examine the role of business leaders in creating meaningful inclusivity. The root of the solution lies in empathy. Building empathy into corporate culture will involve some fundamental shifts. Yet, making these changes will lead to meaningful progress as empathy leads to collective empowerment. Fostering this within an organization will lead to your people working harder for each other. As someone who studies epigenetics, Rajkumari stresses that no one is immune from the trauma and mindsets of their ancestors. This has resulted in deep-seated systemic exclusion. Doing the hard work of addressing these multi generational beliefs and traumas will make it possible to have the difficult conversations that are needed right now. How can you create the safety needed for difficult conversations within your organization? Let’s talk about it in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode Leaning into empathy to create a more inclusive workplace and society Why exclusion forms the foundation of racism How the mindsets of our ancestors still affects everyone today What happens when we break out of the cycle of blame Tools and techniques for creating more mental balance and empathy   Quotes “We have to really acknowledge and honor that which has been excluded and re-invite that back into this sphere of inclusion that we’re creating for everyone, including ourselves.” [4:16] “Racism is severe, repetitive, horrific, exclusion.” [11:02] “We need to start to speak significantly more relationally. That ability to speak relationally will rewire the right hemisphere and strengthen our ability to be uncomfortable in difficult conversations.” [23:56]   Links Find Rajkumari Neogy online Follow Rajkumari on Linkedin | Instagram | YouTube   Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome “On Being with Krista Tippett” - Robin DiAngelo and Resmaa Menakem In Conversation The Polyvagal Theory by Dr. Stephen Porges  Moshe Szyf: How Do Our Experiences Rewire Our Brains And Bodies? White Fragility by Robin Diangelo   Listen to Part One of our conversation with Rajkumari Neogy   Find 15Five online Follow 15Five on Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin

In recent years, we’ve seen the employee engagement and performance software market explode. Along the way, we’ve come to realize that success takes more than just providing people with the software tools they need. It’s education and training that makes the difference, and a deep commitment to having organizations transform. Meaningful transformation only comes when the deep and difficult work happens. Today, we’re talking with two of our employees who are helping other organizations train their managers to be far more effective.  Jon Greenawalt, our Chief Performance Officer, brings over 20 years of global, cross-industry consulting experience to help develop leaders and teams through progressive leadership and management development programs. Jon is the former Chief People & Culture Officer at SharkNinja, where he built the Talent Development function, trained over 500 leaders and managers during his tenure, and implemented 15Five across the entire 1,600 global full-time employee population. Emily Diaz is our Director of Transformational Services, a division she created after identifying the need for organizations to teach ‘vital skills’ to their people, skills which in turn supercharge the impact of 15Five’s performance management software. Since joining our founding team 7 years ago, she has served as advisor, trainer, and coach for companies across all industries — including Visa, Tesla, and Citrix. Emily’s experience across domains informs the creation of unique and powerful programs that train core professional competencies. In this episode, we discuss the future of performance management that incorporates intuitive, empowering software, but also services and ongoing education. We've realized that helping employees and managers form new habits and skills leads to high-performing and healthy organizations. By being transformative in this way, meaningful changes occur that result in lasting positive change. Professional services are usually about helping companies succeed with a (software) product. These do provide help with how people use the software to improve their work and possibly even to contribute more. But that’s largely a transactional process. Transformational Services is a partnership whereby people are taken through a process where they permanently change their mindset and behaviors in order to thrive.  This is often hard work. It begins with a desire to grow and from there a thorough examination of old practices and mindsets. Hard truths will be confronted. People will stretch beyond the familiar. In the end, when people realize that work can be a source of satisfaction and personal growth, they’ll build a better business environment. What transformative changes would you like to see in your company? Let’s chat about it in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode What transformation actually means for individuals and a company Building an environment of positivity by deconstructing old mindsets How people learn including repetition and feeling discomfort Why failures should be celebrated Reframing soft skills as vital relational skills required for any high-functioning organization   Quotes “We’re a mission-driven company. 15Five is not just in the business to create a widget, a tool. We’re actually here to transform the world of work.” [4:38] (Emily) “Transformation is hard work. Yet it’s important work. The benefit of it is, even though it may be challenging to have that breakthrough and move yourself to the next level, it’s an amazing experience.” [13:48] (Jon) “It has to be okay to grow. The best environments are the ones that make it cool to grow. That’s what it’s all about. We’re never done growing.” [19:26] (Jon) “There’s a spectrum where you need to learn how to relate to your people in a way that still puts the responsibility of their own growth with them.” [34:10] (Emily)   Links Learn more about our transformational services 15Five’s Best-Self Academy   Find 15Five online Follow 15Five on Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin

Perhaps now more than any other time in History, demands on People Operations roles are incredibly high. Handling just the administrative side of HR while establishing a remote workforce can be a full-time job, let alone the all-important human element that requires your resources and attention. Because the true power of human resources lies in unlocking the potential of every employee, many HR leaders are discovering or refining new skills in 2020: “The Year of HR.”  Josh Bersin founded Bersin & Associates in 2001 (later acquired by Deloitte) to provide research and advisory services focused on corporate learning. He expanded the company’s coverage to encompass HR, talent management, talent acquisition, and leadership and became a recognized expert in the talent market. In 2019, Josh also founded the Josh Bersin Academy, an online professional development resource that has become the “Home for HR” in recent months. Right now, in addition to staying in business during an economic downturn, companies are struggling to meet the demands of a workforce coping with a rapidly evolving world. Dealing with a global pandemic and escalating conversations about race and inclusion, every company must ask itself what type of citizenship they want to practice. This begins with how they treat their people, and then echoes out into the marketplace and beyond. HR has an ongoing role to play in aligning the mission of the company with the mission of its people—this not only determines how employees perform but what kind of citizen the company will be.  In 2020, companies are working proactively to create a sense of stability and safety for people, Josh sees the role of HR expanding more and more to fill this need. How have you seen the role of HR evolve in your company? Let us know in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode How current trends in HR are leading to more workplace creativity Creating values alignment between companies and their employees The economic factors that actually matter right now How companies can provide stability for their people in unstable times What companies can do to promote equity in the workplace and society   Quotes “Companies exist in a world of societal issues. Every employee and every customer has a perspective on the role they want to play in society.” [9:21] “It always pays off to think more about your role in society. It seems to always make the company more successful.” [18:39] “I think DNI is a critically important program, but I hope it isn’t getting in the way of the real issue of pay transparency, pay fairness, and talking about these issues so people can share their fears and concerns.” [24:46] “2020 is the year of HR in every single company. We are being asked to take on heroic roles…. Try to enjoy this as stressful and difficult as it is.” [38:08]   Links Find Josh Bersin online Follow Josh on Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin   Josh Bersin Academy Conscious Capitalism White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo   Find 15Five online Follow 15Five on Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin Best-Self Review & Competency Assessment Remote Work Resources Join the Best-Self Academy for free 

Since late May 2020, there has been an accelerated evolution of the conversation around race and our roles as human beings, citizens, and business leaders. With this latest round of high-profile deadly police encounters with Black Americans and the massive response to it, many of us are at a loss about how to best respond. Business leaders especially may be avoiding the conversation because they are afraid to risk their futures because they said the wrong thing.  Today, we welcome Willie Jackson back to the podcast to continue the important conversation we began last time. More and more difficult conversations are happening across the country and around the world that require vulnerability and discomfort. Staying in the discomfort and being curious about it along with a willingness to be vulnerable and make mistakes, will lead to meaningful conversations that may in turn lead to long-lasting change in a country drenched in systemic racism.  We recognize that this is a time of opportunity, and these opportunities go far beyond simply issuing statements of support and solidarity. We can use the current situation to make sure that our organizations have an equity-informed view of how they operate that leads to sustainable shifts toward inclusion. Being an ally is not enough. It takes more than just doing something within your comfort zone to feel like you’re on the right side of history. Actual meaningful change takes moving from the noun of “ally” to the verb of “accomplice”—taking action to restore equity and justice to a system that is sorely lacking in those fundamentally important principles. This means examining power and privilege and being vocal, even if it comes at personal cost. How can you as a leader model become an accomplice in creating equity and inclusion in your organization? Let’s talk about it in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode Why it may feel awkward to discuss race and how to address these feelings Embracing the discomfort of not knowing what to say or do, getting informed, and taking the risk to speak out from a place of vulnerability and knowledge Creating the conditions so that our organizations organically develop into equitable environments Acknowledging the social and historical context that affects everyone Being an accomplice rather than an ally   Quotes “Many of us are ill-equipped to navigate the conversation at all. I think that it’s such an honest thing to say that it just feels awkward to name it. A lot of the conversation right now is about not burdening people of color in general, and black people specifically, about the dialogue.” [2:55] “Talking about race is awkward. It is challenging. Like anything - running a business, making money, playing the piano - it takes practice.” [3:51] “Acknowledging and repairing harm is a key part of how we can show up for each other.” [21:31] “In order to fully participate at a baseline level, we might need to radically reimagine how we’re thinking about performance reviews, the stereotypes that get perpetuated, the training that managers get, because people don’t leave companies. People leave managers.” [27:12] “It’s natural to want things to go back to normal. My fear is that we will forget that normal for a lot of people is suffering. It is fraught, and it brought about the conditions for the uprising that we’re seeing right now.” [31:16]   Links Find Willie Jackson online ReadySet Upheaval by Jared Diamond Seeing White Slavery by Another Name by Douglas A. Blackmon   Find 15Five online Follow 15Five on Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin Best-Self Review & Competency Assessment Remote Work Resources Join the Best-Self Academy for free 

We stand at a pivotal moment in American history, one when there is an opportunity to correct massive injustice, dismantle the structures of systemic racism, and co-create a new future where all people can have true freedom, equal rights, and equal opportunities for a life of safety and prosperity.  Businesses are rightly being called to take meaningful action towards racism and that includes the policies they put in place to have more diverse and inclusive workplaces. We invited today’ guest on the show to share his wisdom about what we as business leaders can do to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.  Willie Jackson is a keynote speaker, consultant, and facilitator at ReadySet who helps leaders and organizations advance vital conversations that unlock connections across differences. His belief in the transformative power of media to change narratives led him to found Abernathy, a magazine for black men backed by companies like Mailchimp, Atlassian, and WeWork. Willie served as Founding Technical Lead of Seth Godin’s altMBA program for high-performing individuals who want to level up and lead. Willie is an avid houseplant aficionado and loves to spread the gospel of self-watering planters whenever possible. COVID-19 has highlighted and put stress on numerous structural inequities, and it’s clear that some groups of people have been hit harder than others by the economic downturn. Willie explains why this is partly the result of a lack of workplace diversity. While lack of diversity is seldom intentional, it can be intentionally addressed. To that end, Willie shares his advice for engaging people in change-making conversations. Willie urges business leaders to embrace their sense of curiosity. Getting to know people with different experiences than you in an empathetic manner will lead to positive change. If there’s something that makes you uncomfortable, investigate that discomfort and see what it has to offer. It takes work to diversify your workforce, but it's important work. It will lead to having a variety of perspectives, increased market opportunities, and a workforce more representative of the world we want to create. How can you foster empathetic conversations in your workplace? Let us know in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode The many societal disparities that the covid pandemic has exposed Why functional segregation exists and leads to a lack of workplace diversity Advice for engaging in difficult conversations How to help people lean into empathy Where to look for insight into unfamiliar life experiences The power of storytelling to foster empathy and increased trust Common implicit biases to be aware of   Quotes “I think of COVID as an accelerant. It puts additional pressure on friction points that already exist in society.” [2:31] “There’s a different lens that has to be brought to bear when you think about how we’re representing the cities in which we live. How are we representing the societies we want to see? And how are we bringing into our teams and organizations a diversity of perspectives, bodies, and lived experiences?” [5:35] “When we make the time and space to genuinely ask somebody, and listen to what they have to say, I think it can add some powerful richness and dimensionality to all of our relationships. Simply the act of getting curious.” [22:40] “We all have blind-spots and we can make a mess of things even and especially when we’re trying.” [35:52]   Links Find Willie Jackson online   ReadySet altMBA Abernathy The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz “Coco”   Find 15Five online Follow 15Five on Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin Best-Self Review & Competency Assessment Remote Work Resources Join the Best-Self Academy for free