In this episode Damon speaks with Mollie West Duffy , co-author of the book No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power Of Embracing Emotions At Work . She’s also one half of the workplace culture Instagram account @lizandmollie. Mollie is an expert in organizational design, development, and leadership coaching. She’s currently the head of organizational development at communications firm RALLY, and previously led organizational design at global innovation firm IDEO. Damon and Mollie discuss the new rule...
Jun 24, 2020•1 hr
Leaders around the world are trying to help their teams navigate an incredible amount of uncertainty. This can lead to a deep sense of frustration about the world, the workplace, and our role within it. That’s why we need to have the courage to have difficult conversations about topics such as race, politics, equity, and belonging. In this episode, Damon Klotz speaks with Michelle Kim, Co-Founder and CEO of Awaken. Michelle and Damon talk about how to manage a team in times of political trauma, ...
Jun 10, 2020•46 min
The open-source movement has given us an insight into the decisions that organizations around the world have been making to help their employees work through it during a crisis. But we don’t always get to learn about how or why they make the decisions that end up in the open-source policy or document. To learn more about prioritizing open and transparent communication during this crisis, Damon Klotz sat down with Tariq Meyers, Global Head of Belong, Inclusion, and Diversity at Coinbase. Damon an...
Jun 10, 2020•50 min
All eyes are on leaders as the world of work tries to adapt in the face of crisis. Fortunately, this is not the first time we’ve had to do this, and there are many learnings we can use as a guide. Whether we like it or not, there may never be a ‘return to normal.’ Now is the time to redefine how we work in this new world. In this episode, Damon Klotz speaks with Chris Fussell, President of McChrystal Group. Chris shares an optimistic framework for leading through periods of change. Together, Dam...
May 28, 2020•31 min
Leaders at all levels are faced with an increasingly blurred boundary between personal and professional. As we try to understand exactly how much of our full selves we can bring to work, managers are uniquely positioned to create a safe space for vulnerability - in times of crisis and beyond. In this episode, Damon Klotz speaks with Larissa Conte, Founder of Wayfinding. Together they explore what this changing environment can teach us about leading, how to manage our egos when budgets and hard d...
May 28, 2020•33 min
As most people are trapped at home, forced to grapple with the stress and anxiety from a confined space, there has never been a more relevant time to prioritize mental health. People are experiencing widespread and prolonged burnout and looking for ways to build meaningful connections in this new environment. In this episode, Damon Klotz speaks with Dr. Omar Dawood, Chief Medical Officer and Head of Sales at Calm. Together they explore how to make space for vulnerability at work and tactics for ...
May 13, 2020•36 min
COVID-19 has rapidly impacted individuals and organizations around the world. However you’ve been affected, the stress and anxiety from this global pandemic can take a meaningful toll on our health and wellness. In this episode, Damon Klotz speaks with Wendy Suzuki, Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at New York University, about how extreme stress affects our brains. Throughout their conversation they explore simple techniques for calming anxiety, the difference between good and bad anxie...
May 06, 2020•28 min
We are excited to announce a new seven-part series of the Culture First Podcast as we navigate the impacts of the global pandemic and explore the new world of work. Join our Culture First community to discuss how you and others are #WorkingThroughIt. Head to https://www.culturefirst.com/workingthroughit as we begin a collective journey through this crisis, together. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Apr 28, 2020•1 min
In this episode, Damon sits down with Minda Harts, founder of The Memo, and author of the book by the same name. Minda has dedicated her life’s work to supporting the career development of women of color. Listen below to learn Minda’s approach to improving workplace inclusivity. In the modern business landscape, everyone seems to be vying for a seat at the proverbial leadership table. However, Minda suggests it might be time to throw out the old table and build a new one designed to include a wi...
Apr 22, 2020•53 min•Season 1Ep. 10
In this episode, Damon sits down with DeRay McKesson, civil rights activist and host of “Pod Save the People”. DeRay works to connect individuals with knowledge and tools, and provide citizens and policymakers with policies that ensure equity. Empowering employees to bring their whole selves to work is a staple of a Culture First organization. But does that mean leaders should make space for activism in the workplace? Damon and DeRay McKesson explore how organizational activism can be a key leve...
Apr 08, 2020•53 min•Season 1Ep. 9
In this episode, Damon meets with Tania Luna, Co-CEO of LifeLabs Learning, whose work revolves around learning, psychology, and surprise. Together, they shine a light on the opportunity leaders have to make the most out of the COVID-19 crisis being nimble and adaptive. In times of crisis, the environment we operate in changes the norms we are used to. When volatility and uncertainty are at their peak, we need different tools than the ones used when things are predictable, consistent and clear. L...
Mar 25, 2020•49 min•Season 1Ep. 8
We believe that compassion is mandatory in the building of a Culture First organization. If like us, you’re passionate about people, there’s a good chance you also have high levels of compassion. However, compassion does come with a risk of secondary trauma exposure, or “compassion fatigue”. In this episode, Damon meets with Taryn Hughes, CEO of Forest Hughes & Associates, somatic trauma recovery specialist, and creator of the first-ever workplace friendly secondary trauma recovery program -...
Mar 11, 2020•52 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Intuitively, you might get the sense that empathy and compassion play a key part in the making of a Culture First organization. Yet their definitions, inherent differences, and potential downfalls remain somewhat of a blur, especially in the context of the workplace. The next two episodes of the Culture First podcast are dedicated to bringing clarity and applicable knowledge around these skills. Part 1 focuses on applied empathy, while Part 2 will bring compassion fatigue into the light. In this...
Feb 26, 2020•41 min•Season 1Ep. 6
The death and rebirth of soft skills, with Claude Silver They’ve been called fluffy, vital, old school, new age… While few people in the world of work disagree about their benefits, many still argue over what to call them, and how to define them. In this episode, Damon meets with Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia and executive coach, to discuss whether soft skills need rebranding, and what HR and Marketing functions might have in common. Hint: it’s a soft skill. Next, we hear fro...
Feb 05, 2020•51 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Simon Sinek identifies two different kinds of games: finite and infinite. Finite games, such as football or chess, have known players, fixed rules, and an agreed-upon objective that often ends the game with a winner and a loser. Infinite games, on the other hand, can be played by known and unknown players, have no exact rules and an infinite length of play. An unshakable optimist, Simon believes in a bright future and works toward improving our ability to build it together. For him, a big part o...
Jan 22, 2020•49 min•Season 1Ep. 4
How do we foster love and magic within our organizations? This is the question on which architect Pamela Oshoke Abalu and serial entrepreneur Chinedu Echuero founded the Love & Magic Company. Their job is to help change-makers develop enthused and powerful business solutions. In this episode of the Culture First Podcast, Damon explores with them what it means for work to be “love made visible”. They discuss the concept of seeing your customer or employee as your beloved, designing for your m...
Jan 08, 2020•45 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Scaling Culture, with Ambrosia Vertesi Numerous organizations face a common dilemma: how to maintain their foundational culture and values while experiencing tremendous growth. In this episode, Damon Klotz sits down with Ambrosia Vertesi, co-founder of HR Open Source and former Vice President of People at Duo Security, to discuss the why and the how of scaling culture. Ambrosia shares many of the lessons she learned during her time at Hootsuite and Duo Security and gives us insight on how to sup...
Dec 18, 2019•46 min•Season 1Ep. 2
In this episode, Culture Amp’s Work Culture Evangelist Damon Klotz sits down with psychotherapist and best selling author Esther Perel to explore what makes up the fabric of work culture: relationships. Esther shares ways to develop relational intelligence in the workplace, explains where trust originates and how to cultivate it, and gives us insight into how cultures of innovation can be fostered. You’ll also hear the lessons Wade Foster (CEO and Founder of Zapier) and Courtney Seiter (Director...
Dec 03, 2019•44 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Culture First: Stories for a better world of work is a podcast about work culture by Culture Amp, the People & Culture platform. Join host Damon Klotz as he dives into heart-to-heart conversations with well-known and underground culture experts, and hear stories of trials and triumphs by people who are leading the culture first revolution . Guests will include Esther Perel, DeRay McKesson, Chip Conley, Simon Sinek, Claude Silver , and many more. Whether you are a seasoned leader who is passi...
Sep 27, 2019•3 min
