imagine a workplace that’s like a cage a corporate cage will you trapped in the
corporate cage will you trapped in the
corporate cage will you trapped in the hamster wheel I used to work there some
hamster wheel I used to work there some
hamster wheel I used to work there some workplaces are filled with fear sharp
workplaces are filled with fear sharp
workplaces are filled with fear sharp elbows there’s greed over here power
elbows there’s greed over here power
elbows there’s greed over here power games over there these are toxic work
games over there these are toxic work
games over there these are toxic work environments that can make people sick
environments that can make people sick
environments that can make people sick when things got tough in the corporate
when things got tough in the corporate
when things got tough in the corporate cage I learned to do the duck you know
cage I learned to do the duck you know
cage I learned to do the duck you know look cool on the surface and paddle like
look cool on the surface and paddle like
look cool on the surface and paddle like hell underneath then I took a step back
hell underneath then I took a step back
hell underneath then I took a step back and I started asking people what do you
and I started asking people what do you
and I started asking people what do you really need to be awesome at work and
really need to be awesome at work and
really need to be awesome at work and the answers are trust autonomy and
the answers are trust autonomy and
the answers are trust autonomy and leaders that truly care leaders that
leaders that truly care leaders that
leaders that truly care leaders that have their backs and I realize that
have their backs and I realize that
have their backs and I realize that leading with compassion is a way to give
leading with compassion is a way to give
leading with compassion is a way to give them that my dream is to build the
them that my dream is to build the
them that my dream is to build the world’s best workplace a journey I set
world’s best workplace a journey I set
world’s best workplace a journey I set out on together with some of the most
out on together with some of the most
out on together with some of the most awesome people on the planet we design
awesome people on the planet we design
awesome people on the planet we design award-winning products and services for
award-winning products and services for
award-winning products and services for our clients and when the same passion we
our clients and when the same passion we
our clients and when the same passion we have designed the compassionate culture
have designed the compassionate culture
have designed the compassionate culture that we believe in compassion is not
that we believe in compassion is not
that we believe in compassion is not about being nice it’s not about having
about being nice it’s not about having
about being nice it’s not about having pity either compassion is the ability to
pity either compassion is the ability to
pity either compassion is the ability to understand the needs and the problems of
understand the needs and the problems of
understand the needs and the problems of others and then act empathy is not
others and then act empathy is not
others and then act empathy is not enough you need to act to create a
enough you need to act to create a
enough you need to act to create a positive change did you know that
positive change did you know that
positive change did you know that empathy and compassion feel different to
empathy and compassion feel different to
empathy and compassion feel different to us because they lie in two different
us because they lie in two different
us because they lie in two different parts of the brain empathy is in the
parts of the brain empathy is in the
parts of the brain empathy is in the same place as suffering so too much of
same place as suffering so too much of
same place as suffering so too much of it can actually burn you out where
it can actually burn you out where
it can actually burn you out where compassion is in the same place in the
compassion is in the same place in the
compassion is in the same place in the brain as love so when you activate
brain as love so when you activate
brain as love so when you activate – compassion it nourishes that loving
– compassion it nourishes that loving
– compassion it nourishes that loving feeling this is why compassion is so
feeling this is why compassion is so
feeling this is why compassion is so powerful last year a colleague of mine
powerful last year a colleague of mine
powerful last year a colleague of mine experienced the terrible crisis in his
experienced the terrible crisis in his
experienced the terrible crisis in his life his loved one through 22 years told
life his loved one through 22 years told
life his loved one through 22 years told him that she no longer loved him he was
him that she no longer loved him he was
him that she no longer loved him he was heartbroken and devastated so what does
heartbroken and devastated so what does
heartbroken and devastated so what does a man do well some guys would go to that
a man do well some guys would go to that
a man do well some guys would go to that caves
caves
caves put on their errand face and just deal
put on their errand face and just deal
put on their errand face and just deal with it by themselves but not this guy
with it by themselves but not this guy
with it by themselves but not this guy he did what most of us wouldn’t dare to
he did what most of us wouldn’t dare to
he did what most of us wouldn’t dare to he sent an email to the entire company
he sent an email to the entire company
he sent an email to the entire company just to let people know that they
just to let people know that they
just to let people know that they couldn’t expect the same level of energy
couldn’t expect the same level of energy
couldn’t expect the same level of energy and tolerance and cheerfulness as usual
and tolerance and cheerfulness as usual
and tolerance and cheerfulness as usual from him because he was shell-shocked
from him because he was shell-shocked
from him because he was shell-shocked what would the reactions have been in a
what would the reactions have been in a
what would the reactions have been in a corporate case what do you think
corporate case what do you think
corporate case what do you think avoidance talking behind his back maybe
avoidance talking behind his back maybe
avoidance talking behind his back maybe scolding from management how do you
scolding from management how do you
scolding from management how do you think it played out in our company with
think it played out in our company with
think it played out in our company with support with hugs with compassion and
support with hugs with compassion and
support with hugs with compassion and love
love
love that’s how with Meyer people who dare to
that’s how with Meyer people who dare to
that’s how with Meyer people who dare to show vulnerability don’t we that is
show vulnerability don’t we that is
show vulnerability don’t we that is probably one of the scariest things to
probably one of the scariest things to
probably one of the scariest things to do and what he did was so courageous and
do and what he did was so courageous and
do and what he did was so courageous and beautiful I get incredibly proud when
beautiful I get incredibly proud when
beautiful I get incredibly proud when people feel safe to share their stories
people feel safe to share their stories
people feel safe to share their stories and their feelings at work because in
and their feelings at work because in
and their feelings at work because in some places if you don’t feel safe
some places if you don’t feel safe
some places if you don’t feel safe sharing can be dangerous feel dangerous
sharing can be dangerous feel dangerous
sharing can be dangerous feel dangerous if you share your emotions with your
if you share your emotions with your
if you share your emotions with your co-workers would they mock you or will
co-workers would they mock you or will
co-workers would they mock you or will it use it against you later if you share
it use it against you later if you share
it use it against you later if you share your ideas others might take credit for
your ideas others might take credit for
your ideas others might take credit for them information is power
them information is power
them information is power in some workplaces so people tend to
in some workplaces so people tend to
in some workplaces so people tend to keep it to themselves and if someone
keep it to themselves and if someone
keep it to themselves and if someone shares something with you a venue I
shares something with you a venue I
shares something with you a venue I think you know that you’re gonna owe him
think you know that you’re gonna owe him
think you know that you’re gonna owe him it’s all about giving and taking instead
it’s all about giving and taking instead
it’s all about giving and taking instead we try to build a culture of giving and
we try to build a culture of giving and
we try to build a culture of giving and giving giving and giving is a
giving giving and giving is a
giving giving and giving is a fundamental principle where everyone
fundamental principle where everyone
fundamental principle where everyone wins
wins
wins sharing is in our company’s DNA we share
sharing is in our company’s DNA we share
sharing is in our company’s DNA we share everything internally from financial
everything internally from financial
everything internally from financial results to in our All Hands meeting to
results to in our All Hands meeting to
results to in our All Hands meeting to everyday moments on our social digital
everyday moments on our social digital
everyday moments on our social digital platform and we openly share what we
platform and we openly share what we
platform and we openly share what we know and what we believe in with each
know and what we believe in with each
know and what we believe in with each other and with our communities when
other and with our communities when
other and with our communities when people share openly it’s an opportunity
people share openly it’s an opportunity
people share openly it’s an opportunity to see them to feel the potential and to
to see them to feel the potential and to
to see them to feel the potential and to discover their talent to listen to what
discover their talent to listen to what
discover their talent to listen to what they struggle with and what they seek to
they struggle with and what they seek to
they struggle with and what they seek to achieve
achieve
achieve I remember when one of my leaders early
I remember when one of my leaders early
I remember when one of my leaders early in my career saw me and gave me
in my career saw me and gave me
in my career saw me and gave me opportunities and helped me even when I
opportunities and helped me even when I
opportunities and helped me even when I failed in a company where creativity is
failed in a company where creativity is
failed in a company where creativity is a very important asset it’s mandatory
a very important asset it’s mandatory
a very important asset it’s mandatory and it’s expected to fail failing is how
and it’s expected to fail failing is how
and it’s expected to fail failing is how we learn and to learn and to improve
we learn and to learn and to improve
we learn and to learn and to improve it’s also important to get good feedback
it’s also important to get good feedback
it’s also important to get good feedback and that is best given with compassion
and that is best given with compassion
and that is best given with compassion so people know that you care about them
so people know that you care about them
so people know that you care about them and that you wish them well I remember
and that you wish them well I remember
and that you wish them well I remember from the corporate cage that getting no
from the corporate cage that getting no
from the corporate cage that getting no feedback just makes you feel that no one
feedback just makes you feel that no one
feedback just makes you feel that no one cares doesn’t it you’re not seen and too
cares doesn’t it you’re not seen and too
cares doesn’t it you’re not seen and too much feedback isn’t good either
much feedback isn’t good either
much feedback isn’t good either especially negative like when someone
especially negative like when someone
especially negative like when someone just yells in your face a colleague of
just yells in your face a colleague of
just yells in your face a colleague of mine calls that mental stoning by the
mine calls that mental stoning by the
mine calls that mental stoning by the way when someone screams in you in your
way when someone screams in you in your
way when someone screams in you in your face it just causes you to shut down and
face it just causes you to shut down and
face it just causes you to shut down and you won’t learn anything from that we
you won’t learn anything from that we
you won’t learn anything from that we keep testing out new ways of giving
keep testing out new ways of giving
keep testing out new ways of giving feedback for example some of our
feedback for example some of our
feedback for example some of our projects
projects
projects get a senior expert assigned to them we
get a senior expert assigned to them we
get a senior expert assigned to them we call these experts grandmother or
call these experts grandmother or
call these experts grandmother or grandfather
grandfather
grandfather they ensure high quality and with the
they ensure high quality and with the
they ensure high quality and with the wisdom of grandparents they give
wisdom of grandparents they give
wisdom of grandparents they give feedback with compassion sometimes we do
feedback with compassion sometimes we do
feedback with compassion sometimes we do a fish on the table exercise it goes
a fish on the table exercise it goes
a fish on the table exercise it goes like this a problem it’s like a fish in
like this a problem it’s like a fish in
like this a problem it’s like a fish in your pocket if you keep it there for too
your pocket if you keep it there for too
your pocket if you keep it there for too long it starts thinking so we encourage
long it starts thinking so we encourage
long it starts thinking so we encourage people to bring out the problems get
people to bring out the problems get
people to bring out the problems get them up there on the table before they
them up there on the table before they
them up there on the table before they starts thinking we high-five each other
starts thinking we high-five each other
starts thinking we high-five each other a lot but when we make mistakes that
a lot but when we make mistakes that
a lot but when we make mistakes that deserve lo5 those are important mistakes
deserve lo5 those are important mistakes
deserve lo5 those are important mistakes to learn from and we celebrate the
to learn from and we celebrate the
to learn from and we celebrate the biggest blunders as low-five of the
biggest blunders as low-five of the
biggest blunders as low-five of the months in our All Hands meeting these
months in our All Hands meeting these
months in our All Hands meeting these organizational ceremonies of course are
organizational ceremonies of course are
organizational ceremonies of course are great for building a culture but the
great for building a culture but the
great for building a culture but the most important thing are the people so
most important thing are the people so
most important thing are the people so when we hire new people we set the bar
when we hire new people we set the bar
when we hire new people we set the bar high we want brilliant people but we
high we want brilliant people but we
high we want brilliant people but we don’t want brilliant bastards no work
don’t want brilliant bastards no work
don’t want brilliant bastards no work jerks without the potential for
jerks without the potential for
jerks without the potential for compassionate behavior so did you know
compassionate behavior so did you know
compassionate behavior so did you know that the high performers though without
that the high performers though without
that the high performers though without the cultural fit they’re the worst
the cultural fit they’re the worst
the cultural fit they’re the worst because they’ve become role models for
because they’ve become role models for
because they’ve become role models for bringing in the results bringing in the
bringing in the results bringing in the
bringing in the results bringing in the bacon but they also become role models
bacon but they also become role models
bacon but they also become role models for their unwanted behavior and
for their unwanted behavior and
for their unwanted behavior and attitudes so to make sure that we get
attitudes so to make sure that we get
attitudes so to make sure that we get the right people on board we put people
the right people on board we put people
the right people on board we put people through a test of four values and we
through a test of four values and we
through a test of four values and we also have a separate culture interview
also have a separate culture interview
also have a separate culture interview in our hiring process our employee
in our hiring process our employee
in our hiring process our employee experience manager remembers what it was
experience manager remembers what it was
experience manager remembers what it was like to sign the contract for her new
like to sign the contract for her new
like to sign the contract for her new job and it was a happy moment to
job and it was a happy moment to
job and it was a happy moment to celebrate but then it took a long time
celebrate but then it took a long time
celebrate but then it took a long time before she actually started so she came
before she actually started so she came
before she actually started so she came up with the idea to compensate for that
up with the idea to compensate for that
up with the idea to compensate for that to give the new hires a gift card for
to give the new hires a gift card for
to give the new hires a gift card for dinner for two so they could celebrate
dinner for two so they could celebrate
dinner for two so they could celebrate with a loved one
with a loved one
with a loved one on the first day of work the new people
on the first day of work the new people
on the first day of work the new people get a warm welcome with hugs and a
get a warm welcome with hugs and a
get a warm welcome with hugs and a bottle of bubbles in in our hands
bottle of bubbles in in our hands
bottle of bubbles in in our hands meeting we have an agenda item called
meeting we have an agenda item called
meeting we have an agenda item called New Kids on the Block where they get to
New Kids on the Block where they get to
New Kids on the Block where they get to tell the stories about themselves and
tell the stories about themselves and
tell the stories about themselves and their dreams and aspirations the other
their dreams and aspirations the other
their dreams and aspirations the other day some of our new people told me that
day some of our new people told me that
day some of our new people told me that they had felt like rockstars
they had felt like rockstars
they had felt like rockstars started working for us and they had felt
started working for us and they had felt
started working for us and they had felt so welcomed in a compassionate culture
so welcomed in a compassionate culture
so welcomed in a compassionate culture we also build great relationships and we
we also build great relationships and we
we also build great relationships and we care about relationships that last so
care about relationships that last so
care about relationships that last so when people move on to new challenges
when people move on to new challenges
when people move on to new challenges and new workplaces we give them a
and new workplaces we give them a
and new workplaces we give them a symbolic present we give them a
symbolic present we give them a
symbolic present we give them a boomerang
boomerang
boomerang to signal their welcome back together we
to signal their welcome back together we
to signal their welcome back together we are on this journey to build the world’s
are on this journey to build the world’s
are on this journey to build the world’s best workplace that job is never done we
best workplace that job is never done we
best workplace that job is never done we experiment we fail and we pick ourselves
experiment we fail and we pick ourselves
experiment we fail and we pick ourselves up but most importantly we pick each
up but most importantly we pick each
up but most importantly we pick each other up we have fun we succeed and we
other up we have fun we succeed and we
other up we have fun we succeed and we celebrate and when we succeed with
celebrate and when we succeed with
celebrate and when we succeed with compassion we win together some leaders
compassion we win together some leaders
compassion we win together some leaders today want to build an innovation
today want to build an innovation
today want to build an innovation culture so they go out and buy a ping
culture so they go out and buy a ping
culture so they go out and buy a ping pong table my advice is to start with
pong table my advice is to start with
pong table my advice is to start with compassion start seeing the potential in
compassion start seeing the potential in
compassion start seeing the potential in your people and give them the
your people and give them the
your people and give them the opportunity to be awesome and the
opportunity to be awesome and the
opportunity to be awesome and the autonomy to be great and to be humans
autonomy to be great and to be humans
autonomy to be great and to be humans not machines because you can buy cool
not machines because you can buy cool
not machines because you can buy cool offices you can buy fancy new technology
offices you can buy fancy new technology
offices you can buy fancy new technology even people can be bought but you cannot
even people can be bought but you cannot
even people can be bought but you cannot buy a compassionate culture thank you
buy a compassionate culture thank you
buy a compassionate culture thank you [Applause]
”
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