Grace Zuncic is Chief People and Impact Officer at the deeply purpose-driven adventure gear retailer, Cotopaxi. She sees it as her own purpose to help others be their best selves, which she's realized is something she can do at scale in HR roles. Now, she's helping Cotopaxi through a stage of rapid growth beyond its initial familial startup phase, to attract, develop, and engage employees

We discussed ways that employers can help their people identify and engage with their own individual purpose, even if the organization is earlier in its technical impact journey than Cotopaxi. Three levers came up to do this: first, building a culture with a growth mindset, questioning each other and established practices, and practicing radical candor. Secondly, doing human things that fit your organization's size and structure, like celebrating birthdays, sharing personal stories, or posting non-work inspiration photos on a corporate channel, like Cotopaxi's #inthewild Slack channel. And finally, helping people see and recognize the ways that the other pieces of their 'pie' can provide fulfillment, inspiration, and purpose - and supporting them to spend time and energy in those activities, not just at work.

Additional Resources

• Connect with Grace on Linkedin

• A Description of the larger 'pie' - the 6 Spheres of Impact - An Updated View of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

• A Corporate Approach to Individual Story Telling

• Learn more about PeopleForward Network

Mark Atkinson's purpose is to make work a source of dignity and self actualization. He's pursued that goal in a wide variety of roles and sectors, now as an entrepreneur and CEO of Mursion, Inc., a VR training platform for professionals to practice and master workplace skills. He's frustrated that we use creature comforts to entrap people in functions that don't elevate them to their full potential. We discussed how supported skill-building, stretch assignments, and rigorous measurement of progress can make work a source of dignity.

Additional Resources

• How Tech Will Help Solve the Human-Skills Shortage by Promoting Empathetic Leadership
• Ericsson Fosters Inclusive Behaviors through Immersive, Science-Based Learning Experiences
• Four criteria for building skills that support high-performance cultures
• Meet Learners Where They Are With Personalized Training
• Does Your Company Make You a Better Person?
• Learn more about PeopleForward Network

Question: What does being an SVP at NFP a 7,400 employee insurance and consultancy company, have to do with being a play-by-play commentator at Butler Bulldog's Basketball Team?

Answer: Storytelling.

This was such a fun and entertaining conversation with Mark Minner, Senior Vice President at NFP. Storytelling is the basis for how he gets to know people, building authentic connections, engaging, entertaining, encouraging & impacting. Storytelling is the foundation of Mark's approach to leadership, upon which he builds Focus, Freedom and Fun. Helping provide clarity to employees on where they are going, their goals, and what to focus on; the freedom to perform as themselves, at their best, with the appropriate balance of challenge and support; the fun infused throughout because - well, we might as well have fun along the way.

Plenty to pull from this and infuse into your best-self leadership style!

Additional Resources

• Find Mark on Linkedin
• Check out the NFP Website
• Learn more about Butler University
• Learn more about PeopleForward Network

Yuisa Perez is the first Chief People Officer of the Boston Museum of Science where she brings over 20 years of experience as a passionate human resources leader, K-12 educator, and a champion for creating vibrant spaces for all communities to realize their natural talent.

Her sense of purpose goes back to high school where she had long felt othered, not least of which by the mispronunciation of her name (which our co-host accidentally repeated in our recording!). We discuss ways to clarify and include your team's individual sense of purpose, from ice cream to simple questions, and pronunciation tutorials.

Additional Resources

• Connect with Yuisa on LinkedIn
• Museum of Science in spanish
• Article w/ Yuisa
• Background on Clarks council
• Learn more about PeopleForward Network

Openness, transparency & compassion enable us to get to know each other, to share, challenge, to build trust. Trust is a foundational component upon which positive and high performing cultures are built. Trust is also enriched with candid conversations, difficult decisions, holding people accountable and during these tougher moments, doing the right thing. Individual purpose is about people being at their best and making a difference. There is so much difference being made at Parker Adventist Hospital, thanks to CEO Michael Goebel. The open question for a future discussion and for our listeners to opine on, is "if we all knew each other better, what additional difference could we make?"

Additional Resources

• Connect with Michael on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Parker Adventist Hospital
• Learn more about PeopleForward Network

Christina Keller is the CEO of Cascade Engineering, an engineering and manufacturing firm that knows a people-centric culture is key to its success. Celebrating 50 years of operations, with a triple bottom line approach since day one, Christina and the Cascade team are committed to making their business a force for good for all stakeholders. Cascade is B Corp certified, a Certified Women's Business Enterprise, and a Credentialed Partner of Partners for a Racism Free Community.

In our conversation, Christina shares the recognition that employees' basic needs must be met, including mental and physical health, transportation to work, and childcare; the importance of long-term thinking; and the financial, innovation, and culture benefits of engaging employees' individual purpose, through welfare to work programs, engaging returning citizens from incarceration, and supporting passion projects.

Additional Resources

Find Christina on LinkedIn

Visit Cascade Engineering's Website

• Eisenhower Matrix Tool
• Work/Family Balance Program Cascade Engineering Ron Brown Award
• Pink Carts
  • Creator Story
  • In the News
• BBC video about Cascade's Program for Returning Citizens Reduces Recidivism
  • Jahuan McKinley
  • Jamila Williams

Learn more about PeopleForward Network

How do we make work better for the people we work with? Analiese Brown, VP of People & Culture at Campminder, focuses on three things to bring purpose into the work place - 1. making meaning of the work, so people can see the difference it has; 2. Connecting people together, so they feel part of the whole, something bigger than themselves, where they can develop strong relationships; and 3. Inspiring people to solve interesting problems by imagining the way things could be.

Additional Resources

• Connect with Analiese on LinkedIn
• Campminder Website
• Learn more about PeopleForward Network

Michael Oh has partnered with several purpose-driven CEOs to grow companies. He knows first hand the joys and challenges of this growth. One of his top tips is the need to recognize and accept the inevitability of change as companies grow. Effective leaders support people at every level to opt in or out of the organization as it evolves. Being in touch with purpose helps Michael navigate this and other elements of expanding teams and businesses, staying impactful and successful all the way.

Additional Resources

• HBS Culture Assessment
• Connect with Michael on LinkedIn
• Learn more about PeopleForward Network

Compassion, Optimism, Resilience and Enthusiasm - these are 4 words that describe Laurie Shakur, Chief People Officer at Session AI, and her leadership model. In essence it is these principles that bring Laurie's purpose to life and enable her to support people in being at their best. A big believer in building upon others' strengths and authenticity, her CORE approach, combined with purpose results in enthusiastic, happy and successful people. At Session AI Laurie has the opportunity to do this with all 103 employees, in the fast growing, cutting edge technology start up. The benefits of this smaller company size include the connectivity between people and to the vision, mission and organizational purpose. Laurie shares some best practices in how to continue to nurture these characteristics, as the company continues to grow.

Additional Resources

• Connect with Laurie on LinkedIn
• Visit Session AI's Website: https://www.sessionai.com/
• Learn more about PeopleForward Network

Do you love what you do? Caralyn Cooley, EVP, Chief People Officer at Bowery Farming, is on a mission to ensure everyone does. This episode explores how Caralyn looks to identify and build upon her people's strengths to support what they do, how they do it and what they collaborate on together. Further, how they use this information to craft people's careers within the organization. As a mission driven organization Caralyn is proud to lead purpose-driven people at Bowery Farming. How does Bowery build on this, what are the benefits and what are the watch outs in an organization full of passion and impact? Focusing on being intentional, fulfilled and significant, Caralyn can be considered a purpose-driven leader and we're excited to share her story with you

Additional Resources

• Connect with Caralyn on LinkedIn
• Visit Bowery Farming's Website: https://boweryfarming.com/
• Learn more about PeopleForward Network