Culture Leaders

In this episode, Damon sits down with Lainie Tayler the General Manager People at Carman's Kitchen & Founder of HR Squad to discuss reimagining the employee experience and how to retain your best employees. Lainie Tayler is the founder of HR Squad and an experienced Performance Coach, whose mission is to help people achieve their professional and personal goals. In this episode, you’ll hear:&n...

In this episode, Damon sits down with Anna Binder from Asana to talk about the journey she’s been on as she’s scaled Asana. As the newest board member of Culture Amp, Anna built a culture powered by clarity, co-creation, and inclusion and shares what she learned from her role at Asana and talk about what’s next for people leaders in 2022 Anna Binder serves as Asana’s Head of People Operations, a r...

For years Major League Baseball has measured everything related to the game. From the data that individual teams use for onfield performance to the analytics they use to tailor the brand and gameday experience for the fans.  Brand is a promise to the customer, culture is how you deliver on that promise. In this episode, you’ll hear how Major League Baseball started their journey to create a c...

In this episode Damon Klotz sat down with Richard Taylor, VP of Employee Experience at Nasdaq, to learn about how they think about building a culture first company.  What’s holding your employees back from a transformative experience? Nasdaq asked this question, and what they learned was surprising. By deeply listening to employees, the people team gained unexpected insights into key pain poi...

In this episode of the Culture First Podcast Damon sits down with Claude Silver to provide a sneak preview into their respective upcoming conversations with Susan David about emotional agility and toxic positivity.  You’ll hear insights into how VaynerMedia trains leaders for emotional agility, the quotes from Susan David that have impacted him the most, and the question that will help you be...

In this episode, Damon speaks with Aubrey Blanche, Director of Equitable Impact & Design at Culture Amp. Damon and Aubrey discuss building anti-racist organizations, the work of Professor Ibram X. Kendi & her first memories of what equality and inclusion meant as a young child.  You’ll also hear some special reveals about the content and speakers for Culture First as well as the annou...

How to learn, unlearn & stay curious at work, with Chip Conley  In this episode, Damon Klotz and Chip Conley explore what it means to be a modern elder, ponder the notion of our identity being wrapped up in our work, and why the older generation's emotional intelligence is just as important as the younger generation's digital intelligence.  Rebel hospitality entrepreneur and New York...

Join our host Damon Klotz as he reflects on the 7 parts of the working through it series and how they’ve helped him work through it during this time. Damon will share which moments from the episodes he has found himself coming back to, where he’s struggling and how he plans to act on these learnings in the future.  For this episode we've also created a toolkit for you to use as you continue t...

In this episode Damon speaks with Lars Schmidt, one of the leading voices when it comes to modern HR practices, employer branding and open sourcing the future of work.  Damon and Lars debate how much of this new normal is going to still be present in the workplaces of the future.  This episode is from Part 7 of Culture Amp’s Working Through It series. Learn more about the series at www.c...

In this episode Damon speaks with Srinivas Krishnamurti, VP of Product at Culture Amp and former CEO of Zugata, about the steps we need to take to create a fairer and equitable performance management process. They discuss organizational justice, how remote work can level the playing field and why your current performance process might be leaving learning opportunities on the table.  This epis...

In this episode Damon speaks with Rajkumari Neogy , an epigenetic coach and executive consultant focused on the intersection of neurobiology, culture, and empathy in today’s business world. She is also the author of “The WIT Factor: Shifting the Workplace Paradigm by Becoming Your Optimal Self.” Damon and Rajkumari discuss the role that exclusion and trauma can have in the workplace. Together, the...

In this episode, Damon Klotz speaks with Jenny Sauer-Klein. Jenny is an experience designer and masterful facilitator who specializes in designing dynamic learning experiences that help companies engage their employees and bring their culture to life. Damon and Jenny talk about how the shift from IRL to URL has led to a complete redesign in how we’re connecting. Together they explore how to define...

In this episode, Damon Klotz sits down with author, poet, and community builder Cleo Wade. This conversation is designed to inspire listeners through the power of poetry, space creation, and storytelling. Cleo’s empowering message gives us the tools to build the communities and connections that we need more than ever right now. Cleo Wade is the author of the bestselling books, Heart Talk: Poetic W...

In this episode Damon speaks to Kelsey Crowe, Ph. D. , author of There is No Good Card for This: What to do and say when life is scary, awful and, unfair to the people you love . Kelsey and Damon discuss what stops us from asking for help, how to show up for people who are suffering, and coping with grief at work.    What do you say to a colleague who is grieving? Whether someone is...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 McChrys...

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...

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 conver...

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://a...

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. Howeve...

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 activ...

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 p...