Leadership Development Blog
Why Basecamp CEO Jason Fried Believes 40 Hours Is Plenty
In a world that increasingly values hustle and glorifies burnout, it’s refreshing to hear leaders speak out against philosophies that advocate working yourself to the bone.
Jason Fried is one of those leaders. He’s the co-founder and CEO of an incredibly successful tech company called Basecamp, which was started in 1999, and continues to thrive today.
Continue readingOur Chat with Buffer about Their Happy — and Remote — Company Culture
We recently wrote a profile on Buffer’s culture, and today we’re excited to share an interview with Hailley Griffis, Buffer’s PR Specialist, and Mary Jantsch, Buffer’s Community Lead, People Culture team.
In the Q&A below, the teammates discuss Buffer’s nomadic work culture, why they don’t have a traditional HR department, what the company is doing to scale its culture as they grow, and how they screen for culture-fit when hiring a 100% remote team.
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Evernote’s Big Goal? To Build a Culture That Lasts 100 Years
Beyond building a product that makes writing, clipping articles, and staying organized simple (and dare I say, fun), Evernote, has built a progressive work culture that includes equity, unlimited paid time off, $1,000 vacation stipends, catered lunches, an athletics program, and the intention to be a 100-year-old startup. They’re also big on life-long learning, and work hard to create an environment that fosters personal and professional development.
Continue readingWhy We Have a Culture Crush on Zappos
Picture working at a company that celebrates culture above all else—a company with a totally flat structure, one that truly embraces individuality and, literally, pays people to quit.
It sounds like a utopian experiment, but that’s life at Zappos, the company that made something equally outlandish—buying shoes online—a totally acceptable, mainstream thing.
Continue readingEmployee Engagement, Or Forced Fun? Here’s the Difference.
Tell me if this sounds familiar. Someone at your company organizes what they see as a fun, company-wide activity, and it is absolutely not something you are interested in, but you follow through anyway because you don’t want to ruffle feathers or disrupt the culture. You might go through the motions, but you do not feel engaged.
Does that mean you’re not a cultural fit? Or does it mean you simply have different interests, preferences, or tendencies (ie., extroversion vs. introversion: maybe karaoke gives you anxiety to the point of throwing up, or the thought of an improv class makes you want to climb into a cave and never come back out).
If your company throws a big, rowdy holiday party and someone leaves early—or someone doesn’t show up at all—is that OK? Does it mean they aren’t engaged?
Are they hazards to your culture? Or is a truly healthy workplace one that lets people be who they are?
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