What do you think is at the heart of the people and culture discipline? And, how do you know when you have really succeeded at “people and culture” in the workplace?

I believe the heart of the people and culture discipline is deep understanding. Deep understanding on multiple levels:

• A deep understanding of organizational strategy and what the organization is setting out to achieve. One of my favorite definitions of organizational “purpose” is simply, “why did you organize?”
• A deep understanding of organizational culture – the norms, values, behaviors of the organization, both explicit and implicit.
• A deep understanding of the groups and individuals that comprise an organization; their needs, motivations, challenges and desires.
• A deep understanding of context and environment. What is influencing people and culture in your organization, what pressures are people facing, what expectations will drive them?

If you have a deep understanding of all of these vectors, you’re able to influence the organizational system and build connective tissue. Understanding people’s needs and context, you can inspire and motivate them to contribute to the organization’s goals. Understanding and influencing organizational norms and behaviors, you can help them work in harmony with creating positive outcomes – both for the organization and its people. 

In an interview you did, you spoke about the difference between power and authority in the workplace. Can you explain that again here and share why this is an important distinction?
Power and authority are powerful forces in any human system, and therefore critical components in any people and culture work. 

Power is the ability to influence others or their behavior. Therefore, power isn’t always held exclusively by “positions of power” or always tied to roles or titles. For instance, someone with a strong network of relationships in an organizational system may play a huge role in influencing the behavior of a group of people and therefore hold power.

Authority, on the other hand, is the formal right to hold or exercise that power. For instance, as a manager, I have the formal authority to determine what my direct report focuses their energy on. Unlike power, authority IS tied to specific roles. For instance, if you are an elected official, you formally hold the authority to represent your constituency. You can delegate authority, giving someone the formal right to exercise decision rights, etc. 

Power and authority are ultimately catalysts for action, but they are also very charged concepts because of how they can be wielded in human systems (for good, for bad, for shared outcomes, for personal gain, etc.) Understanding where BOTH power and authority live in organizational systems enables you to influence that system more effectively. Because they’re charged concepts, people often prefer NOT to acknowledge power – either their own or others! And I believe that to be extremely counterproductive. It’s not about whether it exists (it does!), it’s about how it’s used as a force for momentum. 

You recently were hired at Foursquare and in the press release, CEO Gary Little said you bring an inventive approach to designing internal business structures and team experiences. What does that mean? Can you share a few insights for others?

When Gary and I discussed the possibility of me taking on this role, we explored whether my vision for what a People Team could contribute to an organization was aligned with his vision and ultimately, the organization’s needs. There are a few underlying principles I bring to this work and this role:

• That inherently, a people and culture function is a strategic catalyst for organizational outcomes, bringing deep data, insight, perspective and knowledge on human psychology and behavior to enrich people practices in service of shared goals.
• That designing and influencing culture is inherently experiential, as people’s understanding of an organization is the sum of experiences they have with the organization and its members. 
• That stories, narratives and metaphors are how people make sense of their experiences, and we are constantly creating and recreating organizational myth and lore based on those experiences. Leadership must do more than be aware of those narratives, they must also participate actively in shaping and influencing them as a driving force of organizational momentum.
• That a people practice at a technology company should not operate differently than the organization itself fundamentally, which means being customer-obsessed, experimental, iterative and future-facing.