Jen Handler

10 Things we've done for our Open Org Members over the last few weeks... 📖 Employee Handbook Build ⭐ Career Site Messaging & Positioning 📄 Compensation Philosophy Review 🌱 How to define the role of a Manager 🔮 Creation of a Transparency Philosophy ❤️ Annual Health-Check via our Open Culture Framework ⚙ Internal Workshop Design 📊 People Metric Benchmarking via peoplemetrics.fyi 💰 Becoming Pay Transparent 🎁 EVP Discovery & Activation Getting to work with companies & people leaders on things like this, all with the goal of building healthier, more open, transparent places of work is AWESOME 🖤 #Transparency #OpenOrg #PeopleOps

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I'm not a big podcast listener, can't really explain why. Just not. That being said, I have recently found one that I truly enjoy and look forward to, Monster in My Closet. Their humorous approach to workplace topics that folks shy away from is refreshing and informative. The workplace isn't all rainbows and puppies, though shining a light on the "monsters" can help try make it that way. #MonsterinMyCloset #Medusaas #leadership #newpodcast #workplace #culture #businesspodcast

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To land an amazing role in leadership and strategy in product....you need to remember its not just about what you say...it's about HOW you show up.  When you show up energized and positive…with the right executive energy....it matters. If you show up angry and irritated, you might as well go home What energy are you bringing to interviews? 🔋 To learn how to LAND an AMAZING role in PRODUCT, respond with LAND and I'll send you my new E-Book...How to LAND and LEAD in the World of Product Management. You've got this. #productmanagement #productmanagement #techleaders

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I love learning from amibious, successful and kind people. Maya Connet is all of those things and more. Our paths crossed several years ago after my company was acquired by hers. Last week we caught up about her journey since (and before), the organization and culture she is building as the VP of Global Sales at Tropic and how she is managing through this “season” of life. …A season that includes 2 kids under 4, both parents with demanding (and rewarding!) careers, hers being at a fast-paced high growth company. I took so much away from the conversation. Listen to learn… - what 5 qualities she uses to hire sales talent - a few techniques her exec coach taught her to crispen her vision and craft her career - how she made a successful transition from journalism ad sales to tech sales And we go deep on how she experienced maternity leave. While the fear entering that period of life was potential for career contraction, the result was quite the opposite, getting promoted BOTH times she was on leave. She generously walks through the intentional steps she took and conversations she had to lay the foundation for these promotions and how you can do it too. Thank you so much Maya Connet !!! Link to the podcast in comments! #balanceisbullshit #workingmom #salesleadership #saleshiring #maternityleave

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As you know, MajorSage Business Coaching helps you solve that “can’t find good people” problem. Now we’ve added a fantastic tool to help you get meaningful data to help you land top talent. Raise your glasses everyone 🥂— MajorSage is now a charter affiliate of The Culture MRI. The Culture MRI is a software as a service (SaaS) tool that gives unparalleled insight into the motivations of your entire team. It also shows you the cost of turnover and the economic opportunities that come from making your company a better place to work. 🙌 This is no mere engagement survey. This is a comprehensive system for measuring where you are, showing you where you’re going, and calculating what you can expect when you get there. It dovetails perfectly with the MajorSage Magnetic Transformation as you get to measure in real time how well you’re doing with improvements to Vision, Management, and Hiring. Today’s workforce has different motivations and expectations than you’re used to. Can you afford not to know how to reach them? Don’t wait! Book a no-strings call with me and let’s set up a demo. We’re supplying even more clarity here. Isn’t it time you got some? Let’s go, Hero! 💪 #bignews #theculturemri #vision #management #hiring #toptalent #majorsage #magnetic #transformation #clarity #letsgohero

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As you know, MajorSage Business Coaching helps you solve that “can’t find good people” problem. Now we’ve added a fantastic tool to help you get meaningful data to help you land top talent. Raise your glasses everyone 🥂— MajorSage is now a charter affiliate of The Culture MRI. The Culture MRI is a software as a service (SaaS) tool that gives unparalleled insight into the motivations of your entire team. It also shows you the cost of turnover and the economic opportunities that come from making your company a better place to work. 🙌 This is no mere engagement survey. This is a comprehensive system for measuring where you are, showing you where you’re going, and calculating what you can expect when you get there. It dovetails perfectly with the MajorSage Magnetic Transformation as you get to measure in real time how well you’re doing with improvements to Vision, Management, and Hiring. Today’s workforce has different motivations and expectations than you’re used to. Can you afford not to know how to reach them? Don’t wait! Book a no-strings call with me and let’s set up a demo. We’re supplying even more clarity here. Isn’t it time you got some? Let’s go, Hero! 💪 #bignews #theculturemri #vision #management #hiring #toptalent #majorsage #magnetic #transformation #clarity #letsgohero

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One of my all-time favorite exercises to help improve feedback within a team is: speedback 🗣 When I say exercise, I really mean that speedback can feel like soulcycle! This is not fluff. It can be intense and even transformational. You come out of it a bit exhausted, but in so much better shape than before 💪 Ideally done live (face-to-face), but also could be done over zooms using the breakout rooms. Here is one article that explains how to do it 👇 https://lnkd.in/gATH54cY

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Oh my goodness! Can’t believe this is real ;) feeling scared/ excited/ energized and in shock!! Hope y’all take a moment- carve out some time and explore the lessons/ wisdom shared within this book. These are stories / lessons that have been in “development” since my career began. #AlwaysLearning Hope you find them useful in your journey too!

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If there were 99 things that we were doing 'wrong', this might've been the ONE thing that we did 'right' in the earliest days of my first company. And yet, most rising leaders that I meet (founders or otherwise) aren't doing it. Inform the folks in your network about how your journey is coming along. Whether that means in your career progression, a creative endeavor, or starting a company. We want to know! And the occasional update, sent systematically so that you develop a rhythm, is the easiest way for the "state of your journey" to gain a weeee little bit of a headspace in the minds of your friends, family, classmates, colleagues etc. Trust me. Doing this will pay dividends in some unpredictable way. You never know who's having coffee with whom. And when they do, your adventure might just come to mind in their conversation. For me, Kasey, Jessica, & Nick, it started with a basic email, simply BCC'ing folks we'd been in touch with about our latest wins / challenges / questions. Today, I'm a tad more polished with an actual newsletter (complete with an "unsubscribe" button : ) that also spotlights other amazing entrepreneurs and shares my written articles etc. But at the core is the same premise: I'm lightly providing a little update to the folks I care about, about what I'm doing or thinking, and - occasionally - how they might help Danny & I build Impruve. Do this. And if we're friends, add me to your list, I want to know what's happening and how I (or that person I'm having coffee with 3 Tuesdays from now) can help.

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Next week, I’m putting out a resource that has taken MONTHS of thought and collaboration to pull together. 30+ pages on how to find, vet, hire, and manage freelance talent. We’ll spill the beans on all the tactics, vetting questions, and sourcing strategies I’ve used to build The Starters, as well as the strategies of top executives at other e-commerce brands. It’s going to be the first of many resources that we put out, across all the categories and functions that are most important to e-commerce brands. After all, we have the knowledge and experience of the smartest and most seasoned experts in e-commerce… why not put it to good use? If you want to be one of the first to access it— shoot me a DM and I’ll send it to you. Only caveat? I’d love your feedback. Let me know what you think, and how we can make it better. Excited to get this out there 👀

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My skills book is halfway done! Over the last few weeks, I've recruited over 20 contributors (and counting!) from across industries who are leading skills efforts in their organizations to tell their stories and lessons learned. I've written a deep dive into current models of people processes, across the employee lifecycle from recruitment through succession planning, and how they could be enhanced and changed with skill data. I've come up with a really good analogy to kick off the book - which was a lot of pressure, since my last book opened with an analogy taken from a South Park episode (ask me about the underpants gnomes, IYKYK). And I've gotten more and more excited about bringing this book, and all of the stories that I'm collecting, out into the world. I've also eaten most of this barrel of animal crackers... Many of my Thrive colleagues have been posting about what our 4-day work week trial has meant for them. For at least the next few months, having Fridays off means I have more dedicated time to write, to edit, to consult with the book contributors, and to do some deep thinking. It might not be the "day off" that some people might imagine, but it is the time I need to hit this major milestone and to achieve this personal goal. Here's to being halfway there - and onto the second half! #Thrive #thrivetribe #4DWW #BookWritingFridays #Skills #SkillsBasedOrganizations #SkillsBook

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If you're in tech leadership, you've probably heard and possibly even read Paul Graham's essay about founder versus manager mode. I've participated in quite a few threads debating this essay. Full disclosure: it didn't sit well with me. It felt like Paul was creating a false dichotomy, unnecessary us-versus-them culture. Propelled by our so common tendency to think in either-or terms. This morning, it dawned on me that this whole founder-versus-manager tension is predicated on the assumption that management is disconnected from the company's founding mission. If that’s your situation, then Paul's essay makes much sense! Stop executing blindly, and get yourself and your team realigned with the mission. And stop blaming the managers—it's your job as a leader to create the alignment. (Get help if you don't know how.) #leadership #founder #alignment

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Peloton Case Study: Fast Growth Isn't What It's Cracked Up To Be I hear it a lot from startups, we could be growing faster if we just did X or Y. First, it's often not true. And then if it is true, it may not be the best thing for the company long term. Peloton provides an example. Even the turnaround CEO, you know, could not turn it around, bright eyes. Barry McCarthy is stepping down, and 15% more staff are departing. * Gyms were probably one of the more unsafe places to be during the pandemic. * Demand for home fitness skyrockets. * Manufacturing ramps up. * Global supply chain crisis causes ocean-freight container prices to skyrocket and unpredictable timing. * Company moves to air cargo ("customers must be served") * Costs skyrocket. Every now and then it falls apart. Owned manufacturing and air cargo were the the worst supply chain moves. Bikes are heavy and it's difficult to scale manufacturing without a partner. You know what never hear from a high-flying startup? "We would generate so much more CASH if we did X." "We would take care of our customers so much better if we did Y." In fact, customer service and free cash flow are usually the first casualties of growth. Growth. It's always the growth, but of course not always the right kind of growth. It's always the top-line or vanity metric kind. The lesson here is simple: is this a one-time growth opportunity, or is this a generational shift. (hint: you are going to guess wrong). If it's a one-time opportunity, then do your best to add one-time expenses as well that are easily scaled back down. Even just asking the simple question in the management team meeting no one wants to ask: "What happens when demand goes back to normal?" Even just having a plan B will help you avoid those catastrophic company-killer events.

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5 essential reminders for employee advocacy program managers. Shout-out to Elliot Elsley for compiling this list! Elliot has helped guide hundreds of organizations to employee advocacy success, and has seen them through from pre-program launch to continued optimization and elevation. He recently sat down with Lewis Gray ⚡️ on DSMN8’s podcast to share his insights and best practices for employee advocacy, including his 5 essentials you see below! Check out the episode here. It’s a super interesting listen: https://lnkd.in/g5ADk-wj #EmployeeAdvocacy #EmployeeInfluencers

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I’ve been obsessed with how we all get better at this being human thing my whole life. Most coaches and thought leaders can likely say the same thing. My degrees laid a foundation, but most of what I have learned comes from really paying attention. ❓ How do we change when we feel under pressure? Uncertain? Safe? ❓ Why are our most cherished emotions often the least explored? ❓ Which tools truly liberate us from old habits to become our best selves? My mission is to make sure that anyone who wants to grow has someone in their corner. To do that, we at needed to crack the code on how to support the development of soft skills across thousands or millions of people. So that's what we did at Dailyhuman. 🙋‍♀️ Raise your hand if you believe in the limitless potential of humanity. Make sure to get your daily dose of human today.  It’s the catalyst for profound change.

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Ever felt like you're stuck in a career rut? You're not alone! Hi, I'm Ubaid Zia, and I've worked with countless executives across Fortune 500 companies globally. One common issue I see is executives feeling stuck in their career path. Despite working hard, it feels like they're not making any progress. Want to know the secret to breaking free? It’s about crafting a clear vision for your career. Take a moment to write down where you see yourself in the next 12 months. Visualize it. Feel it. Comment below and share your vision with us! #CareerGrowth #LeadershipJourney #ExecutiveToCEO #VisionSetting #BreakTheRut

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Is your leadership team transparent with each other and the organization about what projects and activities fall above the line and what falls below? In my experience leading HR at a growth stage PE backed company, this prioritization was critical not just within my own team, but across the organization. Why? 🚀 Finite resources. As a profitable rule of 40 business, every seat on the bus matters. When profitability and growth are your goals, you can't commit investment dollars to everything under the sun. What are the products, projects, people that will make the highest value impact? Invest there and say no to everything else. 🚀 Investment timeline. While hold times vary, and have increased during 2023 into 2024, there's an expectation that at some point near the five year mark, you'll be working towards an exit. Way prior to year 5, you'll make decisions on the projects, people, and products to invest in which will maximize the value of the company. 🚀 Being transparent with employees about above the line and below the line projects and activities increases employee engagement and ensures the entire organization is focused on the right things. What's been your experience with prioritization? If you work at a privately held company, have you experienced the same? If you work at a publicly traded company, what differences might you add?

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Great article on the meeting culture of our world today. Thoughts?

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Last week, we were reminded that even the best business strategies need a human touch. The recent Intuit layoffs and their subsequent communication offer a valuable lesson in leadership, particularly in balancing empathy with strategy. While their communication had elements of thoughtfulness and clarity, a misstep can overshadow the good and negatively impact a company's reputation, culture, and future talent pipeline. Layoffs are incredibly difficult, and there's no easy way to navigate them. However, leaders can learn from these missteps and approach workforce reductions with greater empathy and awareness: ➡️ Prioritize Values Alignment During challenging times, your actions speak volumes about your company culture. Avoid labeling employees as "not meeting expectations" in public announcements, as this can be insensitive and harmful. Demonstrate your commitment to a people-centric culture by treating employees with respect and dignity throughout their entire employment lifecycle. ➡️ Cultivate Your Employer Brand A poorly worded layoff announcement can tarnish your reputation for years. Due to negative publicity, it must be disheartening for shareholders (including employees) to see customers seeking alternative products in the competitive fintech space. Invest in thoughtful, transparent communication that acknowledges the human impact of layoffs. Your employer brand is an asset that needs nurturing. ➡️ Engage Legal Expertise Don't underestimate the legal complexities of layoffs, especially if you're triggering WARN Act requirements. Be particularly cautious about labeling underperformance, as these terms can be scrutinized for privacy violations and defamation claims. ➡️ Embrace Leadership Accountability Avoid placing blame solely on employees for "not meeting expectations." Acknowledge your role as a leader in shaping performance. Assess whether employees had the necessary resources, training, and support to succeed. Remember, many individuals who underperform in one organization may excel in others. Context and environment significantly shape performance outcomes. So, don't shy away from hiring talent who were labeled potentially unfairly. A final thought: Some have questioned why HR didn't intervene. They may have. While speculation is unhelpful, it highlights the challenges even experienced HR professionals face. HR leaders must have an uninhibited voice and advocate for what's right, even in the face of resistance. Let's learn from our missteps—they will happen—and lead with compassion and transparency, building a brighter future for everyone.

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