Culture First with Damon Klotz

Culture Amp

How does work culture shape human behavior and experience? How do humans create cultures?

From uncomfortable truths to heart-to-heart conversations, Culture First uncovers what it really takes to build a better world of work. We all aspire to rise above the day-to-day commotion and bring more humanity into our work lives.

Our host Damon Klotz is dedicated to understanding how we find meaning in our work and how to better the experience humans have within organizations. Join him as he explores journeys of trials and triumphs with the people who put culture first - despite all the things that get in the way.

Culture First: Stories for a better world of work is a podcast by Culture Amp, the People and Culture platform.

For more info, episodes or contact: www.culturefirstpodcast.com

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Episodes

The Surprising Long Term Impact of Layoffs on Company Performance & Employee Experience.
18-07-2024
The Surprising Long Term Impact of Layoffs on Company Performance & Employee Experience.
This is the second part of a two-part series on layoffs and their impact on the employee experience. The episode focuses on the long-term impact of layoffs, based on research conducted by Culture Amp. The study analyzed data from layoffs in the tech sector between March 2020 and December 2023, including over 3,300 layoff events by 2,400 companies.Chapters03:30 - Rebounding After a Layoff07:00 - How Long It Takes to Rebound11:46 - Determinants and Drivers of Engagement Post Layoff18:50 - The Impact of Second Layoffs22:01 - Main Takeaways and ConclusionDuring this episode, we discussed the health impacts of layoffs on individuals. You can read more about that below. Medical studies have shown that the trauma of unemployment causes disease. One study found that being laid off ranked seventh among the most stressful life experiences — more stressful than divorce, a sudden and serious impairment of hearing or vision, or the death of a close friend.Experts say that it takes, on average, two years to recover from the psychological trauma of losing a job.Source: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-01-17/tech-layoffs-stress-trauma-unemployment-economy#:~:text=One%20study%20found%20that%20being,trauma%20of%20losing%20a%20job. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or follow and hit five stars on Spotify.Learn more about Culture Amp at www.cultureamp.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn to get his latest leadership insights, and follow him on Instagram to see behind-the-scenes footage from the podcast. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Immediate Impact of Layoffs on Employee Experience & Company Performance.
19-06-2024
The Immediate Impact of Layoffs on Employee Experience & Company Performance.
This is the first part of a two-part series on layoffs and their impact on the employee experience. The episode focuses on the immediate impact of layoffs, based on research conducted by Culture Amp. The research analyzed data from layoffs in the tech sector between March 2020 and December 2023, including over 3,300 layoff events by 2,400 companies.The conversation explores the impact of layoffs on employee engagement and the employee experience. It discusses the decline in engagement levels after layoffs, particularly in trust, pride, and commitment. It also highlights the importance of leadership communication and development opportunities in mitigating the negative effects of layoffs. The conversation debunks the myth that doing one large layoff is better than multiple smaller layoffs and emphasizes the role of managers in supporting employees during this challenging time.The episode concludes by discussing alternative strategies to layoffs and the importance of treating employees with decency and humanity throughout the process.Chapters03:40 - Research Methodology and Data Set07:08 - Immediate Impact on Employee Engagement13:55 - Decline in Commitment and Confidence20:34 - Importance of Transparent Communication23:22 - The Role of Leadership Communication and Development Opportunities27:45 - Debunking the Myth of One Large Layoff Being Better33:46 - The Importance of Managers in Supporting Employees38:24 - Exploring Alternative Strategies to LayoffsArticles mentioned in this episode: Business Insider - A better way to handle layoffsAxios - Employers are "afraid" to conduct layoffs in viral video eraIf you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or follow and hit five stars on Spotify.Learn more about Culture Amp at www.cultureamp.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn to get his latest leadership insights & follow on Instagram to see behind-the-scenes footage from the podcast. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Modern Managers as Performance Coaches: Secrets from Nascar, Detroit Lions, and Ben Crowe live from SXSW 2024
06-06-2024
Modern Managers as Performance Coaches: Secrets from Nascar, Detroit Lions, and Ben Crowe live from SXSW 2024
In this episode of the Culture First Podcast, we take you on the road with us to give you a front-row seat to an incredible conversation that took place at SXSW Austin this year.In this episode, Didier Elzinga, CEO and Co-founder of Culture Amp, will moderate a discussion on achieving and sustaining a high-performance culture by drawing upon lessons learned from the world of high-performance sports.He was joined by Lindsay Verstegen, Chief People & Diversity Officer at the Detroit Lions, John Ferguson, Chief HR Officer at NASCAR, and Ben Crowe, former global Nike executive and one of the world’s most in-demand professional mentors and mindset coaches, working with CEO’s, teams, executive teams and athletes.They discuss the importance of intentional pauses, building relationships, and the need to fix the environment rather than the individual. The conversation provides valuable perspectives on leadership, team dynamics, and the power of data in understanding and supporting employees.Show notes and timestamps: 03:21 - Creating a Culture of Belonging and Inclusion12:20 - Navigating Uncertainty: From 'Me' to 'We' Mindset32:29 - Fixing the Environment, Not the Individual33:51- Data-Driven Insights for Organizational Improvement34:09 - The Power of Vulnerability and Trust in Leadership36:31 - Connecting with Intrinsic Motivations for Success41:18 - Feedback as a Catalyst for Growth and Development49:48 - Bridging the Gap in Multi-Generational TeamsClick here to download the State of the Manager Report mentioned during this interview. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review.Learn more about Culture Amp at www.cultureamp.com or @cultureamp on InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Should Activism Enter the Workplace? Insights from DeRay McKesson
04-04-2024
Should Activism Enter the Workplace? Insights from DeRay McKesson
DeRay McKesson is a civil rights activist, community organiser, and host of Pod Save the People. He started his career as an educator & human capital leader and is the co-founder of Campaign Zero. Many of the marches DeRay has helped organize contributed to the birth of the Black Lives Matter movement.DeRay has become a key player in the workplace when it comes to confronting the systems and structures that have led to mass incarceration and police killings of black and other minority populations. He is a board member of Rock The Vote, was named one of the World’s Greatest Leaders by Fortune Magazine in 2015, and one of the 30 Most Influential People On The Internet by Time Magazine. You might also know DeRay for famously wearing a blue Patagonia vest. Show notes:Damon's full interview with DeRay can be found here. In the full episode you’ll also hear from Culture Amp CEO Didier Elzinga and his thoughts on role of the organization in actively creating a better world and how leaders can best support their employees to be activists in their community.Learn more about DeRay McKesson at www.deray.comLearn more about Culture Amp by heading to www.cultureamp.com  We believe in creating a better world of work, if that’s important to you too, please subscribe and leave us a review to make sure you don’t miss an episode.If you missed Culture First Virtual 2024, you can now watch all of the sessions on demand from people like Esther Perel, Megan Rapinoe, and Ben Crowe. Click this link to download your favourite session.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Scott Shigeoka: Activating your curiosity will change the world around you
27-03-2024
Scott Shigeoka: Activating your curiosity will change the world around you
Do we lose access to curiosity as we age? Or is it like a muscle that's always there, but just needs to be activated and strengthened?Scott Keoni Shigeoka is an internationally recognized curiosity expert, speaker and author and he's known for translating research into strategies that promote positive wellbeing and connected relationships around the globe including at UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center and through his popular courses at the University of Texas in Austin.In this vibrant and very human conversation with Damon Klotz, Scott helps us remember that we have the capacity to explore and explains just how to use exploration to connect better with others. He tells us how curiosity can boost morale, increase collaboration, and how it can ease conflict and tension in the workplace and everywhere else.Scott also encourages us all to start being an 'admitter', explaining how understanding the limits of your knowledge will always help people believe that you’re not completely out of touch.Show notes:If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review.Learn more about Culture Amp at www.cultureamp.com or @cultureamp on InstagramIf you missed Culture First Virtual 2024, you can now watch all of the sessions on demand from people like Esther Perel, Megan Rapinoe, and Ben Crowe. Click this link to download your favourite session.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
World renowned trust expert: How do we access confidence during uncertainty with Rachel Botsman
20-03-2024
World renowned trust expert: How do we access confidence during uncertainty with Rachel Botsman
Do you feel like trust works both ways in your workplace?With the sustained rise in remote or semi-remote roles, the importance of trust in the workplace is top of mind. But trust needs to work both ways, right? The question isn’t only "can employers trust their employees", it also needs to be "can employees trust their employers?"Rachel Botsman is a trust expert, author and lecturer at Oxford University. She's passionate about challenging ideas around trust and humility and has been recognised as one of the world's 30 most influential management thinkers. Honoured as a young global leader by the World Economic Forum, Rachel’s TED Talks have garnered more than 5 million views.Rachel defines trust as a confident relationship with the unknown and in this short snippet of a longer conversation she really helps us understand how we can cultivate it in our workplaces.Show notes:This conversation is full of laughter and warmth. The full episode is the same and can be found here.Learn more about Rachel Botsman by heading to www.rachelbotsman.comLearn more about Culture Amp by heading to www.cultureamp.com  We believe in creating a better world of work, if that’s important to you too, please subscribe and leave us a review to make sure you don’t miss an episode.If you missed Culture First Virtual 2024, you can now watch all of the sessions on demand from people like Esther Perel, Megan Rapinoe, and Ben Crowe. Click this link to download your favourite session.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Viral Poet Cleo Wade: How to Foster Community in the Workplace
13-03-2024
Viral Poet Cleo Wade: How to Foster Community in the Workplace
Cleo Wade describes herself as a friend and a community builder. She's the author of bestselling books - Heart Talk, poetic Wisdom for a Better Life and Where to Begin, a small book about your power to create big change. Cleo’s also got a new book coming out in May this year - pre-order it here!From the data we collect here at Culture Amp, we know how important it is to give employees a chance to be heard, give feedback and share stories about their experience at work. Creating space for these conversations is important in the workplace and society at large. When we create space to come together and learn from each other, truly amazing things can happen. One of the 2024 workplace trends we identified in our first episode of the year is the idea of commute-worthy experiences. Basically, we're asking companies to truly think about what type of experience they want people to have in the office.If we can hear what Cleo has to say, we’ve got a much better chance of creating workplaces that justify their employee’s commute.Show notes:If this conversation has left you wanting more, the link to Damon's full conversation with Cleo is here.Learn more about Cleo Wade by heading to www.cleowade.comLearn more about Culture Amp by heading to www.cultureamp.com  We believe in creating a better world of work, if that’s important to you too, please subscribe and leave us a review to make sure you don’t miss an episode.If you missed Culture First Virtual 2024, you can now watch all of the sessions on demand from people like Esther Perel, Megan Rapinoe, and Ben Crowe. Click this link to download your favourite session.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The 7 trends that will define HR in 2024
24-01-2024
The 7 trends that will define HR in 2024
Join Damon at Culture First Virtual 2024 to hear from Esther Perel, Megan Rapinoe and Ben Crowe. Register here to get your free ticket & a thank you for being a Podcast listener. Register now.How will the top 7 HR trends of 2024 impact your workplace? Damon breaks down his top three employee experience predictions for 2024, along with key predictions from four experts around the globe. In this new era of work, our technology, leadership, and communication are all hyper-focused on prioritizing ease and creating more cohesive workplaces. It’s a new era born of an understanding that when both work and the world outside work feel hard, it can be overwhelming to be a working human. So, listen in to see how 2024 promises to make it easier for people to do their best work, and to feel valued, purposeful, and confident that they have the tools and support to work well. If you’re ready to level up as a new year begins, 2024 has the potential to drive essential progress in the workplace evolution – where we tune into the requirements of organizations and employees to create truly impactful and engaging employee experiences. As we navigate generational workplace change, rethink the role of the office, and adapt to emerging technologies, the possibilities are endless. Here’s to a new year of making good things happen at work.To read Damon’s article on this topic click here.If you enjoy and find value in this podcast, please don't hesitate to subscribe, follow and leave a review. Learn more about Culture Amp at www.cultureamp.com or @cultureamp on Instagram. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Sarah Walsh on creating the conditions for high performance at the Matildas
22-11-2023
Sarah Walsh on creating the conditions for high performance at the Matildas
Sarah Walsh has been integral in making women’s football in Australia what it is today. Following a club career that saw her play in the NWSL in the United States and in the A-League Women in Australia, she won 70 caps for Australia’s national team the Matildas and has spent the second half of her career fighting for equity and equality for today’s athletes.In the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the Matildas captured the hearts of Australia and the world with record breaking audiences glued to their screens to see the Matildas secure Australia’s highest-ever finish at a World Cup.The timing of this episode was made even more special by the announcement that  the 2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement from Football Australia has gone even further to create the right conditions for high performance. For Sarah, the years and years of work leading up to this moment in time just keep paying off, and to hear her fully grasp the enormity of what she has achieved as she speaks with Damon in this episode is truly special.Sarah and Damon recorded this conversation live at the inaugural SXSW Sydney in front of a standing room only audience. They discuss the conditions needed for high performance, the importance of culture on and off the pitch and the pivotal moments in Sarah’s life that saw her become the trailblazer she is today.Show notes: This episode pairs well with Damon’s recent conversation with Jamila Rizvi, who detailed exactly what we need to do to make work and the workplace a better, safer and more equitable place for women. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review.Learn more about Culture Amp at www.cultureamp.com or @cultureamp on InstagramLearn more about the Matildas at www.matildas.com.auSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Susan David on why work feels harder than ever and how understanding emotional agility will help.
08-11-2023
Susan David on why work feels harder than ever and how understanding emotional agility will help.
Are you stressed? Or could you get benefit from getting a little more specific and looking within to see if something else is happening? Maybe you identify disappointment, exhaustion or feeling unsupported?Damon's guest today is Award-winning psychologist Susan David, and in this episode she'll break down why getting specific with our emotions activates our readiness potential, allowing us to move forward and have the necessary conversations about why work can sometimes feel really hard. As one of the world’s leading management thinkers, Susan won the management idea of the year when she expertly defined emotional agility. Her book Emotional Agility went on to be a #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller and winner of an Amazon Best Books of the Year Award. With more than 11 million views, Susan’s TED Talk, The Gift and Power of Emotional Courage, was named one of the most popular talks of the year.Right when the world needs it most, Susan and David discuss emotions, how we process them, how we handle them, how they show up in the workplace and then they narrow in on how to create space between ourselves and our emotions in order to take action and move forward. At the heart of this conversation is a quest to figure out why we have normalised the idea that while emotions are foundational to our experience as a human, they are still misunderstood or sometimes even excluded from our experience at work.This conversation will sharpen your emotional agility and help you learn how to see your emotions as helpful data points that signpost our deepest needs and values.If you're craving a healthier relationship with your emotions and the emotions of others this episode will help!Show notes:If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review.Learn more about Culture Amp at www.cultureamp.com or @cultureamp on InstagramConnect with Susan David on X @SusanDavid_PhDSusan has generously offered all Culture First listeners free access to the Emotional Agility Quiz: Join over 140,000 people who have taken the free Emotional Agility Quiz. The quiz takes just 5 minutes to complete. You'll receive a free 10-page personalized report offering specific strategies to help you become more Emotionally Agile.She has also offered our listeners the Emotional Agility Pyramid and How to Get Unstuck resources.Listen to Checking In with Susan David created in partnership with TED and which focuses on coping with our heightened emotions brought on by the pandemic and its aftermath.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Adam Bryant on how to know if you're ready to become a leader.
26-10-2023
Adam Bryant on how to know if you're ready to become a leader.
Adam Bryant is currently senior managing director at the Ex-Co Group, but you might also know Adam for his work as a columnist on one of the most popular NY Times columns of all time. That column was the iconic Corner Office, where he interviewed CEO’s of the world’s top companies and notoriously never missed a single week of publication in his 18 year tenure. If your ambition is to be a leader who leads with empathy and humanity, then you had better take notes during this conversation with Adam. After interviewing so many leaders, he knows what it takes to step up and ground an organization's strategies in meaningful, mission-driven, and purposeful ways.Adam and Damon cover a lot of ground in this chat. How to build a great CEO-CHRO relationship, Adam's thoughts on why there are way “too many bad bosses in the world”, and we talk diversity - Adam is confident we need a path forward that includes lived experience and connecting with other people’s stories on an emotional level.Adam hasn’t stopped interviewing the world’s great leaders, even after leaving the New York Times. His latest book, The Leap to Leader, contains practical strategies and tactics for building a loyal following, moving up quickly to broaden your impact, and making the subtle but crucial mindset shifts that are required to lead others effectively.If you have a leadership program at your work or a slack or teams channel for managers, we humbly request that you share this episode with those groups. Adam has interviewed arguably the most important business leaders of the 21st century and he’s distilled those learnings to help you become the leader that the world needs right now.If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review.Learn more about Culture Amp at www.cultureamp.com or @cultureamp on InstagramConnect with Adam Bryant on X @adambbryant or @ExCoLeadershipSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
What Succession taught us about toxic workplace culture, with Executive Producer and Writer Lucy Prebble - Part 2
11-10-2023
What Succession taught us about toxic workplace culture, with Executive Producer and Writer Lucy Prebble - Part 2
Welcome to Part II of this special episode with Lucy Prebble, executive producer and writer from the hit tv show Succession. If you’re curious about why you both loved and hated Logan, why Shiv was as deeply flawed as her brothers and why a bromance like Tom and Greg’s made us feel all kinds of things, then hit play because all those questions and more will be answered.As Lucy and Damon take a deep dive into the world of Waystar Royco and Succession, Lucy shares openly to what lengths deeply researched real world stories were used to create this fictional company, goes on to explain that Logan Roy’s media mogul character was the only archetype in the show, and then takes us inside the writer’s room that leaned on the power of constraint to tell this story for the ages in the most Succession-y way possible, and yes, Succession-y is a word. As hard as it was to watch at times, as the dark side of the world of work was broadcast into our living rooms, this television show that is, at it’s core, about love and power - the need for it, the absence of it, and the lengths people will go to get it and then keep it - can be received as a gift to us all in the way it helps us find clarity on the types of companies and company cultures that we want to create and be part of.If you haven’t already listened to Part I, where we learned about Lucy’s background as a playwright in London’s West End, her time as a TV Showrunner and how she nearly didn’t accept the offer to work on Succession, you can - check it out here.Show notes: If you love our Pop Culture First episodes, be sure to check out this joyous conversation between Damon, Priya Parker and Gary Ware about a very different workplace run by, the legend himself, Ted Lasso.Damon also mentioned his recent conversation with Jamila Rizvi on how to make work actually work for women. You can find that brilliant episode here.Bonus content:Culture Amp is excited to announce that Culture First is back and our virtual event series is going global with three events across APAC, The Americas and EMEA. At this year’s Culture First, today’s guest Lucy Prebble, will be doing an exclusive sit-down with Culture Amp CEO Didier Elzinga. As a thank-you for listening to the Culture First podcast, we’d love to give you access to this brilliant bonus session. Head to http://cultureamp.com/podcastcfg to register for what is sure to be jam-packed conversation between Didier and Lucy.If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review.Learn more about Culture Amp at www.cultureamp.com or @cultureamp on InstagramConnect with Lucy Prebble on Twitter @lucyprebblishSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Lucy Prebble: How the Succession writer's room culture changed her life - Part I
04-10-2023
Lucy Prebble: How the Succession writer's room culture changed her life - Part I
Lucy is an award winning British playwright and is the Executive Producer, and writer for the TV show Succession. She is known for her compelling story telling that often explores themes of power, corruption, and the dark side of human nature.In part one of this episode we are going to learn about Lucy the writer, the storyteller and the world creator.You’ll hear Lucy applying her techniques for world creation to the company cultures we all experience every day and we'll explore the “note behind the note” - a brilliant mechanism Lucy uses to analyze feedback from above to help her get to the heart of what the right next step to take is. Lucy helps us to remember that stories are not just entertainment. They can also be powerful tools for understanding ourselves and the world around us. They can help us to see things from different perspectives, challenge our assumptions and help us to feel connected to others. Ultimately, the best stories help us to find meaning in our lives.Show notes: If you love our Pop Culture First episodes, be sure to check out this conversation between Damon, Priya Parker and Gary Ware about a very different workplace run by, the legend himself, Ted Lasso.Bonus content:Culture Amp is excited to announce that Culture First is back and our virtual event series is going global with three events across APAC, The Americas and EMEA. At this year’s Culture First, today’s guest Lucy Prebble, will be doing an exclusive sit-down with Culture Amp CEO Didier Elzinga. As a thank-you for listening to the Culture First podcast, we’d love to give you access to this brilliant bonus session. Head to http://cultureamp.com/podcastcfg to register for what is sure to be jam-packed conversation between Didier and Lucy.If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review.Learn more about Culture Amp at www.cultureamp.com or @cultureamp on InstagramConnect with Lucy Prebble on Twitter @lucyprebblishSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.