1 00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 1: You're listening to Math and Magic, a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 2: Welcome to Math and Magic. I'm Bob Pittman. On this show, 3 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:18,120 Speaker 2: we've talked about the power of a compelling story, how 4 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 2: data driven technology can help businesses stay agile, and of course, 5 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 2: the beauty that results from the intersection of those concepts. 6 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 2: The Math and Magic. In today's bonus episode, I'm want 7 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 2: to focus on something a little different, corporate culture. 8 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:32,560 Speaker 3: The term corporate. 9 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:35,200 Speaker 2: Culture became popular in the nineteen eighties and has resurfaced 10 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:38,599 Speaker 2: a lot following the pandemic. I look at it as values, beliefs, 11 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:41,839 Speaker 2: and behaviors that shape a work environment. Simply put, it's 12 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 2: the personality of a company that at its best increases morale, 13 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 2: drives innovation, and leads to employee retention. My guests today 14 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 2: stand out in their ability to create and maintain a 15 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 2: strong corporate culture. Take Bill Koeningsberg. Bill is the founder 16 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 2: and CEO of Horizon Media and Average Sizing, a marketing 17 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 2: firm that's been named one of ad Age's Best places 18 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:07,759 Speaker 2: to work. His advice build a culture where business is personal. 19 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 4: Being a CEO and an owner, I think bears an enormous, 20 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 4: bigger responsibility because there is no one else to blame. 21 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:23,680 Speaker 4: You can't blame the shareholders, you can't blame the stock market. 22 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 4: I have the responsibility of not just twenty five hundred employees, 23 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,119 Speaker 4: but their families and their kids. You know, I feel 24 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 4: I have the responsibility for five to ten thousand people. 25 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 4: It's taught me about having a responsibility to everyone. 26 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 2: You are not only a great manager, entrepreneur, business owner, 27 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 2: but you're also a professional. I mean, you understand media 28 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 2: and media buying. You're not some manager managing those professionals. 29 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 2: What happens when you have one of your really great 30 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:55,639 Speaker 2: people at one point of view and you have another 31 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 2: and you've got all the votes and they've got one vote? 32 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 2: Maybe how do you deal with it? That's why I 33 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 2: love sparring. I'm saying that endearingly. I want people that 34 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 2: are going to make me feel uncomfortable. One of my 35 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 2: mantras around the agency is that I'm not feeling uncomfortable 36 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 2: enough these days. I am flexible, and I'm teachable, and 37 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:16,360 Speaker 2: I am bendable. And if you ever get to a 38 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 2: point where you don't think you're teachable, you're in trouble. 39 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 2: And if you ever get to a point where you 40 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 2: think you arrived, you're going to get run over. And 41 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 2: I want to hire the smartest people around me who 42 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 2: can make me smarter and make me think differently. I 43 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 2: stand very strong on my opinions, and if someone is 44 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 2: strong enough to convince me that I'm wrong, I will 45 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 2: absolutely change what they have to convent you. You're not 46 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 2: going to roll over and say we let you do 47 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 2: the wrong thing. 48 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 1: To let you do it. 49 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 4: And as a leader, and you know this, Bob, sometimes 50 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:44,399 Speaker 4: because you have such a big rearview mirror and you've 51 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 4: seen every single problem, you will make a decision just 52 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 4: based on that experience quickly and firmly, before someone has 53 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 4: an opportunity to tell you their different point of view. 54 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 4: And I try to be very sensitive to that. Even 55 00:02:57,520 --> 00:02:59,679 Speaker 4: though I think I know the answer going in you 56 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 4: still you will have to open up your mind. I 57 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 4: was in a meeting two days ago that I was 58 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:09,080 Speaker 4: not very happy about because someone was making me feel 59 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 4: very uncomfortable with what they were presenting to me. And 60 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:14,640 Speaker 4: then I had to remember I had asked my people 61 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 4: to make me feel uncomfortable, and I had to say, 62 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:21,360 Speaker 4: you know what, even though this is a surprise to 63 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:25,239 Speaker 4: me and even though you're asking this from me, it's 64 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 4: making me feel really uncomfortable, and that's what I've asked 65 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 4: you to do. I appreciate you doing that, and I'm 66 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 4: going to trust you. 67 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 2: We talked about culture and overused word, but in your place, 68 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 2: I know your company and I've walked through your space. 69 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 2: You really do live the culture. How do you define 70 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 2: the culture? 71 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 4: Work and outside of work are becoming intermingled together in 72 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 4: today's twenty four to seven world. So we believe in 73 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 4: what we call the third bucket. You get your salary, 74 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 4: a bunch of people get bonuses, and we probably have 75 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 4: over one hundred different extracurricular activities that fall into the 76 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 4: third bucket. That's about traveling to a foreign country and 77 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 4: helping people who are less privileged than you are. It's 78 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 4: about building homes in different places. It's about a limitless 79 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 4: advancement program for women. It's about Upstart You and entrepreneurial 80 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 4: program for people who want to start their own businesses. 81 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 4: It's about having six or seven different diversity and inclusion 82 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 4: groups within my organization who can meet as a community. 83 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:24,599 Speaker 4: It's about treating our people with respect. It's about giving 84 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 4: people a voice. It's about giving back. We built that 85 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 4: culture over the last thirty years, and that culture is 86 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 4: the heartbeat of our company. 87 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:36,480 Speaker 2: So tell us a little bit, because I know what 88 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 2: relates to your culture about your physical space, the physical 89 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 2: work space you have for those people who have not 90 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 2: seen it, such special space with this great outdoor rooftop. 91 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 2: Talk a little bit about how you imagined that space 92 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 2: and what you intended for to do for the company. 93 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 4: Early on in my journey, I was worried about survival, 94 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 4: but I couldn't afford it a great work environment. I 95 00:04:57,839 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 4: actually didn't think it was important, believe it or not. 96 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 4: In two thousand and eight. In two thousand and nine, 97 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 4: when the world started to fall apart, my leases were 98 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 4: coming up, and I was in four buildings in New 99 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 4: York City, and I started to feel that environment started 100 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:12,600 Speaker 4: to mean a hell of a lot more to people 101 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:15,480 Speaker 4: and how people wanted to work from a community perspective. 102 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 4: I could have renewed my leases in three or four 103 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 4: different buildings in the city, and we decided to look 104 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 4: around and we found this amazing, beautiful old building. But 105 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 4: then I got the price tag of what it was 106 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:29,600 Speaker 4: going to cost to completely renovate and build the office 107 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 4: of the future. It was a thirty million dollar investment, 108 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 4: and I decided to take the plunge. That was another 109 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 4: big fork in the road, and we built out offices 110 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 4: with beautiful terraces and a theater and a health center 111 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 4: and a big gym and a yoga studio, in sleep 112 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:50,360 Speaker 4: pods and meditation rooms. That's the environment that we created. 113 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:52,080 Speaker 4: And I have to tell you, Bob, it paid off 114 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:56,240 Speaker 4: tenfold from a retention perspective, from a new business perspective, 115 00:05:56,760 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 4: from attracting new employees into our space, to someone like 116 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 4: Taylor Swift wanting to do a concert up there, to 117 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 4: film companies left and right coming in and wanting to 118 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 4: film in our space, commercial production in our space. It 119 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 4: was one of the best decisions I ever made. And 120 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 4: the thought process all along was to build a home, 121 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:19,279 Speaker 4: not an office, but to build a home. And I 122 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 4: think that's what it's become. 123 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 5: Like. 124 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 2: Bill Christian Jewel knows a thing or two about motivating 125 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 2: his employees. During his time as global CEO of the 126 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:32,839 Speaker 2: media investment company Group In, Christian oversaw thirty five thousand 127 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:36,120 Speaker 2: employees worldwide. Before he moved to Group M, he worked 128 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 2: at companies like Microsoft and Publicists, but it was at 129 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 2: Essence that he learned a lesson about corporate culture that 130 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 2: he carries with him today. 131 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 6: Going into run Essence, which the time is about three 132 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:49,839 Speaker 6: hundred people, really shaped my view on culture and the 133 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 6: power of culture as a true economic differentiator for a business. 134 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 6: Tell then people talk about culture. They put mission revision 135 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 6: on the walls and you see him around your office 136 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 6: and okay, great. But the very first management meeting I 137 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 6: had with the three founders of Essence, we run it 138 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:06,680 Speaker 6: out of the little room and soho offts in New York. 139 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 6: And I was already for the job. I started as 140 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 6: a us CEO only, so I built these plans and 141 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 6: growth targets and key accounts and management team structures and 142 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 6: what we were going to do and technology implementations. And 143 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 6: I walk into this room and they're already there, and 144 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 6: there are four chairs facing each other with no table 145 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 6: in between, no screens, a little coffee bar, and Matt Isaac's, 146 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 6: who was the SEEO at the times, has had a seat. 147 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 6: And before you can even really the same name, Okay, I'm 148 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 6: ready to show you guys what I think the North American. 149 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 3: Plan should be. 150 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 6: And he goes, no, no, no, We've got three hours just 151 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:42,720 Speaker 6: to talk about how you're doing what we think this 152 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 6: thing might look like and feel like over time. 153 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 3: I don't know if you've ever done that. 154 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 6: Really, just sit there with no table in a square 155 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 6: with four people that you don't really know that well 156 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 6: while you're trying to oppress them about your knowledge of 157 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 6: the business or what have you. 158 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 3: But it's extremely uncomfortable. 159 00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 6: There's no barriers, and there was no preconceived notion, and 160 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 6: we sat there and sort of hashed out an understanding 161 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 6: of what essence was and how we wanted to treat 162 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 6: each other as a management team, and how we wanted 163 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:10,559 Speaker 6: that to show up in our people. And I sum 164 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 6: it up now and I've brought it to group them 165 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 6: as well. It's assuming positive intent at every turn, and 166 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 6: I want every day to group them to feel like 167 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 6: this is the place where their expression is welcome, or 168 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:23,640 Speaker 6: creative ideas are welcome, where they can disagree with management, 169 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 6: where they can speak up, and where they're trusted, and 170 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:27,360 Speaker 6: where it's an environment of positive intent. 171 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 2: When you took over, you flew something like over two 172 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,839 Speaker 2: hundred thousand miles to meet people all across group in 173 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 2: Were you doing those kinds of meetings like you did 174 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 2: with the founders of Essence, where you just sat and 175 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:42,960 Speaker 2: talked as opposed to show me your presentation. 176 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:46,600 Speaker 6: Yeah, I had an odd entrance point into Group them, right, 177 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 6: we sold Essence into it. So I was a earnout CEO, 178 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 6: So I was sort of a witness to the management 179 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 6: team for three years. When I took over the job 180 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:58,440 Speaker 6: about three years ago. Now, one of the first things 181 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:00,319 Speaker 6: I did was just get the manager team together, and 182 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 6: I said, we're going to do things differently. We're going 183 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:04,960 Speaker 6: to trust each other, We're going to listen to each other. 184 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 6: We're going to build a strategy together, and we're going 185 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 6: to share that strategy with all thirty five thousand employees 186 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:15,840 Speaker 6: so that they know what the purpose of Group M is, 187 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 6: what the purpose of the agencies are, how we can 188 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 6: count in our technology division. Up until that point, Group 189 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:23,839 Speaker 6: M was a collection of companies in so trying to 190 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 6: sit down and talk about the future of this industry. 191 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 6: And media is becoming technology driven. It looks more like 192 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 6: software than it looks like manual planning, and in media deals, 193 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:37,760 Speaker 6: we're going to get really good in automation and understanding technology, 194 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 6: and that means investing hundreds and minds of dollars in 195 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 6: doing it once, not doing it in sixty different methods 196 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 6: with different partners in every market around the world. And 197 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 6: getting people aligned to that type of thinking requires a 198 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:51,719 Speaker 6: singularity of culture and understanding of how we're going to 199 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 6: hold each other to account. 200 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:01,439 Speaker 2: It was essential for Christian to establish lined culture throughout 201 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 2: his organization, but of course there's more than one way 202 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 2: to approach company culture today. Norm degrev is the CMO 203 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 2: of General Motors. When I spoke with him on Mathemagic, 204 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:14,559 Speaker 2: he was CMO at CVS and shared a different vision 205 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 2: for getting thousands of employees. 206 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:20,760 Speaker 7: On the same page, we talk about purpose a lot 207 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 7: related to will it help you sell more products? The 208 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 7: big surprise is how much it's helped in recruiting. How 209 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 7: much people want to be part of that. They want 210 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 7: to be part of something that is making a difference 211 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 7: in the world. They want to participate in that. 212 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 2: At all levels. At all levels, you've got is it 213 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 2: two hundred thousand employees now three three hundred thousand? How 214 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:47,120 Speaker 2: do you market your mission internally? I mean, you've got 215 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 2: this fantastic story now, but as you just talked about marketing, 216 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 2: they're not going to learn it themselves. Somebody's got to 217 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:55,199 Speaker 2: help them. How do you do it? 218 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 7: It's got to be in everything to do. So if 219 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 7: you go to our website or you do anything to 220 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 7: learn about CVS, you are going to see the purpose 221 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 7: right away, and you're going to hear about the actions 222 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 7: that we're taking about our desire to have a meaningful 223 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 7: difference and impact in the world. Then when you come 224 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:12,079 Speaker 7: in from the first day, we've restructured everything. The onboarding 225 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 7: is that way. All of our executive meetings are that way. 226 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 7: You hear about this again and again and again, and 227 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 7: it comes into the culture, and then those people when 228 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 7: they're talking to others, they use the same words. It 229 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 7: is really amazing to me in some ways what a 230 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:29,720 Speaker 7: brand for a company was to consumers in a way 231 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:33,240 Speaker 7: a purposes to employees and recruiting. You know, I could 232 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 7: go work lots of places, but this one feels a 233 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:37,280 Speaker 7: little different and a little better because it's got that purpose. 234 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:38,880 Speaker 7: I could buy lots of things, but this one feels 235 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 7: a little different and better because it's got a brand. 236 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 2: Do you do an internal telecast, podcast, town hall meeting? 237 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 2: What are your techniques to get it out? 238 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 5: Yeah? 239 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:49,680 Speaker 7: So the challenge that we have is the dispersion of 240 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 7: our employees. We have ten thousand locations. You know, Disney's 241 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:55,200 Speaker 7: an amazing company, but they have two locations, and so 242 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:57,679 Speaker 7: what they can do in two locations is just fundamentally 243 00:11:57,760 --> 00:11:58,920 Speaker 7: different than what we can do in ten. 244 00:11:58,880 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 2: Thous one hundred and fifty eight locations. Than we thought 245 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:03,719 Speaker 2: we had a lot, I'm suddenly feeling very small, and so. 246 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:05,720 Speaker 7: You appreciate though, the problem of how do you get 247 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 7: everybody to think the same way and be on the 248 00:12:07,679 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 7: same page. We've done podcasting to all the employee base, 249 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:15,000 Speaker 7: We've done video blogs. We are changing everything in our 250 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 7: stores so that in set of the standard communications that 251 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 7: come down that are quite dry, they'll pick up a 252 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:21,320 Speaker 7: device of the moment they come in, and that device 253 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:23,880 Speaker 7: will be preloaded with stuff that's more site sound in 254 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:26,200 Speaker 7: motion for them to understand what we're all about. And 255 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 7: then there's the kind of the standard big town halls 256 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 7: and stuff like that. General Stan McCrystal came in to 257 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:34,600 Speaker 7: talk to us. At one point he ran Jaysak in 258 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:36,959 Speaker 7: the Middle East with special Forces, but he was talking 259 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 7: about how they were structured in a very hierarchical way, 260 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:43,680 Speaker 7: exactly the way he should be to win a war traditionally, 261 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 7: and they were fighting an army that was structured in 262 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:48,440 Speaker 7: a very dispersed sort of way, and they had to 263 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:50,720 Speaker 7: change everything they did. And I still remember that because 264 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 7: that's exactly what we are. We're so dispersed, so you 265 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 7: can't really operate in a hierarchical way if you want 266 00:12:56,960 --> 00:12:59,319 Speaker 7: them to change. And this is where again you get 267 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 7: back to purpose. You have to know the why, and 268 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:02,840 Speaker 7: they have to know the why, and then you have 269 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:04,840 Speaker 7: to trust their judgment to make the right decisions in 270 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 7: each of those locations. 271 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:18,839 Speaker 2: We'll be right back after a quick break. Welcome back 272 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:22,679 Speaker 2: to today's bonus episode of Math and Magic. About a year 273 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:25,320 Speaker 2: after I started this podcast, the world as we know 274 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:29,120 Speaker 2: it changed. COVID nineteen forced everyone from the biggest Fortune 275 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 2: five hundred company to the smallest mom and pop to 276 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:35,120 Speaker 2: rethink their business strategy. Times like that can deal a 277 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:39,160 Speaker 2: major blow to company culture. There's so much uncertainty, but 278 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:43,200 Speaker 2: there's also opportunity at iHeart. COVID opened up new ways 279 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 2: to connect with local communities, a chance to use radio 280 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:50,079 Speaker 2: and podcasting to make people feel less alone, and unprecedented 281 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 2: growth in the audio space. For my next guest. The 282 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:58,560 Speaker 2: pandemic provided an opportunity to overhaul corporate culture. Today, Remy 283 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 2: Kent is the CMO Atrest of Insurance. In twenty twenty, 284 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 2: she was just starting as the global Chief Marketing Officer 285 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:09,559 Speaker 2: Threems Consumer Business Group, task with marketing three MS life 286 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 2: saving products. At the height of the global pandemic. 287 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 5: All of us were handling work and home and everything 288 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 5: was melting together. 289 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 3: People were scared. 290 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 5: I think people were going through dramatic changes dependent upon 291 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 5: what their home lives were. A lot of my people 292 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:35,360 Speaker 5: have young kids that they had to manage, and so 293 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 5: my leadership style, I would say, I consider myself a 294 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:41,480 Speaker 5: human centered leader. 295 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 3: I had to really really. 296 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 5: Make sure that I showed up that way, and that 297 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 5: was making myself more accessible. I tried to be as 298 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 5: clear as possible. I tried to remove busy work or 299 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 5: excess work that was focused. 300 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:03,359 Speaker 3: I tried to just have real. 301 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:07,040 Speaker 5: Conversations with people and check in and let them know. 302 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 3: That it was okay not to be okay and be relatable. 303 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:14,800 Speaker 5: That was really important, and so I think that's how 304 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 5: my leadership shifted. I think people started to know more 305 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 5: about me, and I started to know more about others. 306 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 2: I think all of us suddenly found ourselves as a 307 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 2: work from home company, which most of us never imagined 308 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 2: we would do. What surprised you about it? 309 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:35,000 Speaker 5: What surprised me the most was that for me, my 310 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 5: humanity came out more than ever through the pandemic. And 311 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 5: maybe it was the combination of COVID, but also what 312 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 5: was happening with George Floyd and kind of the awakening 313 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 5: that the world was having to racism. I think I 314 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 5: was more myself than I had ever been and bringing 315 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 5: my full self to work. 316 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:02,640 Speaker 2: Do you think as a leader that you felt before 317 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 2: this pandemic that you had to sort of suppress your humanity, 318 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 2: put a face on it, put a mask on, and 319 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 2: that somehow the pandemic changed that. 320 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:12,560 Speaker 3: I think what. 321 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:17,960 Speaker 5: The pandemic did was, of course, when there is something 322 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:21,040 Speaker 5: that is a threat to you or your family or 323 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:23,920 Speaker 5: your well being, you really think about what's important. 324 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 3: And for me, love is important. 325 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 5: People are important, and so that's what brought that to 326 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 5: the forefront for me. And I just think that as 327 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 5: I've matured as a leader, I know that to be 328 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 5: most effective in the magic that I bring to my work, 329 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 5: the more I can be more human, be more myself, 330 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 5: accept the good and the flaws, and fully embrace myself 331 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 5: and others. Just the better work I do and the 332 00:16:57,840 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 5: more high performance teams I built. 333 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 2: You talked about George Floyd earlier, the other big major 334 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:08,240 Speaker 2: event of twenty twenty, all of America really came face 335 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 2: to face with the issue of racial injustice. You're a 336 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:16,080 Speaker 2: black woman in a major American corporation. How did you 337 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:18,720 Speaker 2: use your position at three M to make a difference 338 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:19,840 Speaker 2: and how did it affect you? 339 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:25,120 Speaker 5: This has been interesting and frankly continues to be an 340 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 5: interesting daily challenge. 341 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 3: So your question about how did I use my position? 342 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 3: Number one? 343 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:36,919 Speaker 5: I think I have a responsibility as a black woman 344 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:42,439 Speaker 5: to be the voice for others that maybe don't feel 345 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 5: heard or don't have the ability to speak up, especially 346 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:52,280 Speaker 5: in corporate America, as to how racial injustice shows up for. 347 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:54,199 Speaker 3: Them every day in their workplace. 348 00:17:54,680 --> 00:18:01,920 Speaker 5: Really using those moments to listen first hear kind of 349 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:05,640 Speaker 5: what our workforce is saying, and making sure that we're 350 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 5: talking to those underrepresented people in the workforce, black and 351 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:16,240 Speaker 5: Hispanic and really getting their true experience and being willing 352 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:22,240 Speaker 5: to listen even when it I think when you talk 353 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:27,840 Speaker 5: about racism often the word just evokes rejection, right, people 354 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:31,600 Speaker 5: want to say, well, I'm not racist, and so that 355 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:36,160 Speaker 5: defense often gets in the way of hearing real life 356 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:40,199 Speaker 5: experiences for people. So what I use my role to 357 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 5: do is to definitely speak up myself and then be 358 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 5: a conduit for others then actively saying what are we 359 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:53,080 Speaker 5: going to do about it? So I sit on my 360 00:18:53,280 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 5: CEO advisory counsel and really really helping to provide input 361 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 5: as to corporate America has a responsibility here and we 362 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:10,719 Speaker 5: need to get our house in order first, right, and 363 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:14,800 Speaker 5: so what does that look like? We are we clear 364 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:19,480 Speaker 5: on the data, are we disaggregating the data? Are we 365 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 5: publishing the data and making ourselves accountable and so really 366 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:29,399 Speaker 5: being a partner in that and frankly being a safe 367 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:34,320 Speaker 5: place for people to bounce things off of that. You know, 368 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:37,879 Speaker 5: there's the fear of saying the wrong thing, and I 369 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:41,440 Speaker 5: wanted to be a person who could have that exchange 370 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:45,959 Speaker 5: and hopefully that person walk away better educated. And so 371 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:52,040 Speaker 5: it's been tiring, but it has been These conversations have 372 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:55,199 Speaker 5: to happen, and I think it's the only thing that 373 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:56,280 Speaker 5: leads to change. 374 00:19:56,640 --> 00:19:59,440 Speaker 2: Let's talk about some advice you have as a senior 375 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:05,080 Speaker 2: corporate executive, how do you build corporate cultures to support 376 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:06,679 Speaker 2: your brand and marketing goals? 377 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 8: Bob, This is a good question, and it's an important one, 378 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 8: and I am in the midst of it. I think 379 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:17,919 Speaker 8: building culture is one of the most important things we 380 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 8: can do as a leader, and I don't know that 381 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 8: there is a recipe for it, but I think it 382 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 8: starts with being the culture that you want to see 383 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:33,960 Speaker 8: and really making sure that that culture is set. But 384 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,399 Speaker 8: then also, I hate to use the word governance, but 385 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:42,680 Speaker 8: I'm going to use it rewarding and recognizing those who 386 00:20:43,119 --> 00:20:47,879 Speaker 8: exhibit the cultural attributes that you are setting forward and 387 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:52,680 Speaker 8: really really bringing visibility to those behaviors. 388 00:20:52,720 --> 00:21:00,879 Speaker 2: Broadly, like Remy, Susie Dearing understand that's that a strong 389 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 2: corporate culture comes from leading by example. Today, Susie serves 390 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:06,919 Speaker 2: on the board as some of the most recognizable brands 391 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:09,760 Speaker 2: in the world. Before that, she was the global CMO 392 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:13,399 Speaker 2: at Ford Motor Company. She says building corporate culture can 393 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 2: be a challenge because she puts it, there are so 394 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:17,399 Speaker 2: many different flavors to it. 395 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:21,280 Speaker 9: I think the part for me and my philosophy is 396 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:24,480 Speaker 9: I need to be true to my leadership style. And 397 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 9: I want to ensure that I'm building an organization and 398 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 9: a team that doesn't lead from fear, but they lead 399 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:35,439 Speaker 9: from opportunity. I want to ensure that there's a safe 400 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:40,080 Speaker 9: place to where there can be very honest conversations, because 401 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:42,080 Speaker 9: one thing I will tell you that has always been 402 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:45,399 Speaker 9: very evident to me is in order for there to 403 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 9: be transformation, you have to have respect, and you have 404 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:51,119 Speaker 9: to have transparency, and you have to make sure that 405 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:54,399 Speaker 9: everybody feels that they're aligned. And I may not be 406 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 9: able to influence that across the entire corporation, but if 407 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 9: I can establish that within my own team and influence 408 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:05,800 Speaker 9: the teams around me, then great. But I won't falter 409 00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:09,119 Speaker 9: from really making sure that I can at least establish 410 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:12,560 Speaker 9: that piece of it that I can have direct influence over. 411 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 2: How about diversity, what's the special power that comes to 412 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:19,760 Speaker 2: a company from a strong focus on diversity and inclusion? 413 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 9: Well, it becomes a secret power because I mean, if 414 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 9: you imagine that you can bring in diverse thinking and 415 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 9: diverse people and cultures and backgrounds and really apply it 416 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 9: differently to you, to one just you personally, it makes 417 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:39,800 Speaker 9: you better. It makes you a better leader. 418 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:41,600 Speaker 3: It makes you a better human. 419 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:44,200 Speaker 9: I know there's so many stats out there about the 420 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:47,159 Speaker 9: more diverse the leadership team is, the more profit the 421 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:50,280 Speaker 9: company sees. Candidly, I feel like that we still treat 422 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:53,120 Speaker 9: it as a pet project, and I don't think that's 423 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:56,160 Speaker 9: what it is. It's part of your strategy and it's 424 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:59,000 Speaker 9: part of how you just operate, think and perform. 425 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:02,760 Speaker 2: I know you put a great value on family. How 426 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:04,920 Speaker 2: do you manage that work life balance? 427 00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 9: Well, I first realized that it isn't balancing if I 428 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:14,359 Speaker 9: was striving for something impossible that was never gonna going 429 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:17,560 Speaker 9: to help. I do look at it as making sure 430 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:21,160 Speaker 9: that there's as much harmony and that I can live 431 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:24,159 Speaker 9: up to the priorities that I set for myself. And 432 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:26,919 Speaker 9: I'm very straightforward with my team about that and to 433 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 9: those that I work with that my priorities are God, family, 434 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:32,560 Speaker 9: and work in that order. If the first two things 435 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:35,000 Speaker 9: get out of whack, the third thing gets really messed up. 436 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 9: And so as long as I can keep myself honest 437 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:40,399 Speaker 9: to that, and I expect even my team members and 438 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 9: my family to hold me accountable to those priorities, that 439 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 9: becomes my guidepost. Doesn't mean that there aren't long hours. 440 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:49,679 Speaker 9: There doesn't mean that there's not moments that I have 441 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:52,159 Speaker 9: to pull away from the family to take care of something. 442 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 9: It's just that I do that with respect and understanding 443 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:57,160 Speaker 9: as much as I possibly can. Can't tell you get 444 00:23:57,160 --> 00:23:59,760 Speaker 9: it right all the time by any means, but you know, 445 00:23:59,840 --> 00:24:02,480 Speaker 9: I also expect that I get back those moments and 446 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:05,440 Speaker 9: being present when I am with my family, because if 447 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 9: I'm doing that for work, then it's at least expected 448 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 9: that I can make sure that I'm doing that back 449 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:10,600 Speaker 9: for my family. 450 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:15,840 Speaker 2: That's it for this bonus episode of Math and Magic. 451 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 2: I'm Bob Pittman. Thanks for listening. 452 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:25,880 Speaker 1: That's it for today's episode. Thanks so much for listening 453 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:29,439 Speaker 1: to Math and Magic, a production of iHeart Podcasts. The 454 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:32,960 Speaker 1: show is created and hosted by Bob Pittman. Special thanks 455 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:36,159 Speaker 1: to Sydney Rosenblut for booking and wrangling our wonderful talent, 456 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:38,960 Speaker 1: which is no small feat. The Math and Magic team 457 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:43,000 Speaker 1: is Jessica Crime Chitch and Bahath Fraser. Our executive producers 458 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 1: are Ali Perry and Nikki Etoor. Until next time,