Starting and managing a successful business is a Herculean effort. Faced with COVID-19, entrepreneurs and small businesses are encountering even greater, uncharted challenges.
DeepIntent CEO, Chris Paquette, sat down with acclaimed business coach, author, and speaker, Jon Dwoskin to share his expertise on starting and managing a successful business – before and during COVID-19:
Interview Highlight:
On setting the right tone, and growing a remote culture during COVID-19:
One thing I’ve been attuned to is the overworking and exhaustion… Productivity is up within the company, but I think the hidden consequence of that is burnout.
We’ve enacted a policy where everyone has unlimited vacation. We look to the individuals to say “hey, I need to take a day off because I just need to for mental health.”
It works for people who can do that. The other side of the coin is that some people are afraid to do that. And that’s the side of the culture we’re trying to change; to empower people, and make sure they feel supported to step away for that necessary recharge.
There are a lot of expectations, especially in a culture like ours since we’re growing really fast, so it matters most that people are taking care of themselves first, and everything else second.
How do you really roll that out, and give people the confidence to take advantage [of taking time off] while knowing their job is safe?
Every day, I try to reinforce that [our company and jobs are safe]. If you’re working, you’re performing, you’re doing your job – great. If you’re not, then we step in and we help you.
That kind of compassion and understanding – from all levels of the organization – it has to be there. Everyone has to embrace that.
What’s most important now is the individual and their immediate families – in this time it’s more important than ever. First, you have to protect the home front, then you can come to work and help us fight the good fight.
Watch the full interview here:
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