An Interview With Chad Silverstein
We bring work to life and life to work.
Purpose has become the new currency of success in today’s workplace, and leaders who prioritize mission-driven cultures are standing out in the war for talent. To explore this important topic, we are interviewing Shawn Gulyas.
As a part of this series, we had the pleasure to interview Shawn Gulyas.
Shawn exists to design and facilitate creative experiences that challenge one’s thinking and action — helping individuals and companies find their authenticity, breathe into their well-being, and elevate their people touchpoints. After a career filled with growth and learning in Human Resources leadership, Shawn decided to venture out and get his hands dirty with other organizations in need of bringing their work to life through championing people. Think of Shawn as a “jump-starter” of ideas around the belief that everyone matters and as a leader who creates cultures and communities where values, natural instincts and well-being are the essence of success.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
My formal education and career journey began in theatre. I moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and started both a non-profit theatre group and a job in training and development. Over the span of 20 years, I grew within the organization and lead Human Resources, where I still had the opportunity to direct and coach, but with a different audience. Helping individuals and teams grow and learn has always been my passion.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began working in leadership, culture building, or purpose-driven organizations?
There are so many interesting stories of growth, change, and engagement that happen when organizations take intentional action around elevating people and culture. One that stays with me is when a 100-year-old family-owned construction organization decided to re-look at their core values and asked for our help and guidance to do that well. The results after conversations across the organization were unique, gutsy, and actionable values that brought new life and focus. The owner of the organization said, “Shawn, I am hearing the new values language everywhere in the company — even on our construction sites.” Big win and big purpose.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
- Saying Yes — Allowing the experimentation and ownership happen with others on the team and being there for refinement and ideas.
- Practicing the Pause — Not having to respond to every person, issue or challenge that walked through my door. Taking a breath and a moment before speaking, acting or solving.
- Understanding Myself — Knowing how my mind works across its three parts — cognitively, affectively and conatively — was a gamechanger for how I could do my best work and help others do theirs.
Let’s now jump into the focus of our interview. What does a “purpose-driven culture” mean to you personally, and why do you think it’s critical for attracting top talent?
It means feeling a part of something bigger than yourself. It means knowing how the work you do impacts others in the organization as well as the company’s future success. It means being both valued as an individual and recognized for the value you bring each and every day at work. That kind of culture makes someone say, “I want to be a part of that.” Those elements attract the best talent and hold onto the best talent.
How did you identify and define the mission or purpose for your organization? Was it inspired by a particular event, challenge, or insight?
Our reason for being came from the work we do with people and organizations — it was an organic outcome of the value we add and the roadmap we create in partnership with companies to elevate people and culture. We bring work to life and life to work. We refer to it as our Vision, comprised of seven questions about who we are, and it’s and we review it every quarter as a team to ensure the action we take is aligned to it, and that we are aligned with each other.
What are the key steps leaders can take to embed purpose into the day-to-day operations and decision-making of their companies?
One key step is to develop gutsy, unique and actionable core values and then bring them to life across The 8 People Touchpoints, areas of your business that impact your team members. Strong core values should be alive in talent discovery, strategic planning, teamwork, communication, performance management, leadership development, transition and change, and belonging. If intentional action is taken with values linked to those critical areas, purpose begins to take life.
What role does leadership play in championing and modeling a purpose-driven culture? Can you share an example of how you or another leader helped reinforce your organization’s purpose?
Leaders of people are the front line for purpose-driven cultures. They are the role model and the first follower. I think an example of our leadership team reinforcing our purpose is saying no to organizations who don’t believe in the value of elevating people.
How do you handle skepticism or resistance from team members or stakeholders who may not immediately understand the value of focusing on purpose?
I remind them of their own personal values and passions that brought them to today. Every decision they make stems from their own personal beliefs about people and what was important to them. They showed up today at work because something in their personal values aligned with what they are doing or what is important to them.
Ok, let’s talk strategy. Based on your experience, can you share “5 Steps to Build a Purpose-Driven Culture That Attracts Top Talent”? If possible, please include examples or stories for each.
1. Start developing new or elevating your current Core Values
They must be unique, gutsy and actionable. You can find examples of organizational values this fit this criteria on our website.
2. Really dig into the reason your organization exists
Forget about sticking to the textbook “mission” and “vision,” and just have good conversations about why we show up every day and do what we do to impact others and the world around us.
3. Set an exciting, and somewhat scary, target for the future
Everyone should be able to see and align around a goal that is 5–10 years out.
4. Focus on how you elevate people and culture around The 8 People Touchpoints
Let them be the roadmap for intentional purpose and values driven actions — Talent Discovery, Strategic Planning, Teamwork, Communication, Performance Management, Leadership Development, Transition & Change and Belonging.
5. Grow and develop your people leadership team
Focus on continual learning and application of what it means to be a part of your organization.
Can you share a specific example of how embracing a purpose-driven culture helped your company attract exceptional talent or achieve a significant business goal?
Our focus on people and culture is the foundation for all our success. We live what we believe and act on it just as we teach and guide others to do the same. That means we use our own frameworks for hiring, in our meeting discipline and for our own professional development and relationships. Our expansion across the US is driven by elements of our Vision within our strategic plan.
What advice would you give to leaders of smaller companies or startups who want to build a purpose-driven culture but don’t know where to start?
Start now and let your thinking and action evolve as you grow. Purpose and culture begin day one and grow every day from there. Organizational values — a foundational piece of your workplace culture — can be validated with every new hire added, every decision made.
What are some common mistakes leaders make when trying to create a purpose-driven culture, and how can they avoid them?
Get others involved — these conversations cannot happen in only the executive boardroom. Culture comes from every living and breathing employee at the company. A leadership development component must be part of your culture elevation plan.
How do you ensure that your organization’s purpose evolves and remains relevant as your company grows and the world changes?
A conversation around purpose happens at least once a year — to realign, update and re-commit — and happens alongside conversations about your annual and quarterly priorities.
What trends or shifts are you seeing in the workplace regarding purpose, and how do you think these will shape the future of business?
Purpose comes from people. A focus on AI technology without a strong people foundation will not produce the best results across an organization’s culture.
In your opinion, how does having a purpose-driven culture impact not just employees, but customers, clients, and the broader community?
An organization’s purpose and values should be seen and experienced by everyone in the organization, but also outside the organization in every customer interaction or experience. Values tell the world how to connect with you, what to expect from you, and what you will or won’t do. When that’s clear to all stakeholders, trust is built and relationships are strengthened. We coach our clients to think about how it impacts any job candidates as well.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people by building purpose-driven workplaces, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 😊
Leading a values-driven life and understanding how each one of us can impact a better workplace and world through all three parts of our minds — being celebrated for everyone’s unique contributions to culture and purpose.
How can our readers further follow you online?
Find me on LinkedIn to stay up to date on my Wondering Wednesdays newsletter, where I share a new perspective, challenge or question based on real life experiences, client interactions and learnings.
This was great. Thank you so much for the time you spent sharing with us.
About The Interviewer: Chad Silverstein is a seasoned entrepreneur with 25+ years of experience as a Founder and CEO. While attending Ohio State University, he launched his first company, Choice Recovery, Inc., a nationally recognized healthcare collection agency — twice ranked the #1 workplace in Ohio. In 2013, he founded [re]start, helping thousands of people find meaningful career opportunities. After selling both companies, Chad shifted his focus to his true passion — leadership. Today, he coaches founders and CEOs at Built to Lead, advises Authority Magazine’s Thought Leader Incubator.
Shawn Gulyas of humanworks8 On How to Build a Purpose-Driven Culture That Attracts Top Talent was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.