An Interview With Chad Silverstein
To me, losing is part of winning, failure is key to growing, and what’s important is to take those learnings and apply them to the next round so that–just like we tell our clients–we are continuously optimizing and innovating.
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.
As a part of our series, we had the pleasure to interview Libby Morgan.
With more than 20 years of experience in management consulting, digital transformation, and marketing strategy, Libby Morgan serves as CEO of independent media buying agency NOVUS, where she is responsible for setting the agency’s strategic direction and operational excellence towards its next phase of growth in an increasingly data-driven media landscape. Over the course of her career, Libby has led cross-disciplinary teams across the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East, aligning business strategy, technology, and execution to deliver revenue growth, increased market share, and measurable ROI for global brands including Nestlé, HP, and Sanofi. Prior to joining NOVUS, she served as President of MRM Commerce and Chief Digital Officer at MERGE, overseeing end-to-end commerce and media activations and advancing digital performance and personalization at scale.
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?
It’s interesting because I was a creative writing major at Vassar, and always thought I would go into publishing or the magazine industry, but a friend who worked at Accenture (back then, it was Andersen Consulting), submitted my resume as a referral. To my surprise, I was hired, and that set me on my way of operating at the intersection of marketing, data, and technology.
And, it’s funny, when I first started at Accenture, I felt so out of place as a writer amongst all these engineers and computer science graduates. But then I had a Partner tell me, “If you can write and tell a good story, you will do very well here. You will be surprised how important that is…” And he was right because, what I’ve found, is that the storytelling perspective is incredibly useful. Now at NOVUS, we tell data-driven stories to provide context for how we can help our clients achieve their business goals. We demonstrate a practicality, rooted in data and insights, but also overlay a longer term vision and narrative that makes complexity more digestible.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began working in leadership, culture building, or purpose-driven organizations?
While I do think that culture starts at the top and that both the CEO and leadership team need to set the tone and establish the values, I believe the employee voice is critical to that contribution. When I arrived at NOVUS, the Impact Council was well established and driven by employees across the organization. The council serves to unify our commitment to equity and sustainability as guiding principles for how we work and grow, and it’s a huge part of the Novus DNA. I don’t think culture can be established and sustained without some degree of grassroots initiative, and it’s important that leadership hears that and takes those values into account.
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?
Perseverance and fortitude are key. Our jobs, just by their very nature, are about testing and learning. In that regard, I’m an excellent loser–and I say that only half-joking. Roger Federer, notably one of the greatest tennis players ever, has said that even he–with all his championships –has only won 53% of points against his opponents. To me, losing is part of winning, failure is key to growing, and what’s important is to take those learnings and apply them to the next round so that–just like we tell our clients–we are continuously optimizing and innovating.
Another element is to lead with optimism. I’m always very optimistic, even in the face of setbacks and declines. I have a very “we can do this, if we do this together,” attitude. It creates a safe environment for testing and learning, which is key to innovation and continuous growth. I always say “nothing works until it does,” and “everything I know today I didn’t know yesterday.”
Lastly, encouraging a diversity of skills, opinions, and ideas. I love brainstorming the art of the possible and engaging in aspirational thinking. I try never to be a nay-sayer, but more a course-corrector and a builder. Let’s add on to that idea; let’s explore how something that sounds outrageous could work. We all know we are living in outrageous times, so why not?
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?
Our jobs are a huge part of our lives, and our lives need to have meaning. At Novus, we aren’t just activating media–we are helping people find doctors and emergency facilities. We are bringing healthier food options to people with food sensitivities and allergies. Our value proposition of localization at scale means we help activate local outreach to help strengthen communities by connecting people to their local banks, local grocery stores, and local services providers–whether that is internet or oil changes. Our personalization engine targeting at the zip code level based on robust customer segmentation keeps people from wasting their time–we help to guide them to products, services, and tools that meet their goals and their needs.
How did you identify and define the mission or purpose for your organization? Was it inspired by a particular event, challenge, or insight?
They’re on our website, posted in our offices, in the employee handbook–and are part of how we think about and talk about ourselves:
- We are pioneers
- We grow through our relentless curiosity
- We have grit
- We uncover business truths
- We passionately deliver excellence
- We are genuine
- We can disagree, but we then commit
- We do the right thing
What are the key steps leaders can take to embed purpose into the day-to-day operations and decision-making of their companies?
- Set the vision and the tone from the top. Live the attributes.
- Engage employees to embrace and contribute.
- Accept a feedback loop to make sure we, as an organization and as a leadership team, are adhering to those values. Are we living up to them? Where are we falling short? Should we pivot on anything?
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?
How do you handle skepticism or resistance from team members or stakeholders who may not immediately understand the value of focusing on purpose?
I find the opposite is true–this is eagerly embraced and it would be called to my attention if it were missing.
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. Let employees help drive the mission
Gather their opinions and insights, whether that’s through a town hall, a leadership Q&A, an informal survey, or a roadshow. What employees think and feel needs to be baked in.
2. Stay true to your core DNA
Novus is focused media that is hyper-personalized and local at scale. So our heritage is rooted in acknowledging needs and goals at a community level.
3. Provide opportunities for growth and expansion
Values should be at your core, but change is the only constant.
4. Look for “builders” and “connectors” and leverage them to scale
In every organization, there are hand raisers that want to engage, to do more and to elevate. Those folks always help with culture and change. Make sure they have a space to work–whether it’s a spot on the Impact Council, or leading Employee Appreciation Week, or focusing on our Employee of the Month nominations.
5. Make sure leadership walks the walk and talks the talk
Fewer things turn employees off than when leadership departs from the purpose driven mission. We need to hold ourselves accountable and employees need to see that to continue to believe it.
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?
The concept of purpose is closely linked to autonomy. Top talent wants the ability to steer the ship to success. They want a seat at the table when defining what purpose looks like, what it means, how it’s implemented. You can’t mandate someone else’s purpose, but you can rally around shared goals and ask for support to build meaningful outcomes.
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?
In many ways smaller is easier! I love small. Engage employees at all levels. Listen. Bubble themes up to the surface. Capture what’s important and communicate.
What are some common mistakes leaders make when trying to create a purpose-driven culture, and how can they avoid them?
Keep your mind and your ears open–client values matter; employee values matter. Don’t get so stubborn about value statements that you miss the forest through the trees.
How do you ensure that your organization’s purpose evolves and remains relevant as your company grows and the world changes?
I definitely think our purpose and our values need to be revisited once a year as part of a collaborative exercise. This doesn’t mean we change them every year–they should stay reasonably consistent–but a refresher and an evaluation of our collective performance is important. And, if we are doing it right, it should be a pretty feel-good moment.
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 should not be a trend, but we can certainly see that its level of importance in our cultural narrative is cyclical. Obviously this is influenced by politics, engagement fatigue or enthusiasm, and overall societal norms–but, that’s all an aside because, for Novus, purpose is a consistent thread.
In your opinion, how does having a purpose-driven culture impact not just employees, but customers, clients, and the broader community?
Being purpose driven, by its very nature, is designed for connectivity and community. Values bring us closer; shared goals bring us closer; celebrating progress and impact brings us all closer.
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. 🙂
Oh I’m big on partnerships. I just hired a new head of partnerships for Novus, and his mandate is to strengthen our network with partners across investment channels, technology, data, innovation, AI platforms, creative, PR, etc.across the board. And what resonates most with partnerships? Shared values. Shared beliefs. Shared vision. That’s when things really start clicking, as we harness this rapidly expanding ecosystem and put a shared purpose at the center.
How can our readers further follow you online?
Novus is very focused on producing thought leadership, which we share on all our social channels, especially LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/novusmedia/ and our website at novusmedia.com
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.
Libby Morgan Of NOVUS 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.