Starting anything - whether it's a new project, an essay, an assignment...even your first blog post, can always feel a little intimidating. I certainly am as I sit to write this. Towards the end of 2020, I decided for the first time to write my own personal and professional pillars or values. This was inspired by some books I'd been reading and by some friends and peers who'd done the same. It was quite a game changer for me, and I look at them regularly as my North Star - to let me know that I'm on track with what I want to achieve.
Somewhat ironically, Value 1 on my professional values is...'Begin with the end in mind'. As someone who almost daily works on some sort of project, this has always helped me in keeping track of where I need to be heading.
This week was my first experience of Sprinklr's ASKO (annual sales kick off), a truly fascinating experience even in the current day, virtual world. As a person (clearly) not affiliated directly with the Sales function, let alone that of a SaaS provider, I was somewhat sceptical about what I might gain from such an event, which consumed a whopping 5 hours or my calendar that day. However, I have to say I was blown away by the inspirational messaging and leadership on display, none more so that Ragy Thomas our Founder and CEO, but also, and surprisingly to me, Diane Adams - our Chief Culture & Talent Officer (global leader of HR).
Ragy talked about how Sprinklr's CXM platform, through multiple layers of complex AI, essentially helps global brands be 'human at scale'. This resonated with me instantly, as someone who's responsible for connecting, engaging and creating productive environments (both physically and virtually) for hundreds of employees - being human at scale is hard! So even for someone as unknowledgeable of SaaS as I am, I could totally understand the value proposition here.
Secondly, Diane amongst many things, explained how she took inspiration from our CTO Pavitar reverse-engineering his own product, to provide some human centred, reverse-engineering of her own; in the form of COVID. She asked us all to consider 'DIVOC' (covid in reverse) as a way of thinking about ourselves during the continued difficulties of the pandemic.
D - Deliver for your family
I - Invest in yourself and others
V - Visualise a better world
O - Own the moments
C - Choose happier
This was an another eye opener for me for 3 reasons...
1) Because it showed me that I belonged at that event, despite being far removed from the Sales function at Sprinklr.
2) Because it made abundantly clear that leadership - on a HUMAN level - starts at the very TOP of an organisation. Our leaders themselves, and subsequently fed down through their sub-leadership teams, understand that we're not a commodity to be taken lightly, or for granted. Which is the exact way I expect our WXM team to treat the employees (essentially our customers) as part of our role, in the huge machine that is Sprinklr. We understand and celebrate their human differences, and rise up to the challenge of delivering for them every day.
And finally 3) because is struck yet another chord - but with regards to my personal values, this time. My first, and what will always be my most important value, being 'succeed at home first' (points for anyone who knows which book this was plagiarised from).
It struck me as no coincidence whatsoever that "Deliver for your family' was top of Diane's list, too.
So to answer my own question - is it best to start at the end, or at the top when beginning something new? Perhaps it's neither. Perhaps the right answer is to start with the Human. Think about the human, and you're at least starting on the right path.