Creating a Positive Work Culture: Insights from an HR Director

In this episode, HR Director Deborah Dash discusses the importance of understanding companies as living organisms and shares her approach to creating a positive work culture. She highlights the significance of effective listening skills and offers tips on improving as a people leader. Additionally, Debra explores the role of professional development and diversity in fostering a strong and inclusive work environment. The conversation also delves into the value of personal cues in interviews, genuine ways to connect with colleagues and the importance of embracing different approaches and perspectives.

Deborah Dash is a seasoned HR professional with a wealth of experience in people and culture management. She has held key roles as a Human Resources Director, Business Partner, and Head of HR in various organizations, contributing to the growth and success of the teams she has worked with. Deborah's expertise in HR strategy and leadership makes her a valuable asset in fostering positive workplace cultures and driving organizational success. Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of People Analytics:

• Observing departmental meetings allows insight into how managers lead and how individuals engage.
• Being a good listener is crucial for effective people leadership.
• Cultivating a strong company culture starts with leadership and trickles down to employees.
• Creating a culture of growth and improvement results in a more fulfilling work experience.
• Personal cues in interviews allow candidates to showcase their personalities and motivations.
• Understanding different approaches can lead to successful collaboration among employees from diverse backgrounds.
• Getting to know coworkers on a personal level fosters a more inclusive and joyful work environment.

Resources:

• Unlimited Biking
• StaffGeek

Connect with Deborah Dash:

• LinkedIn

Connect with our host, Lindsay Patton:

• LinkedIn
• Email

Quotables:

• 16:20 - “When I interview people, I know that resumes don't always have personal details on, but sometimes people will list, list an interest or something they've done. And so many times I'll open, I'll open my interviews talking about that so that they are talking about not just giving me, wrote what they've done or what they've learned or what they've given told other interviewers, but to show me a little of their personality and what it is that makes them tick, what motivates them.”
• 01:39 - “An organism is very complicated and has lots of different functioning parts. And so companies are very much the same way and they very much operate according to the people who are, who are in them, the people that are running them, and the people that are managing them. So in order to really understand the culture, I think instead of being someone who sits in an office, you really have to be out and be involved in with the groups that you're working for.”
• 05:23 - “I think that culture is always something that is primarily set at the top and through the managers and then it, it filters down. So people that are attracted to work at the comp company self-select to come and work at that company. And so they're attracted by the leadership and by, I think, you know, strong leaders have very strong points of view, but they don't always express them out of the box, but they have certain expectations and certain boundaries and parameters that they'll set in order to make people, you know, look at things to communicate. If you have a manager that that expects that everybody's going to have, everybody's going to participate, then I think you have a much better, you have a much better group, a much better interaction.”
• 12:27- Lindsay: “You know, the, the self-reflection you showed is really real. I'm, I respect that so deeply because it can be difficult to look inward and admit to yourself, oh, I, I don't know as much as I thought. So how did you, you know, how did you navigate kind of that humbling moment?”
  Deborah: “I became much more aware, not just of what I looked at, because that's not, it's not always what you see on the page. It's, it was, for me being aware of what I heard and in looking at a candidate, I might've thought that I was low-key and friendly and informal and that that was getting the best interview out of them, but also, but I wasn't really looking to see from my perspective whether I was more comfortable with certain candidates.”
• 06:21 - Lindsay: “I know one part of culture that is really important to you is creating a culture of growth and improvement. So can you explain that?”
  Deborah: “Yes. I think that when, when you start working for a company, you, you know, you come in and you're really learning what the business is and learning how to do your job, but I think you're also looking at some other things and what are the opportunities that there are presented for you to, to learn more, to develop as a, as not just your skill set but your managerial set.”