BLOGS & RESOURCES
Higher Purpose Podcast 93: Bringing HumansFirst Back to the Workplace with Mike Vacanti
How can you make a tangible HumansFirst impact on your business? Returning to the podcast is Mike Vacanti, founder of the HumansFirst Club. We first met Mike and the HumansFirst Club 16 episodes ago, and today we’re talking about what’s new with the HumansFirst Club, what’s next for them, and how to bring these insights and learnings back to your business where the rubber meets the road.
The HumansFirst Club
We’re at an inflection point in business. People aren’t being fulfilled, engagement is low, and mental and physical health ramifications are challenging people and businesses to find their growth rhythm. The old system doesn’t work.
HumansFirst is about actively bringing more humanity into the workplace to elevate people, help them mentally and physically heal, and then advance and evolve the workplace. And HumansFirst is not just about work — it spills into all areas of life, because we bring all areas of life into our work.
At HumansFirst Club Events
Each event is about the participants, so there is no “prepackaged roadshow” that the HumansFirst Club takes on tour. Volunteers come in to share and infuse ideas, topics, and ways forward, and that gets the juices flowing so people can participate. And it’s that participation from the people in the room that makes each event unique.
But though the events aren’t designed the same way every time, some common themes do emerge about what’s broken and what can be repaired, which tells us that experiences are very similar across the country.
On the horizon
The Playground is launching May 21, aligned with a live event taking place in Charlotte, to better serve an audience that is fast becoming global. It’s a virtual place with opportunities for people to come together and continue to experiment and meet other light-hearted people, and start to create what the future looks like.
As for the HumansFirst Club meetings, they will continue, but based on the feedback, people are looking to go deeper on the topics. Extended time will be important, as well as an opportunity to get a larger group of people together, so it may evolve into a one-day event with more time, scope, and scale. Less frequent events but bigger and more engaging.
Where the rubber meets the road
How can you bring the takeaways from the HumansFirst Club experience back to your organization and your daily work life? That’s where it feels like there is a barrier, or no entry point. That’s why Winning Conversations was designed.
This program focuses on open dialogue, very much like during the HumansFirst Club events, and teaches businesses how to have these structured conversations to unleash the brilliance that’s already in your organization. Because it’s interactive and engaging, it drives adoption, accelerates initiatives, and ties multiple initiatives across your company together.
Do we know what’s going on? Do we know what’s going to happen during the day? How do all the pieces fit together? Winning Conversations helps pull all of that into alignment, and builds this whole process into your organizational rhythms. It’s a very different approach to a highly believed and known problem.
When we get people together, stretch them out of their comfort zones, and align to the reality that’s going on, all of a sudden you’ll see the company values come through, the vision becomes clear, and the people attach themselves to it.
We love being busy, but now we can be purposeful. Given the opportunity, people will amaze you.
Resources for Mike Vacanti: LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Website | HumansFirst Club
Other resources: X-Factor Consulting | Episode 77: Putting Humans First with Mike Vacanti
Higher Purpose Podcast 90: The Higher Purpose Journey with Kevin Monroe
Our guest on this episode of the Higher Purpose Podcast is … me! Today, I’m having a conversation with my new friend from across the pond, Gary Turner, as I reflect on the journey of this very podcast - what I’ve discovered, how I’ve grown, and why Humans First has become such a big part of it all. Listen to the full episode:
The format of the Higher Purpose Podcast
For this podcast, I just wanted to find people — whoever they are, wherever they’re at, and regardless of title — who are doing amazing things and integrating purpose into their work. And I’ve been blessed to meet and connect with an amazing community of people from around the world.
I also decided I didn’t want to have interviews, I wanted to host conversations. That was a significant shift. I wanted to have unique conversations with my guests that they won’t have with any other podcast host, or that you won’t hear on any other podcast.
The Humans First Movement
The movement began for me through relationships. Marcel Schwantes and I were already connected, and he asked if I knew Mike Vacanti. I said I didn’t, Marcel made the introduction, and what was supposed to be a 30-minute conversation with Mike lasted for two and a half hours.
For some reason, Humans First is a label that just connects like crazy with people. I like to think of Humans First as a multifaceted diamond. You can look at it from different perspectives, and each person will see something unique in the diamond — but we’re all still looking at this same multifaceted gem.
The Humans First Series on the Higher Purpose Podcast
There was no plan of doing a Humans First series on the podcast, but then I began to have conversation after conversation with people, and every time, there was this lift. There was energy. It was fun.
And the guests weren’t showing up to say, I have the answer. No: it was to say, here’s my contribution. And I want to sample what other people are offering. Let’s have a conversation. To me, that’s the single biggest difference that I see characterizing Humans First.
On community
I’ve identified my zone of genius as Create, Connect, Converse, and so to me, podcasting is a conversation that connects people in the community.
I don’t know the scale or the scope, but I’m going to begin hosting some in-person gatherings because we need to get in the room together. These are going to be unique meetings that aren’t going to be built around presentation — they’re going to be transformational conversations with like-minded people from around the world.
Emergence
Rather than trying to make things happen, for me, it’s all about the flow. The flow of energy, the flow of creativity. When you follow the flow, amazing things happen.
Last week, I sent out an email to all the folks that have been in this Humans First series of conversations and I said, here’s an idea. And in a few hours, everybody said they were in. We’re in the process now of planning a series where we’ll have four or five people on the podcast at once, and have an unscripted and unplanned conversation that takes a topic and dives into it. That’s what we’re doing very soon!
I’m electrified, ecstatic, and energized. I’m pretty excited about the things we’re talking about and I’m just thinking, wow, what’s next? What is possible?
HumansFirst Leaders Connect
Join me for the HumansFirst Book Club, where we do a deep dive into a book a month and often engage the authors in conversation.
Higher Purpose Podcast Episode 78: Creating a 'Humans First' Workplace with Marcel Schwantes
What goes into creating a humans first workplace? Marcel Schwantes is a keynote speaker and the and Founder and Chief Human Officer of Leadership from the core. Today we’re talking about that four-letter word: love. What does leading with love mean, and what does it look like in action, and how does it help people — and businesses — flourish? Listen to the full episode here:
What’s fueling the energy behind humans first movement?
Love. It’s the most powerful force in the universe, and as humans, we are wired to want to experience love. The definition of a true leader is somebody who meets the needs of others. If love is absent, then fear takes its place, and Marcel shares a personal example of what this fear-based toxic work environment can look like.
What makes a workplace humans first?
It’s putting love into action, like when leaders:
- Care and model that behavior all the way down to the floor
- Have patience and self-control over their emotions
- Remove themselves from the spotlight, and put the spotlight on the employees
- Build and nurture a trusting community
- Are authentic, meaning: they’re approachable, emotionally honest, and communicate the good, the bad, and the ugly instead of sweeping things under the rug
- Are transparent; they show their true selves instead of hiding behind a mask
And these are things that have been repeatedly backed up by research. The evidence is overwhelming in favor of human-centered leaders and workplaces.
What does love look like in the workplace?
It takes the form of agape love: unconditional love rooted in behavior towards others, without regard to their due. It’s what leaders should be striving for, because it’s an actionable type of love. It’s a verb, not a feeling.
Coach Vince Lombardi said of his team, the Green Bay Packers: “I don’t necessarily have to like my players and associates. But as their leader, I must love them. Love is loyalty. Love is teamwork. Love respects the dignity of the individual. This is the strength of any organization.”
What does a leading out of love look like?
Many airlines were going out of business and laying people off after 9/11, but Jim Parker (the CEO of Southwest at that time) said, we are willing to suffer some damage, even to our structure and stock price, to protect the jobs of our people.
The result of sticking to values and putting people first? Loyal and committed employees, higher-level performances, and the only profitable airline throughout that period. When you put your people first, profits take care of themselves.
Another way to show love is to release control. Share your leadership with your followers to empower them not only to succeed in their roles, but to help create a leader-leader culture rather than a follower-leader one. Steve Jobs said: “I don’t hire people to tell them what to do. I hire them so they can tell me what to do.” Help them take ownership of their own decisions and do what they do best.
As for Garry Ridge, becoming a human leader meant getting comfortable with three powerful words: “I don’t know.” For him, ego is a barrier to leading effectively.
Leaders are humans first, too
There are leaders who fear their roles because they don’t want to fail. They don’t want to be seen as weak leaders. So there’s usually a facade that keeps them from being authentic and connecting with their team. This is why many end up leading through fear and managing through power and control.
A true ‘humans first’ workplace involves everyone from the very top of the organization at the highest level, all the way to the least tenured position.
Final thoughts
What’s one thing you could be doing right now to improve the life of one of your employees?
Transform YOUR Team!
If you're a leader who is, or wants to be entrusted with the transformation of your team, join me and 6 other leaders for a year-long journey of transformation that will help you release your brilliance, and help others do the same. Email Kevin@Kevindmonroe.com to begin the application process.
Resources for Marcel Schwantes
Resources
Episode 29 – Interview with Jeff Harmon
Episode 69: The Epic Partnership that Created the WD-40 Culture with Garry Ridge and Stan Sewitch
Harvard Business Review: What CEOs Are Afraid Of by Roger Jones
The Evolved Executive: The Future of Work Is Love in Action by Heather Hanson Wickman PhD (Amazon)