Growing Exponentially in 2021 and Beyond
by Marisa Peters, Chief People Officer
As 2021 and a new year is upon us, we find ourselves with a positive mindset and full of promise to embark on a fresh start. Around the world, this time commonly means setting resolutions and reflecting upon silver linings while learning from the past year. Hindsight is clear: 2020 was packed with VUCA moments (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) serving as pivotal inflection points in a people’s career paths and the trajectory for businesses — for good and for, well not so good. It all depends on how people and organizations move beyond survival to thrive and GROW EXPONENTIALLY.
GROW EXPONENTIALLY
“Learn and grow faster than anyone in your peer set. Proactively extract raw and direct feedback about yourself. Think big and help others think big.”
Health and lives were (and still are) at stake for many people around the world. At VideoAmp, the People team led the organization through the impact of a pandemic where work/life integration became more real than ever before: our living space and workplace became one overnight. Those we live with immediately became part of our standard work experience. The tragedies that further ignited the Black Lives Matter movement met organizations and people taking a stand against racial injustice in support of diversity, equity and inclusion. Rhetoric didn’t stick for people as it related to mission-driven work of businesses. People took to the streets and organized inside of companies to address systemic racism. People returned to the core of what makes them tick: to find work that is inspiring and energizing,with a renewed focus on the connections in life that matter most. No more could we deal in a volume business when it came to people in our lives; in order to thrive, we bonded closer with those who helped us move through the struggles and bring light to our daily lives. No matter the individual experiences, struggles and losses of 2020, I find many people have a collective sense of hope and determination for the year ahead.
At VideoAmp, we have doubled-down on our VUCA learnings from 2020 as we embark upon a brand new year. Last year amidst the pandemic, we launched Project Accelerate for all employees to prioritize the building of their own career paths, defining success and communicating closely with those that may make the greatest impact. We made space to have “stay reflections” last summer with every employee in order to understand what matters most in their career, reflect upon performance to date and understand career growth aspirations. These types of conversations have the potential to make people, leaders and organizations feel vulnerable. Some may ask “what if this means people decide to leave the company in order to chase their passions?” At VideoAmp, we know, expect and strive for this to happen as we’ve been the launching pad for several entrepreneurs with the ‘founder spirit’, cultivated during their time at VideoAmp. Whatever the ultimate destination, our approach to performance development is rooted in each person’s own life mission and ambitions — not ones that the company prescribes. Our philosophy is centered in our ability to be authentic, vulnerable and clear about big plans. We aspire for every employee to look back upon their time at VideoAmp as a pivotal part of their career journey because they learned faster, gained more as a result and continue to GROW EXPONENTIALLY.
I’m personally kicking the year off hyper-energized by the business strategy ahead and the way VideoAmp is accelerating career growth and development as we dive into 2021. For me, I look forward to optimizing silver linings of 2020 toward habits that will hold strong in the year ahead: being bold about my own career aspirations to make an impact on people and organizations that make a difference in the world, taking time to sing for audiences outside of my house again and prioritizing self-care with an emphasis on mental and spiritual wellness. Step one was talking with Fireside Strategic to share the mission we’re on at VideoAmp with other CEOs: check out the video here.
For me, the pandemic hit the United States just four weeks after my partner and I welcomed our 3rd child in an unpredictable and traumatic birth experience. Thereafter, my childhood vocal teacher, mentor and dear friend passed away after a fight with metastatic breast cancer. Thanks to the life-saving interventions I received, I’ve since embarked upon an immersive learning journey about the importance of self-care in order to be there for others that depend upon me: my family, friends and colleagues. I’m gaining perspective about others’ difficult experiences as women and the importance of the positive mindset to overcome adversity. At VideoAmp, maternity leave looked different than I imagined it would, filled with a sense of purpose and calling to do more. Time matters, so I’m on a mission to learn fast as there is much I plan to accomplish in the future. I know I have the full support of the company behind me to make my priorities come to life in the year ahead. And that feels powerful and motivating in a way that is different than I’ve experienced at other companies.
As you envision what 2021 holds for you, I encourage each of you to prioritize the time to reflect and check-in with those that mentor, guide and inspire you the most — whether you’re a Vamper or not, put big plans in place that excite and energize you; plans that will make a real impact. This year we know what to expect a bit more than we did at certain points last year. We can get ahead of VUCA moments by planning for change.
Take your own growth seriously. You matter. Let’s realize our true potential in 2021 together and GROW EXPONENTIALLY.
