What is a Happy Company?
A Happy Company is like a “happy” family: no two are alike, and none are perfect. However, all truly Happy Companies adhere to what we call “The 5 Commitments”.
We refer to these as “commitments” rather than qualities because they are anything but static. They require consistent dedication, buy-in from all employees as the company grows, a willingness to incorporate constructive feedback, and a whole lot of heart.
The 5 Commitments are:
Heart-Centered Leadership.
A leader who is “heart-centered” puts their people before all else. They understand that without believing in, listening to, developing, trusting and empowering their employees – at all levels – they are not succeeding in their job. They are constantly working on themselves and actively solicit and incorporate feedback. Heart-centeredness is not a personality trait, but rather a way-of-being that can be cultivated and developed over time. When hiring and promoting, they equally vet for character as well as qualifications and are stewards of the 5 Commitments.
What FPFC offers to support this Commitment:
1-1 Executive Coaching
Leadership Team Coaching. This is a 3 or 6 month container that includes 2 1-1 sessions with each leader and a series of group sessions. Leadership Team Coaching can be coupled with other workshops for powerful transformation or done on its own. Leadership Team Coaching is most valuable after a recent company growth spurt, the appointment of a new Executive, and/or when trust needs to be established or rebuilt amongst a leadership team.
Heart-Centered Leadership. This is a 2 hour leadership team experiential workshop that helps each leader understand what it means to be a heart-centered leader. We connect each leader to one another, to their values, their strengths and their fears. We discuss the power of the Ventral Vagal Nervous system state to drive team connection and psychological safety and how leaders can help their employees enter and remain in this state. This is a workshop that can be customized to be presented on a quarterly basis, relying heavily on our research, science-backed mindfulness practices, and organizational psychology.
Alignment behind Mission, Vision Values.
In order for a company to be Happy, each employee must understand where they are going (Vision), why they are going there (Mission), and how they are expected to behave as they work towards those ends (Values). Mission, Vision, Values (MVV) should be established with the long-game in mind, but must also be revisited annually as a company grows and evolves. Leaders should pulse check their MVV and openly question their integrity using a strong bullsh*t detector. MVV should be integrated into daily practices, but specifically integrated into team communications on at least a quarterly basis. MVV should be a part of bi-annual performance reviews in a logical way, to further reinforce their importance and value for the organization. Employee feedback on MVV should be welcomed rather than shunned; knowing that MVV is only as strong as its ability to inspire and unite the employees they belong to. MVV is a filter through which all business activity can be vetted but should NOT be viewed as untouchable or indisputable.
What FPFC offers to support this Commitment:
Development / Revision of MVV. This is a 4 part program that involves guided pre-work for all leaders (1), an introductory leadership workshop by FPFC (2), synthesis and organization by FPFC (3), and a closing leadership workshop (4).
Initial Rollout of MVV. This is 2 part program that includes a preparatory leadership workshop (1) and a full-team roll-out of MVV. The length and complexity of this program is dictated by the size of the organization.
MVV in Action. This is an integrated coaching engagement where each team-leader works independently with FPFC to workshop ways to integrate MVV into their departments workstreams. In addition, we will help you integrate MVV into your employee recognition and evaluation programs such that they are deeply woven into the fabric of your organization.
MVV Team-Building Workshops. These are customized workshops developed by FPFC to engage and unite your full team around MVV once they have been rolled out. These workshops can be booked quarterly or as 1-off engagements. The length and complexity of the workshops are customized based on your needs and the size of your team.
The MVV Experience. This is the most comprehensive and recommended package that incorporates elements 1-4 over a 1 year period. FPFC becomes your thought partner in building a Happy Company through full integration of MVV.
Transparent & Specific Goals.
Without clear, specific, and transparent goals, it is impossible to build a fully aligned team. We work with leaders to develop Top Down goals, starting with Strategic Pillars which incorporate OKRS which lead to measurable KPIs. The process we use is highly effective for small startups and fully-scaled organizations. The framework we co-create gives the entire team absolute certainty about where the company is going, what their department is focused on, and what they are individually accountable for. By taking the time to set this foundation, leaders are able to delegate and pull up and employees gain autonomy, creating more work satisfaction at all levels.
What FPFC offers to support this commitment:
Strategic Pillars & OKR development. This is a 2-4 part workshop series where FPFC works hand-in-hand with your leadership team to clearly define your company’s Strategic Pillars (revisited every year), OKRs (revisited every 6 months), and KPIs (revisited quarterly). The length and complexity of this work is dictated by the size and scale of your organization, as well as how “hands-on” team FPFC needs to be.
Strategic Pillars & OKR Roll-out. If you have a small and time-strapped leadership team, this is a hands-on partnership where team FPFC works with each leader to integrate and roll-out the SP+OKRs to the full team. We will work 1-1 with each team leader to set KPIs for their department and each member of their team. A hybrid of coaching and consulting, this process will set each employee on your team up for success.
Purposeful People Management.
At Happy Companies, managers are graded more predominantly on the feedback received from their direct reports than on their individual contributions. In order for this to be true, leadership training and clear manager deliverables must be provided for all levels of management, from those with 1 direct report all the way up to the CEO. Senior employees must lead by example, develop, empower and celebrate their teams and they must be guided by easy-to-follow company-provided processes.
What FPFC offers to support this commitment:
Be a Better Boss. This is a 90 minute 101 level workshop that we offer to all people managers. We recommend running this workshop once a year as a reminder of your commitment to Purposeful People Management and/or facilitating this workshop for all new hires on a quarterly basis.
People Management Framework Development. This is a 2 workshop offering where FPFC guides your leadership team to create a clearly defined framework of what Purposeful People Management means at your organization. Elements will include cadence and timing of 1-1 meetings, leadership development timelines, definition of leadership characteristics, soliciting/giving/receiving feedback, professional development and recognition, and addressing pain points.
Compassionate Culture.
While all First 4 Commitments are tactical, this commitment is energetic and can be felt, more than it can be defined. Commitments 1-4 require time and effort, but Commitment 5 necessitates brutal honesty and a willingness to look at the areas where your culture has been less than compassionate. It requires daily evaluation, listening to your people, and periodically questioning everything to ensure you are living up to your ideals. It shows your team that while your company will never be perfect – you are committed to making it Happy. Leaders consistently revisit all company practices and policies through a people-first lens, and sharply question any areas of team contention not asking “why are they always complaining,” but rather, “where/how might we have failed them?”
What FPFC offers to support this commitment:
1-1 Executive Coaching
Leadership Team Coaching. This is a 3 or 6 month container that includes 2 1-1 sessions with each leader and a series of group sessions. Leadership Team Coaching can be coupled with other workshops for powerful transformation or done on its own. Leadership Team Coaching is most valuable after a recent company growth spurt, the appointment of a new Executive, and/or when trust needs to be established or rebuilt amongst a leadership team.
Presence, Purpose, Praise. This is a customizable workshop that is truly the heart of the FPFC philosophy. It can be paired down to 1 hour or extended to a full day workshop. We introduce experiential science-backed tools to get the full team fully present, inspired by their personal mission, aligned around the team values, and deeply connected to their values. This workshop is guaranteed to bring your team together more powerfully than ever before and remind them why they chose to work for a truly Compassionate Organization.
Compassionate Communication. In a hybrid coaching / consulting workshop, Team FPFC will work with your leadership or HR team to ensure that all company communications are vetted through the lens of compassion. This work will ensure that every aspect of your business is in integrity and aligned with your Commitments.
Custom Workshops. We are masters at curating events and experiences that inspire and engage without eliciting any eye-rolls. We have planned events and branded experiences for some of the coolest & most successful brands around. Optional elements include meditation, mindful movement/yoga, guided journaling, dance parties and more (I’m telling you… we can do it all!). We will work with you to create bespoke experience or incorporate our work seamlessly into your team off-site or retreat.
By leaning into the 5 Commitments, leaders can ensure that their employee engagement, satisfaction, and retention will improve dramatically. In addition, the leaders will be more fulfilled because they’ll get to witness the commitments they’ve made create a ripple effect of joy throughout the organization. Happy leaders + Happy teams = Happy Companies. A simple equation that guarantees exponential growth for your organization.
