The most recent Elev8 GovCon honorees were asked to elevate their game, to provide proof points across a spectrum of categories that they were a good partner, employer, and vendor. This interview with Emily Levenson, Chief People Officer and General Counsel at Agile Six, looks at this two-time honoree for insight on culture, retention, and trust that equates to winning and success in GovCon.
Rooted in Trust
This SDVOSB, focused on being a people-first, remote-work company, was formed by family members coming together to create a different work environment that offered trust and wholeness over micro-management or inauthenticity. As the company has grown, now sitting at 100 members (called “Sixers”), that trust has played a fundamental part in how it hires, the ways it seeks to put employees first, and in attracting new teammates seeking its culture and nontraditional model.
Transparency
Agile Six uses a focused and transparent hiring process both to ensure potential hires understand the company’s values and to eliminate candidates who may talk the talk but are not really interested in walking the walk. “We want people who choose to join us for the right reasons — because of who we are. So job seekers need to know who we are before we offer them a job. To make that happen, we brought in a storyteller, Lisa Malcom, who spends a lot of time talking with our team and telling our stories in our own words.”
Lisa does such a great job that Agile Six regularly receives inquiries from people who are employed but ask to be considered as openings come up. “There are a lot of people who want to be part of what we’re doing because they believe in the way we work, the work we do, and the different type of culture we offer.”
That transparency also includes acknowledging that sometimes Sixers decide that Agile Six is no longer the best employer for their needs. Rather than see their need for change as negative, Agile Six focuses on embracing their decision to leave as an integral step on their journey to wholeness and self-actualization. This approach means that when Sixers find their paths lead them back – and this past year, two former Sixers decided to return to Agile Six after exploring other opportunities – Agile Six welcomes them with open arms.
Culture of People First
Agile Six leadership spends a lot of time listening and giving Sixers space to make their own decisions. Whether it is on Slack, Zoom, or in the company’s self-management policies, Sixers know they have a voice. “Several of our policies are self-managed, and they’re written specifically to give advice and guidance about how to implement them, but then it’s up to people to interpret and take action.”
Some of these policies include working within your team to schedule paid time off, an open budget of spending for setting up a home office, and opportunities for professional development or travel. “Our policies are written in such a way that people are encouraged to work with their teams and consider the balance between what they want to spend, the need, and the outcome. We also have enterprise coaches who can help provide options or advice to ensure everyone wins.”
Instead of managers that provide direction, Agile Six’s enterprise coaches provide proactive and reactive support by meeting with their teams regularly, supporting self-organization and delivery by fostering open lines of communication and trust-based relationships.
Transition Support
Change is work for everyone, whether it is longtime Sixers adjusting to new business models or new employees coming in from traditional, hierarchical, or toxic work cultures. “Our onboarding and support once people are officially Sixers is extensive and includes support from our Wholeness and Self-Management Coach Sara Quagliaroli. She connects with people early in their journey and is there for whatever they need as they navigate their way. Coaching meetings are not mandatory once onboarding is complete, but most people choose to stay engaged.”
New hires are also connected with onboarding buddies from within their team and communities of practice, helping to develop connections and relationships across the organization that prevent siloing and keep communication flowing.
Informed Decision-Making
A key part of self-management at Agile Six involves the advice process. Using this model, Sixers have conversations with stakeholders, listen and consider advice from different sources, and then feel confident making decisions and moving forward. “If they do that, then whatever the outcome, we’ll support the decision that was made. We don’t want decision paralysis and instead just ask that people seek advice from others before they move forward.”
This process of informed decision-making extends to the leadership team, which seeks feedback from various sources within the company before making decisions for the Agile Six collective as a whole. “It may be easier to just create a poll, ask people to vote one way or another, but that model doesn’t take into account that some people may vote a certain way because their needs and reasoning are really significant. When considered, those factors can override the majority and for good reason.”
Trust Given, not Earned
Operating under the premise that trust should be given freely rather than earned, Agile SIx encourages people who join the company to be themselves, contribute authentically to the work being done, and to bring what they can contribute each day while respecting their individual wholeness and balance. For its part, leadership promises to listen and keep working to be better. “We’re focused on improving our culture, not just maintaining or staying the course.”
Continuous improvement means establishing North Star values but not holding on too tight. Leaders at Agile Six focus on holding space for things to evolve and change, and sensing and responding to the needs of the collective. Because new voices bring new perspectives, the company’s growth promotes continuous improvement for Agile Six to become a better version of itself.
Championing Common Sense
If some of these ideas seem common sense, you aren’t alone. What becomes apparent as you look around the industry, however, is that common sense doesn’t always find a place in business. “If I have to define my job it is that I hold that space for common sense, make sure we are doing what is right, what seems a given: listening to people, making sure they enjoy what they are doing, helping them be whole – these all seem like obvious choices.”
Saying it is simple – that when people feel valued and trusted they will do good work, want to stay and contribute – but Agile Six’s system works. And while the family feel is real, Levenson is very clear that it represents a workplace, not a family: “We don’t want people to give us their all. We want them to bring their best selves to work and give their all to their families. We don’t want them making the same sacrifices for us that they would for their families. Be present while you are working, but at the end of the day, be with your family. Do what you need to for them and for you.”
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