The Culture Builders

The Culture Builders Deep Dive – Growing and managing an international culture within DAZN

Rapid international growth is a major challenge for many young organisations. Aside from the inevitable logistics, one of the most frequent issues (or indeed opportunities) is the cultural differences that are encountered as companies move into new markets and territories.
This has been the case for DAZN – the first OTT live sports broadcaster – as it seeks to rapidly build a global brand from a UK base. Joining us on the Bank of Me podcast this episode is their SVP of Talent and Resourcing, Suzana Thurston. She has been at the sharp-end of this growth – sourcing and developing a 3,000 strong workforce – and has seen first-hand how the blend of Asian, European and American cultures has developed.
Owen, who has been working with DAZN to help managers work through the complexity of international-management, took some time with Suzana to talk through the journey and challenges and successes that the company has experienced.

The Culture Builders Burst – Checking in on your passion

Passion today, passion tomorrow, energy from people – Jane Sparrow shares the three questions she encourages the leaders and teams to consider when they are facing long-term challenges and change.
During these times it’s easy for things to grind us down, to lose sight of the positives and to be drained by the tasks at hand. In this short podcast Jane gives some practical tips on fuelling your ‘Bank Account’  and finishing a challenging work thinking ‘I learnt and grew’.

The Culture Builders Deep Dive – learning tips from leaders – Steve Thorn

For this episode Jane is joined by Steve Thorn, Executive Director, Digital at Civica. We’ve been wanting to feature him on a podcast for some time – he’s long been a source of inspiration for us and his experience and approach to his career is something we are always keen to share.
Steve has the most amazing tips and stories on leadership – from the names and roles of 272 people aboard a Royal Navy ship to the ’25 names game’ – his approach to managing and growing people helps him, and others, overcome the challenges we all face when working in large teams. In particular, he shares his ideas on ensuring virtual teams work well together – many of his pieces of advice will have you slapping your forehead at your own lack of ingenuity to think up the things Steve puts forwards.
There’s a reason why we’ve featured him in both books, and there’s a reason why you will love every minute of this podcast. So, sit back and let Steve share some of the best advice you will ever be given.

The Culture Builders Deep Dive – the balancing act that is personal wellness

The struggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle alongside the ever growing demands of our jobs is real and common. Following some recent conversations with clients on this challenge, we asked our colleague Owen Cook to sit down with Beccy Matthews - the head of our physiological faculty - to discuss the links and impact between our physical health and our overall performance.Beccy draws on her 15 years of experience in the fitness and nutrition industries: outlining the three key areas of our physiological well-being that we should all focus on - using the analogy of a three-legged stool to stress the importance of them in balance. She talks about how the choices we make create knock on effects, both good and bad across our lives, depositing in or withdrawing from our 'human bank accounts' - giving practical advice on how to think about these different, but interconnected facets; small tips to help, even when you're under pressure; and ideas for those who are already doing well but want to maximise the benefits of their efforts.

The Culture Builders – 4am mindfulness & the morning chorus

Listening in on a colleague delivering a webinar on mindfulness was the inspiration and motivation I needed to do something that’s been on my list for some time.
Like most people, I’m guilty of doing far too much and paying way too little attention to the things that absolutely need my focus. Pausing isn’t easy in an always-on ever-demanding world. But, at 4am, I found the time and the peace to try a mindfulness exercise.
This is a slow episode. Most of the audio invites you to take time out, listen, be mindful about what you are hearing and truly enjoy something wonderful. A gift from us – enjoy the dawn chorus and the little sparrow that started it all.

The Culture Builders Burst – Integrating, not balancing work and life

The phrase ‘work-life-balance’ has become clichéd and now seen as a negative term by many. The idea of balance is a challenging one to many of us, who face multiple draws on our time and have little spare capacity to do the things that are personally important.
In this Burst Jane shares her view on how we should be looking at our lives – understanding and integrating what’s important, rather than trying to segment everything into two neat buckets. For her, it all starts with how we are, and the real answer to ‘how are you?’

The Culture Builders Deep Dive - Checking In for Surgery & Best Practice Team Work

The ‘theatre’ of surgery is one that fascinates us all. It’s seen as a place of drama, tension and crisis. However, taking a deeper dive into this complex world, this episode features Simon Watts – ENT Consultant and facial plastic surgeon – who talks in detail about how the medical profession has, over the last ten years, made some small but highly significant changes to the way they communicate, collaborate and challenge each other.
 Simon details the important factors for a modern theatre – surprisingly simple ones, such as chatter, questioning and feedback. To expedite these strengths, teams across the world have been using the World Health Organisation ‘Checklist’ (the story of which can be found in Atul Gawande’s book of the same name). There are some powerful learnings in this podcast and a fascinating delve into the process of surgery.
We also asked Simon about the use of music during surgery – his answer was an inspiring, lovely perspective on how we can all be better at what we do.

The Culture Builders Burst – sharing the company with investors

In this burst episode we are joined by the Head of Technology & Delivery at Dabbl Invest, a company that, in their own words, is ‘democratising investing’. They have a unique perspective on the investment world, as they seek to engage and include a new generation of investors.
What’s becoming evident is that, with a higher awareness and expectation on a company’s ethical and sustainable position, younger investors are placing as much emphasis on the perception of the brand they are buying as they do on its financial performance. This change will need organisations to focus far more on how they inform and include investors in key decisions.
In our work as the Bank of Me we talk about ‘investors’ as a shorthand for people who truly believe in the organisations they work for. This idea now applies to actual share ownership – where investors are increasingly looking at organisations as a whole: their culture, their offerings and how they, as owners, can be involved more closely. The idea of shareholder benefits has never been stronger, and it is technology that can realise this ask.

The Culture Builders Deep Dive – building a strong culture across a UK radio network

Grace Hannah – Director of People for Communicorp UK – joins us down the line to talk about the cultural journey that her company has been on since she joined in 2014. In this Deep Dive she talks about the importance of teams living the company’s values – through daily activity, development and performance. Her experience of alignment at the most senior level is testament to the fact that culture has to be owned top to bottom in an organisation.
Communicorp UK is home to some of the most exciting brands in UK radio including Capital networks in Scotland and South Wales, Heart Networks in Yorkshire and North Wales, Smooth Radio networks in the North East, North West and East Midlands as well as XS Manchester.
The company prides itself on being ‘radio people who make a difference’. Every day they strive to make a positive difference to listeners’ lives, their customers’ business and the communities they broadcast to.

The Culture Builders Burst – time is a gift we can all give

With the season of giving fast approaching, many of us are in search of something to give. Often this is a fraught process, as we try and choose something we think ‘they will really want’.
Jane Sparrow has a novel and simple idea, and perhaps one that more people than we realise would appreciate and actually need. The gift of time. Time to listen, to interact and to be present.
Looking for something for that special someone in your professional or personal life? Take a listen to this Burst first.