Mamie Stewart

I grew up in a family business. As a child I remember running through the offices, occasionally helping to put documents into binders, deliver intra-office mail, or welcome guests. As a young adult, I was invited to strategic planning sessions and other business activities that someone my age would typically not have access to. Throughout my life I was learning what a successful company looks and feels like, almost through osmosis. Then, I got my first job after college. You might imagine the shock I experienced when I realized that not all organizations were like my family’s business. Everything from the hiring and onboarding process to how meetings were run to how my boss supported me to plan and execute projects – it wasn’t just different, its that it was lousy. As I started to learn more about how organizations work, I was appalled by what I found. The poor employee engagement, the lack of management training provided, the neglect of company culture. If we spend more than one third of our adult lives at work, shouldn’t it be a place that makes us come alive?!