Kimberlee Morrison

Kimberlee Morrison is an writer, editor and Culture Evangelist for Infusionsoft, where her job is to help people feel connected to the company culture, both internally and externally. She also writes the Infusionsoft Culture Blog discussing how to build a culture based on shared purpose and values. Contact her at kimberlee.morrison@infusionsoft.com.

Articles by Kimberlee Morrison

Culture

How Culture Translates Into a High-Performance Organization

by Kimberlee Morrison on Feb 25, 2013, 12:15 PM | 2 Comments

In a recent article on TLNT.com, I offered an alternative to the current standard for HR: Culture Development.

While most of the comments on the article were very positive, one reader argued that he’d like to see less “culture” and more pragmatism.

“Culture may seem warm and fuzzy,” the reader wrote. “Emergency service workers, shift workers, construction workers and those who don’t inhabit an office cubicle are generally uninterested in ‘cultural evangelism.’”

This comment indicates a clear misunderstanding of the strategic value culture provides for purpose-driven organizations. When the foundation of how you do what you do is tied to a set of values, culture isn’t just warm fuzzies — it is a crucial element in the success or failure of the company. Read more…

HR and the Movies

The Avengers: Sometimes, It’s About Building a High-Performing Team

by Kimberlee Morrison on Feb 18, 2013, 9:13 AM | 1 comment

Editor’s Note: With the Academy Awards drawing near, TLNT again asked some prominent thought leaders to write about their favorite movie from this past year with a HR or talent management theme. We’ll feature one each day leading up to the Oscars ceremony on Feb. 24.

By Kimberlee Morrison

In the realm of action movies, The Avengers from the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be remembered as one of the greatest. With its cast of superstars as superheroes, The Avengers is one of few movies that has grossed more than $1 billion worldwide.

And who doesn’t love a classic tale of good versus evil?

But, it’s also a tale about putting together a high-performing team. Read more…

Talent Management

Balancing Pressure and Stress in a High-Performance Culture

by Kimberlee Morrison on Feb 12, 2013, 8:10 AM | No comments yet

High-performance cultures often translate into high pressure environments.

The challenge is for that pressure not to create stress. And when you add to the mix the desire to nurture the talent within an organization through development opportunities, this balance becomes delicate.

According to Liz Wiseman, author of Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter, multipliers are the kind of leaders that know how to create a high pressure environment that pushes people to be their best.

Multipliers often maximize the talent around them, pushing people to work harder than they’ve ever worked before — but without the feeling of stress. Read more…

HR Insights, HR Management

Breaking Out of the “Old” HR: Maybe It’s Time For Culture Development

by Kimberlee Morrison on Jan 29, 2013, 10:20 AM | 21 Comments

Human Resources has a reputation for being a department of policy enforcers.

While it might seem intuitive that the role of HR would be to serve the employee as a customer, this isn’t usually the reality. Instead, HR is most often seen as being responsible for protecting the interests of the business — sometimes at the expense of the employee.

According to Anita Grantham, VP of Culture Development at Infusionsoft, “HR is where dreams go to die.” So why is it that even in companies fully committed to culture HR is seen as a necessary evil? Read more…

HR Insights, HR Management

Want Employees to be More Engaged? Involve Them in Strategic Planning

by Kimberlee Morrison on Jan 25, 2013, 11:10 AM | 8 Comments

It’s no secret that employees are more engaged when they know their work is meaningful.

While providing clarity around organizational purpose doesn’t necessarily create grand meaning in life, it sure does give individual employees context for how their work fits into the big picture.

One way to provide such clarity is by involving employees at all levels of the organization in the strategic planning process.

There are many methods of strategic planning, but it’s generally an activity during which the big vision for the company and the plan to achieve it are developed. It’s also typically reserved for executives, with little to no input from employees. Read more…

Benefits, HR Basics

Coping With Flu Season: 3 Tips to Encourage Sick Workers to Stay Home

by Kimberlee Morrison on Jan 22, 2013, 12:10 PM | No comments yet

Flu season has hit early and hard this year.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the current outbreak could be the worst in a decade. Things are so bad that states such as New York and Massachusets have declared public health emergencies.

All of this has prompted a debate about paid sick days. While it might seem like a no-brainer that sick people should stay home, for the 40 percent of workers who can’t even earn paid sick days, staying home hardly seems like an option. In fact, those without a paid sick leave option are most likely to be exposed to — and potentially share — infectious diseases such as the flu. Read more…

Culture

Your Company Has a Culture, But Is It Really the One You Want?

by Kimberlee Morrison on Jan 3, 2013, 8:10 AM | No comments yet

Some people think culture is some esoteric concept that translates into: keeping employees happy.

According to Hal Halladay, SVP of Corporate Development at Infusionsoft, culture isn’t about making employees happy, but rather. about strategy. He also warns that whether you know it or not, your company definitely has a culture.

The challenge then is to be intentional about what kind of culture you want in your company — and to be intentional about shaping it. Here are five tips for creating a culture development strategy: Read more…

Culture, Recruiting and Staffing

Hiring For Cultural Fit: The Key Question is – Can I Be Objective?

by Kimberlee Morrison on Dec 19, 2012, 11:30 AM | 1 comment

A few months back, Eric Sinoway wrote an article on HBR.com about firing a top performer whose behavior wasn’t in line with the company culture.

Many of the comments that followed were predictably cynical about this approach. The main argument against firing people who don’t’ fit the culture is that culture is not an objective measurement and is often used to spitefully rid the organization of people someone doesn’t like.

While this may be the case, when culture is a key part of the business strategy, culture fit is absolutely important. Read more…

Leadership, Talent Management

Creating a High-Performance Culture: All It Takes Is a TGIM Mindset

by Kimberlee Morrison on Dec 12, 2012, 10:27 AM | 1 comment

For many businesses, the idea of increasing employee engagement seems like an elusive impossibility.

The truth that most don’t talk about is that if the employees aren’t intrinsically motivated, driving engagement can be like pushing a boulder up a mountain.

By definition, intrinsic motivation comes from within. However, organizations that master the art of inspiring such motivation create a high-performance environment where employees are engaged in driving the company toward success.

So how do you cultivate such an environment? Read more…