Welcome to RISE UP, where every other Friday I share one tip for reaching your potential and building a legendary revenue career. 

We’re living through a leadership revolution. 

What do the CEOs of today’s billion-dollar companies have in common? They’ve traded “do more with less” for a human-centric stance. 

Seven months ago, I sat alongside 250+ CEOs from all over the world. And these themes rang out from every corner of the room: 

• Intentionally building in resilience
• The strength of culture in hard times
• The trust needed to bring teams together

Hearing these discussions made me take an introspective look at what I do here at Clari. 

Let’s start with resilience. 

The last few years taught us an important lesson: Heightened uncertainty is the new normal. Business-altering events can come out of nowhere. And they can torpedo even the strongest billion-dollar companies. 

As a leader, you need to be ready. 

When disaster strikes: 

• Your team will look to you
• You need to respond quickly
• Your decisions will have long-term consequences

That’s why today’s leaders are investing in resilience. 

If you want to build resiliency, ask yourself this, then ACTION on it! 

• What past challenges have I overcome that can serve as a blueprint for navigating future uncertainties?
• ACTION: Activate your team and co create ideas from your “challenge stories.”  Use the real stories to connect and bond that it is possible to build in more resilience across teams.
• In the face of adversity, how can I lead by example and inspire my team to persevere?
• ACTION: Activate your team to build the “Do Differently” list that will build in more reslience.  
• How can I ensure I'm continually learning and adapting my resilience?
• ACTION: Build your “Polarities” muscle – being empathetic to the challenging times, WHILE reminding them of the bright future that is ahead

Your answers (& ACTIONS) will draw the blueprint you need to achieve resilience.

Next is your company’s culture and people.

It’s easy for team members to feel enthusiastic when the business is growing and the market is booming. But when you’re working to grow a billion-dollar company during an economic downturn, everything changes. 

Hard times reveal your true culture.

If you have a strong culture, people will band together. If you have a weak culture, people will walk out the door.

At Clari, we’ve invested heavily in culture. I’m reminded of the culture pillars laid out by Clari board member, Kelly Battles, when we landed our 2022 round of funding. 

Culture at Clari means:

1. Strong leadership practices such as transparent and content-rich communications, finding the right balance of empowerment and accountability, and data-driven decision making.
2. Strong human resources practices like finding, supporting, and developing top talent, goal setting, performance management, regular one-on-ones, and fair compensation practices.   
3. Investing in making the workplace fun and special. 

With this strong foundation, we’ve been able to pivot in the face of challenges. Our team talks openly about struggles and opportunities. 

To build a culture that fits your vision, ask yourself this: 

• What does my team need to be their best selves?
• Do I have the routines and feedback loops in place to promote a powerful culture?
• What values and behaviors am I embodying as a leader?

These questions will map the steps toward the culture you want to pursue.

Finally, look at trust. It’s the key to holding your company together. 

When dark clouds are overhead, your team will look around. They’ll ask the hard questions. They’ll want to know the direction your company is heading. 

Today’s top leaders know this. 

They: 

• Create a safe space for discussion
• Share as much information as possible
• Provide a powerful vision for the future of the company

At Clari, I hold weekly Town Hall meetings where I lay out the good, the bad, and the ugly about the business. No question is off limits. 

Some of my peers see this as oversharing.

But I believe transparency is the best way to foster trust. In order to feel safe and in-the-know, team members need to see what’s really going on in the organization.

To build trust across your organization, ask yourself this: 

• How am I consistently demonstrating transparency, reliability, and integrity?
• What communication routines do I have in place to promote trust?
• How can I empower leaders and team members to take ownership within the company?

Remember, trust is mandatory for survival. It’s what holds companies together in the black and the red.

This is the new leadership playbook. 

Today’s billion-dollar CEOs: 

• Intentionally build in resilience in the face of challenges.
• Invest heavily in their company culture.
• Promote trust by being transparent.

Put this playbook to work. And watch your team band together to drive the company to new heights,

Rise up,

Andy Byrne

CEO, Clari