performance & culture, rebranded
Hiii,
How many AI discussions should I have before I change the name of my newsletter to Artificial Intelligence & Existential Dread Weekly? 😅
Okay, but for real, I know a LOT of things are changing at once, so I’m gonna keep a glass-half-full attitude this week and say that there genuinely is some beauty in rethinking how we do everything.
Whether it’s performance management, DEI, or what leadership even looks like, the systems were built for a world that no longer exists, and now we have a chance to make them better! 🔥
So if it feels like you’re constantly rewriting the rulebook, big same.
This week has some of everything: A lil clarity, a lil chaos, and hopefully something that reminds you why you're still doing this job in the first place.
Now go refill that iced coffee, and let’s get our ✨mood boost✨ on!
🗞️ Here’s the Tea:Copy anchor linkCopied
🤔 Amazon Ring staff promotions will now hinge on AI usage
The TL;DR: Amazon Ring is now tying promotions to how well employees use AI in their roles. If you want to move up, they want receipts showing off your AI savvy. This is becoming the new normal across companies like Microsoft, Shopify, and Duolingo.
My POV: I feel like this signals a shift in how performance and potential are being defined.
Orgs are no longer just hiring for skills…they're expecting people to future-proof themselves while on the job!
That means L&D, performance management, and even promotion pathways are about to get a tech-flavored makeover.
So if AI becomes the gatekeeper to growth, then we need to seriously rethink how we define performance, equity, and career development.
At this rate, if you’re not already thinking about how to integrate AI literacy into your org’s culture, you’re out of the loop!
🎙️ Mic Drop Moment:Copy anchor linkCopied
“Being a good COO isn’t about doing it all. It’s about aligning people to goals so you don’t have to.” Copy anchor linkCopied
On the mic this week: Halai Shukran is the COO of Pluribus Digital and a former people and talent leader with over a decade of experience aligning people strategy with business outcomes. She’s scaled startups, owned operations across IT, marketing, and comms, and deeply believes in building systems that serve both the business and the humans inside it.
Pin this:
- If your onboarding doesn’t teach employees how the company makes money, you’re setting them up to underperform.
- Cross-functional success relies on shared OKRs otherwise, you’re just building silos with fancier titles.
- Curiosity is one of the most underrated leadership skills. If you’re not asking “why,” you’re just managing, not leading.
- Budget decisions without HR at the table lead to misaligned priorities and half-baked initiatives.
My H*ly Sh*t Moment: Most people teams don’t fail because they lack good ideas, but because they can’t connect those ideas to business impact. We are not just here to “make work better.” We’re here to prove that better work drives the business forward, or we’ll keep getting sidelined when it matters most!
▶️ Press Play
📊 Data Is My Love Language:Copy anchor linkCopied
Stat: 1 in 5 companies say they’ve slashed DEI since Trump’s election
My spiral: This stat is wild, mainly because the consequences were exactly what HR has warned about for so many years!
Lower morale? Check. More reports of discrimination? Unfortunately, check.
DEI has become weaponized in recent months, but the business impact is clear: when inclusion is deprioritized, so is the humanity in your workplace, and trust me, your talent notices!
The moment your workforce feels less seen or safe you’ll have issues on your hand.
🛠️ In Your Toolkit Copy anchor linkCopied
On Monday I wrote about how to foster a sense of exploration in your org especially when it came to AI.
Then I dropped a guide in Safe Space about how to build your AI Enablement Strategy.
Full disclosure: You must be a member to read it, but you can apply here and scoop the template directly from the library.
It features a checklist of things to consider, 3 sample strategies to test and what else to consider.
The best part? It’s a living breathing doc that you can even contribute to!
🗣️ UNMUTE YOURSELF
Okay, before you dive into the 85 things on your to-do list, I want you to zoom out for a second.
Think less about your next move and more about how your perspective has evolved.
Here’s the question I want you to sit with:
“What’s your ‘career myth?’ Something you used to believe that no longer holds?”
Write it down, say it out loud, let it haunt you a little (in the best way)!
🛠️ TRY THIS TOMORROW:
Sometimes the best way to lead is to shut up and listen.
One honest conversation can be better than a survey or a pulse check sometimes!
Try asking a team member:
“What’s one thing I could stop doing to make your work easier?”
And then…actually stop doing it.
👂 OVERHEARD IN SAFE SPACE
OOOOH I felt this post in my soul.
In my experience, it's less about growing up and more about the fact a lot of managers may not actually want to be managers... For so long, it was offered to a lot of employees as a means to gain more compensation and "grow" rather than providing the same paths for individual contributor tracks.
But the truth is, some people just shouldn't be managers.
What's your experience been?
See ya on Friday!
