MrBeast's HR document outlines unique company culture | practice (split each time) | State of flux is a permanent state for business
September 20, 2024
CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF LinkedInFacebookX
SmartBrief on Leadership
Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve.SIGN UP ⋅   SHARE
ADVERTISEMENT
Leading the Way
MrBeast's HR document outlines unique company culture
MrBeast, aka Jimmy Donaldson (Michael Tran/Getty Images)
Despite controversies and lawsuits, Jimmy Donaldson, known as YouTube creator MrBeast, has built a $700 million business, and a leaked internal document that is given to new hires outlines the company's culture and expectations, which author Chris Stokel-Walker says leaders could learn from. In the document, Donaldson encourages new hires to be innovative and break traditional rules of video production, to focus on creativity over bringing in money and says the company measures success not by the hours they work but by the product they produce.
Full Story: Fast Company (tiered subscription model) (9/19) 
LinkedIn X Facebook Email
Put it into practice: Donaldson's company eschews hierarchy with the internal HR document promising career growth for those who want it. "This isn't a stepping stone; this is your final destination. We will win, and we are going to build something amazing," the document says.
Get CLEAR about your leadership journey
At the Women in Leadership Instituteā„¢ 2024 (WIL 2024) master authentic connection, effective communication, and how to foster a collaborative culture. Discover how you can transform your leadership journey and make a lasting impact. REGISTER NOW!
ADVERTISEMENT:
SmartBrief on Leadership
State of flux is a permanent state for business
(Bertlmann/Getty Images)
Business is always in flux and leaders who stand still are in danger of becoming obsolete, which means they should focus on change management and organizational agility as core principles of leadership and embrace uncertainty, writes executive coach Dave Coffaro. "Leaders who recognize and embrace this reality will be better equipped to navigate the complexities of our business operating environment, preparing their organizations not only to survive but thrive," Coffaro writes.
Full Story: SmartBrief/Leadership (9/19) 
LinkedIn X Facebook Email
Put it into practice: Leaders must stay on their toes to recognize industry changes as they occur and empower all employees and stakeholders to be "early warning indicators," Coffaro writes. "By inviting employees to identify and help address shifts in the way the company does business, leaders create engagement and elevate organizational agility."
Read more from Dave Coffaro on SmartBrief on Leadership
Smarter Communication
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy's memo requiring employees to return to the office five days a week is a good example of how leaders should communicate such news, writes Ragan editor Sean Devlin, who points to Jassy's acknowledgment that it will not be an easy transition for some and Amazon's practice of empowering managers to have difficult conversations. Return to office orders will not please everyone, but Devlin notes that when they keep employees and culture "at the heart of the message," it should withstand criticism.
Full Story: Ragan (9/19) 
LinkedIn X Facebook Email
Put it into practice: Any return to the office order should have a clearly defined "why," Devlin notes. "This helps managers navigate through the stressful time and can even boost employee retention when presented as an opportunity for employee growth."
Featured Job Listings
When you click or apply to one of these jobs through the link in our newsletter, we may receive an affiliate commission.
Smarter Strategy
Smarter Living
Get your mind and body right each Friday
Happiness may protect against heart disease, study finds
(Pixabay)
Individuals with higher life satisfaction and happiness have a significantly lower risk of heart disease and stroke, according to a study in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Researchers suggest that promoting emotional well-being through lifestyle interventions like physical activity and stress management could play a key role in preventing heart-related conditions.
Full Story: HealthDay News (9/18) 
LinkedIn X Facebook Email
Daily Diversion
Van Gogh's "Starry Night" is a study of physics
(Fine Art/Getty Images)
Researchers analyzed the brush strokes in Vincent van Gogh's "Starry Night" and found that they exhibit patterns of microscale turbulence. The study in Physics of Fluids shows that the scaling of brushstrokes creates an illusion of movement, aligning with the Kolmogorov and Batchelor scaling laws, highlighting Van Gogh's understanding of natural phenomena and its connection to atmospheric turbulence.
Full Story: Ars Technica (9/17) 
LinkedIn X Facebook Email
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
The Cannes Film Festival had an inauspicious start in September, 1939, as WWII broke out soon after, so festival organizers didn't plan one until after the war ended. Its Palme d'Or came later, first awarded in 1955 to which film?
Vote"Bad Day at Black Rock," by John Sturges
Vote"Carmen Jones," by Otto Preminger
Vote"The Gold of Naples," by Vittorio De Sica
Vote"Marty," by Delbert Mann
About The Editor
Candace Chellew
Candace Chellew
Chellew (Photo credit: Lester Boykin)
I was yesterday-years-old when I watched my first video from MrBeast, Jimmy Donaldson. Apparently, I'm the last to know about this YouTube sensation. He's attracted many eyeballs and lawsuits with his out-of-the-box thinking and ways of doing business.

The leaked internal human resources memo shows the open thinking Donaldson employs, telling new hires that they're expected to be creative, prizing it above the bottom line (knowing that genuinely innovative ideas will bring in business) and giving them the autonomy they need to break conventional rules in pursuit of innovation.

It's apparently working for Donaldson and his company despite the controversies around other business practices. In fact, research has shown that companies thrive when they give their teams the freedom and resources they need to innovate, break conventional rules, work on their terms and be judged by their final product and not whether they spent eight solid hours at their desk.

As a leader, are there policies and things you can change to give your teams more control over their jobs? If you can, you may find they'll be more productive and engaged.

If this newsletter helps you, please tell your colleagues, friends or anyone who can benefit. Forward them this email, or send this link.

What topics do you see in your daily work that I should know about? Do you have any feedback you'd like to share? Drop me a note. And while you're at it, please send me photos of your pets, your office and where you spend your time off so we can share them.
LinkedIn X Facebook Email
Sharing SmartBrief on Leadership with your network keeps the quality of content high and these newsletters free.
Help Spread the Word
SHARE
Or copy and share your personalized link:
smartbrief.com/leadership/?referrerId=eSriBJbAIQ
Who Said It?

I do know that nothing lasts forever. And no matter how bad it gets, it always gets better.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow or Richard Gadd

Check your answer here.
LinkedIn X Facebook Email
 
SmartBrief publishes more than 200 free industry newsletters - Browse our portfolio
Sign Up  |    Update Profile  |    Advertise with SmartBrief
Unsubscribe  |    Privacy policy
CONTACT US: FEEDBACK  |    ADVERTISE
SmartBrief Future
Copyright © 2024 SmartBrief. All Rights Reserved.
A division of Future US LLC
Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036.