All Segments
Scaling Culture | Jason Kilar, former Hulu CEO
20 segments available
Jason Kilar is the former CEO of Hulu and Vessel, and an early executive at Amazon. He joined us at The Scaleup Offsite to talk about establishing and scaling a company’s culture. Key takeaways: Culture starts with what you do when nobody is looking. How a trip Disney World as a kid made Jason obsessed with companies and cultures that, at scale, stand above others. After he landed his first job at Disney, he came to observe the following cultural best practices: - Be explicit about what you want the culture of your company to be. - Walk the talk. Walt Disney would stop to pick up the smallest piece of litter at the theme park, which reinforced the message that attention to detail was super important. - Embrace mechanisms Invent or use good processes that can be repeated and delivered at scale. In Jason’s time at Amazon, the company had a “just do it” award, which served as mechanism for reinforcing great behaviors from employees. Everything from saving on electrical bills to pushing back on bureaucracy. When you think about your culture, think of it as a repellent as much as a magnet. You want some people to feel like it’s not for you. A challenge with great cultures is that you have to live up to them every day. You will be tested often, and you need to fight for things that are important to your value and principles. Recommended reading: Amazon’s Leadership Principles - https://www.amazon.jobs/principles This talk took place at The Scaleup Offsite, a private CEO gathering hosted by Y Combinator Continuity and Greylock Partners in April 2017.
Segments Timeline
Defining Culture: Actions Speak Louder
Jason Kilar introduces his perspective on company culture, emphasizing that culture is defined by how individuals act when no one is watching. He shares his experiences at Disney and Hulu, highlighting the importance of personal behavior in shaping a company's culture.
"so my name is Jason um uh I was asked to uh speak about culture and and and I'm going to do it through two lenses my observations about culture and then really importantly for for this day is uh my ob..."
A Childhood Revelation at Disney World
Kilar recounts a pivotal childhood trip to Disney World that sparked his fascination with exceptional company cultures. He contrasts the immersive experience of Disney with local amusement parks, illustrating how this experience motivated him to understand and replicate Disney's cultural success.
"and and I'll start with just a 15-second definition of what Webster uh considers culture this is the boring definition which is the pervasive values beliefs and attitudes that characterize a company u..."
The Three Pillars of Disney's Culture
Kilar outlines three key elements that define Disney's culture: explicit communication of values, leading by example, and the establishment of effective mechanisms. He emphasizes Walt Disney's commitment to detail and quality, which set a standard for the company's cultural practices.
"about 45 seconds of context I'm a Pittsburgh kid I was was born and raised in Pittsburgh I'm one of six kids um uh this is me when I was a kid um and uh and and one of the things that was big for all ..."
Mechanisms for Cultural Success
Kilar explains the concept of mechanisms in a company's culture, referring to repeatable processes that ensure values are upheld at scale. He highlights Disney University as a prime example of a mechanism that instills company values in employees, regardless of the company's size.
"me uh and for a kid who had only had the context of Kennywood park and the jack rabbit roller coaster to see this and to see the design and to see the force perspective and to see the narrative and th..."
Lessons from Amazon's Leadership Principles
Transitioning to his time at Amazon, Kilar discusses the explicit nature of Jeff Bezos's leadership principles. He reflects on how these principles were crafted to guide the company's culture and decision-making, emphasizing the importance of clear values in a rapidly growing organization.
"and his direct reports and so this was the comic strip where back then there was a movie called Honey I Shrunk the Kids and I basically used that as a narrative and I shrunk myself into the envelope a..."
The Importance of Mechanisms in Culture
Jason Kilar emphasizes the necessity of mechanisms—repeatable processes that ensure cultural values are upheld at scale. He uses Disney University as an example of a successful mechanism that teaches employees the core values of the company, illustrating how such structures are vital for maintaining culture as organizations grow.
"helping people understand What mechanisms are which is you know the way that I Define it is good processes that can be repeated and deliver for and at scale um because when you're as Sam and Reed were..."
Amazon's Leadership Principles
Kilar shares insights from his time at Amazon, highlighting the explicit nature of the company's 14 leadership principles crafted by Jeff Bezos. He discusses how these principles guide employee behavior and decision-making, stressing the importance of living up to these values daily as the company scales.
"um that that is and will remain I believe uh a very very important mechanism for culture for Disney um I thought I'd talk uh about um uh something that's probably a little bit more relevant to everybo..."
Scaling Culture Beyond Good Intentions
In this segment, Kilar discusses the challenges of scaling culture in large organizations like Amazon. He explains that good intentions alone are insufficient and that companies must develop mechanisms to ensure consistent adherence to their values across thousands of employees.
"writing and very economical writing um Jeff is an incredible writer um and he's very very good at uh you know kind of uh kind of communicating uh just enough but not too much and and I think those 14 ..."
The 'Just Do It' Award at Amazon
Kilar introduces the 'Just Do It' award, a unique mechanism at Amazon that celebrates employees who take initiative and embody the company's values. He shares anecdotes of award recipients, illustrating how this recognition fosters a culture of action and innovation within the organization.
"um and so I thought I would just share with you one uh that um was particularly effective for Amazon uh for for many many years which is the just do it award uh now this might sound a little silly uh ..."
Celebrating Action and Reducing Bureaucracy
In this segment, Kilar highlights the significance of celebrating actions that challenge bureaucracy within Amazon. He recounts stories of employees who took initiative to streamline processes, reinforcing the idea that mechanisms should also promote efficiency and reduce unnecessary red tape.
"give you one example of um uh you know kind of you know two examples of of the awards that were given out so one was given out to somebody in a fulfillment center I think it was in campbellville Kentu..."
Defining Hulu's Culture
Kilar reflects on his experience at Hulu, where he and his team explicitly defined the company's culture. He discusses the importance of creating a challenging cultural narrative that attracts the right talent while repelling those who do not align with Hulu's values, emphasizing the role of intentionality in cultural development.
"scaling culture um I want to mention Hulu uh as well um uh Lisa and I actually spent time at Hulu together um and uh and one of the first things that we did at Hulu um was to sit down and actually be ..."
Amazon's Leadership Principles
Kilar highlights Amazon's leadership principle of 'disagree and commit,' which encourages respectful challenges to decisions. He reflects on how this principle fosters a culture of healthy debate and conviction, essential for innovation and success.
"something I do want highlight about Amazon uh there's one other thing I want to mention before I get to to Q&A which is Amazon uh took a bit of a hit in the New York Times uh about a year ago maybe a ..."
Tenure and Culture at Amazon
Kilar shares insights on the long tenure of employees at Amazon, attributing it to a strong and special culture. He emphasizes that such a culture attracts and retains talent, contributing to the company's overall success.
"an incredibly special place my peers uh three of my peers who uh um uh are there today they are there 19 years 19 years and 20 years in terms of other direct reports of Jeff um that's the kind of plac..."
The Challenge of Upholding Culture
Kilar discusses the daily challenges of maintaining a strong company culture. He reflects on the tough decisions leaders must make to uphold values, even when it means letting go of high performers who do not align with the company's principles.
"sake of social cohesion once a decision is determined they commit wholly so I want to highlight one sentence which I think is very unpopular in Silicon Valley they do not compromise for the sake of so..."
Explicit Culture and Mechanisms
Kilar emphasizes the importance of being explicit about company culture and the need for mechanisms that support it. He shares advice on preparing for scaling a company and the significance of authentic mechanisms that resonate with the company's values.
"cultureal Enterprise which is you know taking those hard hard moments to say this is what we stand for and it might not be for 90% of the people out there but it is for the right T types of people tha..."
Preparing for Scaling Challenges
Kilar recounts advice from Michael Dell about anticipating challenges when scaling a company. He stresses the importance of preparing for obstacles and developing mechanisms that can support a growing organization.
"much and uh uh but it is a real Challenge and I wanted to be very very honest about it um so uh the takeaway for me in terms of my observations of culture and I hope they're helpful for you before we ..."
Empowering Decision-Making
Kilar discusses the balance between empowering employees and stepping in when necessary, referencing Amazon's principle that great leaders are often right. He reflects on his experience at Amazon, where effective hiring led to fewer instances of needing to overturn decisions, highlighting the importance of trust in leadership.
"you very much and I think we have a couple of minutes for for some questions if there are any yes U when it comes to disagree and commit it's something probably I personally kind of struggle with with..."
Lessons from Disney and Amazon
In this segment, Kilar contrasts the cultural values he adopted from Disney and Amazon while leading Hulu. He emphasizes the importance of creating a unique culture for Hulu that reflects its mission, rather than simply replicating Amazon's values, and discusses the aesthetic focus that distinguishes Hulu's design.
"or quite frankly I think Jee would say the same about how often you know he would come in and completely eviscerate you know kind of a lot of work that a team had done uh on certain things um now when..."
Cultural Experimentation
Kilar addresses the need for experimentation in developing company culture. He shares insights on mechanisms that can either enhance or hinder organizational effectiveness, advocating for a thoughtful approach to maintaining successful practices while being flexible enough to discard those that do not work.
"short answer to your question is that I don't think it should happen a lot and if it's happening a lot I would ask if you've got the right person in the role if there's a certain person you're constan..."
Values and Principles in Culture
In this concluding segment, Kilar emphasizes the significance of establishing strong values and principles as the foundation of a company's culture. He notes that these values reflect the leadership and collective ethos of the team, and stresses the importance of continuous refinement rather than drastic changes.
"longer than than is allowed given the time but uh but I very much was careful not to do a cut and paste because I thought that given the mission of Hulu it really deserved its own culture and and diff..."