Transformational Leadership

Is a leadership style that inspires and motivates team members to achieve their highest potential and drives organizational change. Transformational leaders focus on creating a vision for the future, encouraging innovation, fostering an environment of trust and collaboration, and developing and empowering their team members. This leadership style is crucial for driving continuous improvement and achieving high performance in global digital consultancy companies.

How to Be a Transformational Leader in a Global Digital Consultancy Company

To be a transformational leader in a global digital consultancy company, one should adopt practices that inspire, motivate, and develop team members. Here are strategies to become a transformational leader, with examples tailored to the global digital consulting context:

Articulate a Clear Vision

Develop and communicate a clear, compelling vision for the team’s and the organization’s future. Ensure that everyone understands how their work contributes to this vision.

Example: Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, articulated a vision of transforming Microsoft into a cloud-first, mobile-first company. This vision aligned the entire organization and drove significant innovation and growth.

Motivate and Inspire

Set high expectations and show enthusiasm and commitment to the vision. Recognize and celebrate achievements to keep the team motivated.

Example: Jeff Bezos of Amazon inspires his team with the vision of being “Earth’s most customer-centric company.” His emphasis on customer obsession motivates employees to innovate and deliver exceptional service.

Encourage Innovation and Creativity

Foster a culture where team members are encouraged to challenge the status quo, experiment, and take risks. Provide opportunities for learning and innovation.

Example: At Google, the “20% time” policy allows employees to spend 20% of their time on projects they are passionate about, leading to innovative products like Gmail and Google Maps.

Provide Individualized Support and Development

Offer personalized mentoring and support to team members. Help them develop their skills and achieve their career goals through regular feedback and development opportunities.

Example: Microsoft promotes a growth mindset culture, encouraging employees to view challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. This includes personalized development plans and regular coaching sessions.

Build Trust and Foster Collaboration

Create an environment of trust, openness, and collaboration. Encourage team members to share ideas and work together to solve problems.

Example: Netflix’s culture is built on trust, with minimal rules and processes. Employees are encouraged to share their ideas and collaborate across teams to drive innovation and improve products. This open environment has led to the development of groundbreaking technologies and services.

Conclusion

Transformational leadership is essential for driving continuous improvement and achieving high performance in global digital consultancy companies. By articulating a clear vision, motivating and inspiring the team, encouraging innovation, providing individualized support, and fostering a collaborative environment, transformational leaders can significantly enhance the effectiveness and satisfaction of their teams. These strategies not only drive better business outcomes but also create a positive and dynamic workplace culture that attracts and retains top talent.

How do you assess your company? 

• Leaders provide regular feedback and opportunities for growth.​
• Leaders effectively communicate goals, expectations, and changes to the team.​
• Leadership trusts the team and supports team experimentation to realize the vision.​
• Leadership is transparent about organizational strategies and decisions.​
• Leaders empower team members to make decisions and take ownership of their work.​
• Leaders inspire and motivate team members to achieve their best.​
• Leaders encourage continuous improvement and learning within the team.​
• Leaders hold themselves and their teams accountable for outcomes.​
• Leaders create a safe environment where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities.

  Cultural Capabilities Series

• Cultivating a Performance Oriented Culture
• How to Create a Continuous Learning Culture?
• Effective Team Collaboration: Strategies for High Performance and Success
• How Job Satisfaction Boosts Employee Engagement?

References

• Forsgren, N., Humble, J., & Kim, G. (2018). Accelerate: The Science of Lean Software and DevOps: Building and Scaling High Performing Technology Organizations. IT Revolution Press. 
• “Satya Nadella’s Vision for Microsoft.” Microsoft News Center. 
• “Amazon’s Leadership Principles.” Amazon Day One Blog. 
• “20% Time at Google.” Google Careers Blog. 
• “Satya Nadella’s Growth Mindset at Microsoft” – Fast Company 
• “Freedom and Responsibility at Netflix” – Netflix Culture Deck

MORE ON GROWTH FOR EVERYONE 

Perficient continually looks for ways to champion and challenge our workforce, encourage personal and professional growth, and celebrate the unique culture created by the ambitious, brilliant, people-oriented team we have cultivated. These are their stories. 

Learn more about what it’s like to work at Perficient on our Careers page. Connect with us on LinkedIn here. 

Meet Samantha Ziegel, Solutions Architect, Salesforce 

With Perficient’s Growth for Everyone initiative, we’re enabling colleague career development while celebrating the individual and collective success of our people. As a strong leader in the Salesforce Business Unit (BU) Samantha Ziegel is paving the way for exponential growth in Perficient’s Salesforce Data Cloud and Einstein AI offerings in her role as a solutions architect. 

She embraces the study and adoption of AI tools within the Salesforce ecosystem, while also serving as a platform lead for Perficient’s Salesforce data cloud and Einstein AI solution sets. Samantha is an active member of Perficient’s Women in Technology Employee Resource Group (ERG) and Generative AI Lab, an advocate for working moms, and a collaborative team player who drives positive change throughout Perficient and beyond.

Most recently, she was honored as a CEO Selection award winner for the 2024 Excellence Awards – Perficient’s most prestigious awards recognizing distinguished colleagues who make a difference and embrace our core values. 

Continue reading to learn more about Samantha’s unique career path, her thought leadership in the Salesforce BU and Generative AI space, and how she is paving the way for future women leaders in technology. 

Samantha’s Career Journey: A Passion for Healthcare and Technology  

As a solutions architect, Samantha plays a pivotal role in bridging the gap between business needs and technical solutions. She wears many hats with her experience spanning industries and technologies. While her career journey is anything but traditional, Samantha’s unique blend of professional expertise provides the versatility and insight to effectively propel her career forward.  

Samantha began her journey in healthcare when she worked in patient care across hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, and long-term care facilities. “I have not had a straight-line career path by any means,” said Samantha. “I was exploring going into nursing, but I switched because I wanted to focus more on the business side of healthcare once I discovered that was a really exciting and challenging space to be in.” 

Driven by a strong desire to make a broad impact, Samantha pursued an undergraduate degree in public health. This enabled her to understand the intersection of healthcare, business processes, communication, and policy, gaining valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by communities and healthcare organizations.  

Transitioning From Healthcare Operations to IT Consulting  

After working in healthcare operations, sales, and marketing for several years, in 2012, Samantha made the leap to technology. With the prevalence of technology, the ever-changing landscape intrigued her. She saw it as an opportunity to consistently challenge herself by learning new concepts. 

Recognizing the growing importance of technology, she attended Emory University in 2019 and graduated with a master’s degree in informatics. Her continued educational growth better equipped her with the technical and business process skills necessary to be the epitome “translator” between business and technology.  

With a decade of experience in healthcare IT, Samantha’s deep understanding of the clinical and business aspects of healthcare, combined with her technical expertise, makes her an asset in the IT consulting industry. 

Building Future Leaders Through Women in Technology 

Samantha’s drive to build relationships and discover more about technology led her to join Women in Technology (WiT), a large organization in Atlanta, Georgia with great support programs for networking with like-minded professionals.

She challenged herself to understand three key questions:  

• What does it take to be successful?
• What does success look like?
• What are the different options for career pathing?

“I started volunteering with Women in Technology to help build programs for grade school, high school, and college students, specifically for young women considering getting into STEM,” said Samantha. “I helped lead some efforts there, including hosting and planning events and sitting on panels. Through that process, I started developing a network of women in tech, and I saw women in leadership roles that were not always previously visible.” 

In 2019, in relocating from Georgia to Illinois, Samantha joined Perficient as a Senior Business Consultant working remotely for Adobe out of the Ohio BU. She began volunteering with Perficient’s Women in Technology ERG and saw a unique space to contribute to a topic that she is passionate about, supporting working moms.  

“There are different needs at every stage of parenthood, whether it’s physical or emotional support or career advice.” said Samantha. “You’re going to need to be present as a working parent in different ways, and it’s nice to have leaders who can empathize with the unknown and trust that you understand what’s expected of you at work. Sometimes that is not clear at every organization, but at Perficient, it’s very clear.” 

READ MORE: Hear More from Samantha by Checking Out Her Recent Perficient Blogs  

Exploring Life at Perficient and the Salesforce BU  

Through her involvement in Perficient’s Women in Technology ERG, and desire to continue learning, Samantha made connections and started exploring additional opportunities at Perficient. After working on a Salesforce project, she saw an opportunity to grow and made the transition from the Ohio BU working with the Adobe platform to the Salesforce BU in January 2022. 

“Over the course of a few months, I was able to transition to the Salesforce BU just before welcoming our second child,” said Samantha. “I chose to move to the Salesforce BU primarily because of the leaders and the team members. I’ve always been interested in learning the Salesforce technology. My varied background in working with different technical stacks, I was confident in transitioning to learn a new platform and talk with our developers about realistic solutions.” 

She was promoted from Senior Business Consultant to Lead Business Consultant in 2023. Soon, she also raised her hand to spearhead the development of go-to-market materials for the sales and delivery teams supporting and selling Salesforce products, specifically Data Cloud and Einstein AI. As a Platform Lead for Perficient’s Data Cloud and Einstein AI team, Samantha collaborates closely with teams across the company to develop effective go-to-market sales materials and ensure that Perficient is consistently utilizing best practices for Salesforce’s innovative data and AI products.  

In April 2024, she formally transitioned into her current role as a Solutions Architect (SA), where she guides clients through designing and implementing tailored technology solutions that align with their specific business needs. As an SA, she translates business requirements to technical speak, and then into terms that resonate with a broader audience. Whether it is an end user, a product owner on the client side, or an executive stakeholder, Samantha ensures that all business goals and organizational requirements are met. 

“What keeps me at Perficient is the people and the leadership,” said Samantha. “Specifically in our Salesforce practice, we have many female leaders who are visible, which is outstanding. Many of our leaders are working parents, enabling me to feel fully supported as a working mom. I have the autonomy to get my work done while balancing work and life accordingly.” 

Read More: Discover The Latest News from Our Salesforce Business Unit 

Taking Charge: Innovation in AI and Cyber Security  

With a keen interest in AI dating back to her master’s program at Emory University, Samantha has been at the forefront of AI innovation since the emergence of generative AI tools. “When ChatGPT opened up Generative AI to the masses in 2022, it really caught my attention,” said Samantha. “I am what you would call an insatiable learner. I always find myself diving into the next big technology by really understanding, “How do these cogwheels work, and how was this machine built? How are we going to implement it?”’ 

Her interest in AI has led her to join Perficient’s Generative AI Innovation Group, where she collaborated with other team members to understand more about AI and Perficient’s strategic position on this technology. Samantha plays a crucial role in spearheading and writing our corporate AI policy, developing new processes, and supporting the Generative AI Innovation Lab.  

Additionally, she serves as an AI Steering Committee Representative, ensuring that all AI projects align with Perficient’s standards and ethical guidelines. “I feel like Perficient is positioning the company really well to play responsibly with an innovative approach in the AI space,” said Samantha. “We’re starting to put these guardrails, policies, and workflows into play, and I’m excited to be a part of it.” 

Samantha’s Career Advice  

Check out Samantha’s advice on growing your career, being a working mom, and taking the initiative.  

It takes a village. Whether it’s AI, being a parent, or being a working parent, you shouldn’t have to do it alone. There’s no way you’re going to know everything, and you need to surround yourself with people who support and believe in you.  

Raise your hand early and often. When you do this and an opportunity comes up, your name is already on the roster. Don’t wait for somebody to take your hand and move you to the next level or give you the next cool thing to work on. You need to say clearly and consistently what it is you want to do, and why, to the right people and not just one time. 

Break down societal norms and change your mentality. Traditionally, women often have to prove themselves more than men. There’s still a bit of this mentality where women feel that they must prove themselves before asking for or expecting something. It’s partially in your own head. You’ve told yourself you have to prove yourself, or society has set these norms. But now is the time that these stereotypes and self-limiting beliefs are starting to break down, and we can start to change our mindset. This can apply both at home and at work. Feeling like your duties as a working mom are unbalanced with your partner’s? Let’s start breaking down those norms together, making way for a more balanced future for our children.  

Setting An Example for Aspiring Technologists  

Samantha’s career journey is a testament to her exceptional technical skills, unwavering passion for technology, and her commitment to driving innovation around the world. Her leadership and dedication to using new technology to solve real-world problems make her an incredible asset to Perficient, valuable and trusted team player for her colleagues, and role model for aspiring technologists globally.  

Samantha’s expertise and passion for innovation continues to shine, and her contributions will enable Perficient to forge the future ahead as a reliable digital partner. Her dedication to using strategy to streamline our processes makes a difference and serves as an inspiration to leaders around the world.  

MORE ON GROWTH FOR EVERYONE  

Perficient continually looks for ways to champion and challenge our workforce, encourage personal and professional growth, and celebrate the unique culture created by the ambitious, brilliant, people-oriented team we have cultivated. These are their stories.  

Learn more about what it’s like to work at Perficient on our Careers page. Connect with us on LinkedIn here.

September marked Hunger Action Month (HAM), a time to raise awareness and take action to end hunger. At Perficient India, we took this opportunity to contribute to a cause close to our hearts. The Bangalore team came together in an initiative driven by our Employee Resource Group (ERG), collecting and donating an incredible 1,289.7 pounds of groceries to Ashirwad Sevashram, a home for children in need.

Selfless acts by colleagues

Our efforts were not just about delivering resources but about making a meaningful connection with the children. As we handed over the groceries and snacks, their smiles lit up the room. These children, so full of joy and gratitude, expressed their thanks to us and the higher powers they believe in.  They offered prayers, before enjoying their snacks.

Perficient colleagues united with great enthusiasm to load the vehicle with the collected groceries, ensuring every item was carefully handled and accounted for. They went beyond just collecting—offering their helping hands to organize and track all the donations, ensuring everything reached its intended destination. Their commitment to seeing the entire process through, from collection to delivery, showcased the dedication and teamwork that Perficient stands for.

Moments of joy

The day was filled with moments of pure joy. After having their snacks, the kids took out a speaker and played their favourite songs. In no time, we found ourselves dancing alongside them matching their energy and enthusiasm. The air was filled with laughter and happiness. These bright young souls even took time to share their stories with us, and we, in turn, listened, encouraged, and celebrated their dreams.

It was a day to remember—a day that showed us the true spirit of giving. Being able to share these moments with the children of Ashirwad Sevashram made us all proud to be part of Perficient. We realized that the fight against food insecurity does not just end in September. No matter the time of year, any donation, volunteer effort, and act of kindness can impact lives.

We didn’t just leave behind groceries that day, we left behind smiles and memories that will stay with us for a long time. Perficient’s commitment to community and impactful actions is a reminder of how we, together, can make a difference. We are proud to stand by this mission, knowing that with every small step, we are helping build a brighter future.

Meet Andrea Milano, Principal of Perficient’s Data and Analytics Business Unit

Andrea Milano is a dynamic leader in the Data and Analytics practice at Perficient who drives growth and opens doors for the company, her colleagues, and her own career. In her role as Principal, Andrea oversees project delivery, mentors and manages colleagues, and works with a diverse, cross-industry selection of clients. Andrea is a problem-solver who fosters a vision and culture that people want to follow by being a role model for excellence and displaying a positive can-do attitude.

Andrea is someone who colleagues and clients know they can rely on. She rises to the occasion when navigating challenging projects by uplifting her team members every step of the way while instilling confidence and trust. Andrea has been with Perficient for over 10 years and has developed her role’s responsibilities. She holds weekly office hours, facilitates a delivery leadership working group and community conversations, and provides executive leadership for Perficient’s Generative AI Innovation Lab.

Read More:  Spotlighting Dynamic Women Leaders Driving Change: Andrea Milano 

Andrea’s Career Journey

Andrea has spent 35 years in IT consulting. She started her career as a technical consultant working with document management and document driven workflow systems. She went on to lead the document management practice and was then promoted to Vice President of Delivery for Financial Services.  

Andrea later moved to a different company where she managed projects and helped create a product group that developed software to sell services. That company was acquired by Perficient in 2013. 

At Perficient, Andrea first served as a Director, managing large client engagements and helping to build the Data Solutions team. She was promoted to Principal in 2022 and is currently the leader for delivery of Perficient’s Data and Analytics practice.  

“I have evolved at Perficient and worked on a wide variety of things. Over the years, I have shared my delivery excellence and delivery management expertise with industry leaders. This enabled me to lead several notable engagements. I learned all about data and expanded my knowledge to be a full stack data practitioner. I’ve continued to take on increasing responsibility and bring new ideas to the table to help our team grow.” 

Andrea doesn’t shy away from a challenge. She is willing to raise her hand, brainstorm ideas and solutions, and then take action accordingly. 

“I sometimes tell people my job is filling holes, jumping on bombs, and occasionally being a traffic cop to point people where they need to go. When I see growth opportunities, I jump in. If it’s something that I can add value to our team and I can help make it successful, I’m willing to do it and offer my services.” 

She thinks of herself as an operationalist because of her ability to turn strategy into practice. Because of her adaptability and willingness to dive in, she is a key player in several major pursuits and project deliveries. 

“I’m a problem solver, and I have an open-door policy where people can come to me to brainstorm solutions. I hold weekly office hours to provide a forum for people to pose questions or discuss topics with no agenda. I also try to make a difference by educating our leaders and future leaders through the delivery leadership working group and community conversations. These sessions cover a wide range of topics from people management, to building relationships with clients, and more technical topics as well.” 

Andrea’s career journey highlights the values of hard work, commitment to her colleagues and clients, and innovative thinking. 

“I think more in terms of continuous improvement than milestones. The great successes I’ve been a part of aren’t about one moment. They’re more about working hard over time, and then great things happen.”

Andrea’s Career Advice 

Check out Andrea’s top four pieces of career advice. 

1. It’s important to be a rock star on your projects and deliver strongly for your clients. Focus on self-improvement and continue to learn new things and grow your skillset. For example, get certifications, participate in training, create a career plan, and accept an assignment that causes you to go outside your comfort zone. By continuing to improve yourself, you will grow in your career.

2. Do things to make your company better. This could be leading a session to educate others in an area you are passionate and knowledgeable about. You can support colleagues in other ways such as writing blog posts, developing best practices, contributing to proposal efforts, conducting interviews for potential new hires, or signing up to be a mentor. 

3. Engage. If you are heads down working on a project, your view of the company may not go beyond your project team and client. Make sure to stay connected to your company and find ways to engage outside your project team. I recommend participating in various special interest groups, going to a group happy hour or similar social activity, introducing yourself to new hires, and asking your manager to introduce you to people outside your team with similar skills to you. 

4. Keep up with administrative tasks. Make sure to consistently submit timesheets, complete mandatory training, and handle performance review items. You don’t want to be the person that needs to be chased down to get things completed.  

Key Takeaways 

Andrea has helped drive global growth for the Data and Analytics practice at Perficient through her leadership. 

“I’ve tried to grow into a leader who people want to work with and who people see as providing value. I believe in being a leader, not a manager. This means that in addition to managing, you also need to display true leadership, such as creating a vision and culture that people want to follow.” 

Andrea’s commitment to her fellow colleagues shines through in her work. She is dedicated to making a difference and uplifting the people around her, both in her professional and personal life. Andrea is married and has a 17-year-old son. She prioritizes and treasures spending time with her family. 

“Professionally, I’ve worked on many projects that I’m really proud of. On a personal level, my greatest achievements revolve around the success of my son. It’s incredibly fulfilling to watch him grow up, learn to drive, do well on his AP tests, volunteer with special needs groups, and start looking at colleges. Raising such an amazing young man is certainly my greatest personal accomplishment.” 

MORE ON GROWTH FOR EVERYONE  

Perficient continually looks for ways to champion and challenge our workforce, encourage personal and professional growth, and celebrate the unique culture created by the ambitious, brilliant, people-oriented team we have cultivated.   These are their stories.  

Learn more about what it’s like to work at Perficient on our   Careers page. Connect with us on   LinkedIn here.

Job Satisfaction

Job satisfaction refers to how content and fulfilled employees feel about their jobs. It is a critical factor in driving high performance, innovation, and retention within a software development organization. When employees are satisfied with their jobs, they are more motivated, engaged, and productive. Job satisfaction encompasses various aspects, including the nature of the work, work environment, relationships with colleagues, compensation, opportunities for growth, and recognition. 

Promoting Job Satisfaction in a Software Development Company 

To promote job satisfaction, organizations should implement strategies that address these key factors. Here are some effective strategies, along with real-life examples from software development companies: 

Providing Meaningful Work 

Assign projects that align with employees’ skills and interests, and clearly communicate how their work contributes to the company’s mission. 

Example: LinkedIn’s “InDay” is a monthly event where employees are encouraged to step away from their regular work to pursue personal interests, professional development, and community service. 

Encouraging Autonomy 

Give teams the autonomy to make decisions about their work, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility. 

Example: Google’s Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) teams have the autonomy to make decisions and are encouraged to innovate. They use metrics and monitoring to continuously improve system reliability. 

Recognizing and Rewarding Contributions 

Implement recognition programs to acknowledge and reward employees’ achievements and contributions. 

Example: Zappos has a monthly recognition program where employees are acknowledged for their contributions in various categories, such as exceptional customer service, innovation, and teamwork. The winners are celebrated in a company-wide meeting, and they receive tangible rewards. 

Supporting Professional Growth 

Offer continuous learning opportunities through training, workshops, conferences, and mentorship programs. 

Example: Spotify promotes a culture of “Fail Fast, Learn Faster,” where failing is part of the learning process. Teams are encouraged to take risks, fail quickly, and learn from their experiences to continuously improve. 

Promoting Work-Life Balance 

Provide flexible working hours, remote work options, and support for personal commitments to help employees balance their work and personal lives. 

Example: Microsoft offers flexible work schedules and remote work opportunities, recognizing the importance of work-life balance. This flexibility helps employees manage their personal and professional lives more effectively, leading to higher job satisfaction. 

Creating a Positive Work Environment 

Foster a supportive, inclusive, and collaborative work culture where employees feel valued and respected. 

Example: Atlassian promotes a culture of openness and inclusivity, encouraging employees to bring their whole selves to work. Regular team-building activities and an emphasis on diversity and inclusion contribute to a positive work environment and high job satisfaction. 

Conclusion 

Job satisfaction is a crucial element in driving high performance and retaining top talent in a software development company. By providing meaningful work, encouraging autonomy, recognizing, and rewarding contributions, supporting professional growth, promoting work-life balance, and creating a positive work environment, organizations can significantly enhance job satisfaction. These strategies not only improve employee morale and engagement but also lead to better business outcomes and a more successful organization.

How do you assess your company? 

• Work assigned takes advantage of the employee’s skill set. ​
• The right tools are available to do the work required.​
• The acquisition of tools needed is supported.​
• All team members feel welcome and valued.​
• Works loads are consistent and continuous.​
• Teams have spontaneous discussions and members are eager to contribute.​
• When issues are raised they are seen as opportunities to solve problems.​
• Employees identify with the organization and have a sense of contribution.​
• Diverse backgrounds are encouraged to collaborate.

  Cultural Capabilities Series

• Cultivating a Performance Oriented Culture
• How to Create a Continuous Learning Culture?
• Effective Team Collaboration: Strategies for High Performance and Success
• Unlock the Power of Transformational Leadership

References: 

• Forsgren, N., Humble, J., & Kim, G. (2018). Accelerate: The Science of Lean Software and DevOps: Building and Scaling High Performing Technology Organizations. IT Revolution Press. 

• “LinkedIn’s InDay: Creating a Culture of Engagement” – LinkedIn Talent Blog. 

• “Site Reliability Engineering” – Google Engineering Blog 

• “Zappos’ Employee Recognition Programs” – Zappos Insights 

• “Learning at Spotify: Failing Fast and Learning Faster” – Spotify Engineering Blog 

• “Microsoft’s Flexible Work Policies.” Microsoft Careers Blog. 

• “Culture at Atlassian.” Atlassian Blog. 

MORE ON GROWTH FOR EVERYONE 

Perficient continually looks for ways to champion and challenge our workforce, encourage personal and professional growth, and celebrate the unique culture created by the ambitious, brilliant, people-oriented team we have cultivated. These are their stories. 

Learn more about what it’s like to work at Perficient on our Careers page. Connect with us on LinkedIn here. 

Collaboration Among Teams 

Collaboration among teams involves creating an environment where individuals and teams work together effectively to achieve common goals. Effective collaboration is critical for high performance, innovation, and delivering value to customers. Collaboration is characterized by open communication, shared responsibilities, mutual respect, and a collective commitment to success. It ensures that knowledge and expertise are distributed and utilized efficiently, leading to better decision-making and faster problem-solving. 

Facilitating Collaboration and Avoiding Silos 

To promote a culture of collaboration and avoid the formation of silos, organizations should implement strategies that encourage teamwork, transparency, and shared ownership. Here are several ways to foster collaboration, along with real-life examples from software development companies: 

Regular Communication and Meetings 

Establish regular meetings, such as daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives, to facilitate communication and alignment. 

Example: Scrum teams at Microsoft hold daily stand-ups to discuss progress, blockers, and plans, ensuring everyone is on the same page and can address issues promptly. 

Collaborative Tools 

Use collaborative tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, and Confluence to enhance communication, project management, and knowledge sharing. 

Example: GitHub uses its own platform for collaborative coding, allowing multiple developers to work on the same codebase, review each other’s work, and merge changes seamlessly. 

Shared Goals and Objectives 

Align team goals with organizational objectives and ensure everyone understands how their work contributes to the overall mission. 

Example: Amazon’s “Leadership Principles” guide teams to work backward from the customer, ensuring that everyone is focused on delivering value and achieving shared goals. 

Shared Documentation and Standards 

Develop shared documentation and coding standards to ensure consistency and clarity across teams. This helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures that everyone is working towards the same standards. 

Example: Google maintains comprehensive documentation and style guides for its development practices, ensuring that all teams follow the same guidelines and standards. 

Rotational Programs 

Implement rotational programs where employees can work in different teams or departments for a period. This helps them understand different aspects of the company and fosters better collaboration. 

Example: IBM’s rotational program allows employees to work in various departments, gaining a broad understanding of the organization and building relationships across teams. 

Celebrating Successes Together 

Celebrate team successes and milestones together to build a sense of community and shared purpose. 

Example: At Atlassian, team successes are celebrated through regular “All-Hands” meetings where achievements are recognized, fostering a sense of unity and shared accomplishment. 

Conclusion 

Effective collaboration among teams is essential for achieving high performance, innovation, and delivering value in software development. By implementing strategies such as forming cross-functional teams, using collaborative tools, aligning goals, developing shared documentation and standards, organizing rotational programs, and celebrating successes together, organizations can foster a collaborative environment and avoid the pitfalls of siloed work. These practices not only enhance teamwork and communication but also drive continuous improvement and innovation, leading to better outcomes for the organization and its customers. 

How do you assess your company? 

• Teams build and support knowledge transfer processes.​
• Teams create good documentation.​
• Leadership supports assistance across teams.​
• Teams exhibit trust in other teams.​
• Resources are encouraged to move between departments.​
• Successes are shared and celebrated at the organizational level.​
• There is actively and continuously rewarding work that facilitates collaboration.

  Cultural Capabilities Series

• Cultivating a Performance Oriented Culture
• How to Create a Continuous Learning Culture?
• How Job Satisfaction Boosts Employee Engagement?
• Unlock the Power of Transformational Leadership

References: 

• Forsgren, N., Humble, J., & Kim, G. (2018). Accelerate: The Science of Lean Software and DevOps: Building and Scaling High Performing Technology Organizations. IT Revolution Press. 

• How Microsoft Uses Scrum to Improve Team Collaboration” – Microsoft Agile Blog 

• “Amazon’s Leadership Principles.” Amazon Day One Blog. 

• “Google Engineering Documentation.” Google Engineering Blog. 

• “IBM Rotational Programs.” IBM Careers Blog. 

• “All-Hands Meetings at Atlassian.” Atlassian Blog. 

MORE ON GROWTH FOR EVERYONE 

Perficient continually looks for ways to champion and challenge our workforce, encourage personal and professional growth, and celebrate the unique culture created by the ambitious, brilliant, people-oriented team we have cultivated. These are their stories. 

Learn more about what it’s like to work at Perficient on our Careers page. Connect with us on LinkedIn here. 

Perficient’s Giving Employee Resource Group (ERG) recently introduced the Perficient Gives Global Grants Program, which gives colleagues the opportunity to nominate charitable organizations from around the world to receive a $5,000 donation from Perficient. After carefully evaluating each nomination, Perficient’s Giving ERG leadership team selected the first five organizations to receive a donation. Last month, we announced Charity: Water as the first organization to receive a Perficient Global Grant. 

Today, we’re thrilled to announce the next two organizations receiving a $5,000 donation from Perficient: the Jessie Rees Foundation, nominated by Tara Vondran, Senior Project Manager, Southern California, and the Foundation for Excellence, nominated by Rajesh Ranga Rao, Technical Architect, Chennai. 

Spreading Joy to Children Fighting Cancer with the Jessie Rees Foundation  

The Jessie Rees Foundation believes that every child fighting cancer deserves joy, the opportunity to smile, and the encouragement to Never Ever Give Up (NEGU).

Founded by Jessie Rees, a 12-year-old girl who courageously fought cancer, Jessie’s family continues her mission to share hope by sending motivational and cheerful gifts, including JoyJars, to kids battling cancer. 

Watch the video to understand Jessie’s journey, and what inspired her drive to help other kids continue fighting. 

Tara nominated the Jessie Rees Foundation because the organization and its mission are particularly impactful to her family. In 2019, Tara’s niece received a diagnosis of Leukemia. While the road to recovery was challenging, Jessie’s story was influential in inspiring her to never give up. Tara’s niece is now in remission, and Tara hopes to continue spreading joy to children in the hospital for many years. 

Tara first learned about the Jessie Rees Foundation nine years ago and has volunteered her time by stuffing JoyJars with toys, cards, beanies, and socks. She has even coordinated a volunteer event where Perficient colleagues created “Care Cards” full of hope and words of affirmation to help spread a touch of happiness to those who need it most.

“There’s so much that a kid goes through with cancer, and the Jessie Rees Foundation makes a difference,” said Tara. “Knowing the kids have a support system means the world, and receiving toys and care cards inspire them to never give up and continue the fight.” 

Each year, more than 400,000 children receive a cancer diagnosis. As of January 2024, the organization has sent more than 475,000 JoyJars to kids fighting cancer all over the world. Thanks to Tara’s nomination, Perficient’s donation will empower children with cancer to be courageous and understand that they are not alone.  

Learn More: Discover How You Can Get Involved with the Jessie Rees Foundation  

Advancing STEM Education in Partnership with the Foundation for Excellence 

The Foundation for Excellence was founded with the mission to award college scholarships to low-income students pursuing education in engineering, medical, biopharmaceutical, and law programs in India. Through country-wide programming efforts, the Foundation for Excellence identifies people without necessary educational funding and provides them with resources to continue learning.  

The non-profit also offers all engineering scholars a curated training program for soft and technical skills, as well as an in-house mentorship program for professionals to connect with and guide first-generation learners as they embark on their professional journey. 

Read More: Learn About the Foundation for Excellence 

Education is a cornerstone of India’s society. Unfortunately, not everyone has access to the resources or financial support needed to achieve higher education. Through Rajesh’s nomination, we’re helping connect students with the tools they need to be successful.

“The Foundation for Excellence plays a pivotal role in offering scholarships to college students requiring financial assistance, thereby creating a difference by transforming the lives of students to pursue and achieve their dreams,” said Rajesh.

Rajesh has been involved with the Foundation for Excellence since 1998 when he received a scholarship from the organization to assist with his continued education and career growth. As someone who has personally benefitted from the work the Foundation for Excellence provides, Rajesh understands the importance of the organization’s mission on a deeper level. Inspired by that mission, Rajesh continues to pay it forward by making his own donations to the Foundation for Excellence to help others who aspire to further their professional skillset.  

For 29 years, the Foundation for Excellence has awarded more than 95,000 scholarships to students living in impoverished regions of India. Since 2022, the organization has supported more than 13,579 students pursuing education, with 4,851 people being first-time scholars. Thanks to Rajesh’s recommendation, Perficient and the Giving ERG will continue to help enable and advance STEM education across India. 

Read More: Get Involved with the Foundation for Excellence  

Perficient and Our Colleagues Are Making a Difference  

Our colleagues at Perficient are incredibly kind, generous, and have a passion for volunteerism. The Perficient Gives Global Grants Program is a shining example of Perficient’s corporate social responsibility, community engagement, and commitment to fostering a collaborative workplace centered around giving back.  

Stay tuned next month for another announcement sharing the final two organizations that will each receive a $5,000 Perficient Global Grant. This September, Perficient colleagues will have another opportunity to nominate charities that are meaningful to them for a Perficient Global Grant. Together, Perficient and our colleagues are making a difference and empowering all people to be the change they wish to see in the world.  

Supporting Learning 

Supporting learning in a software development company means creating an environment where continuous learning and improvement are integral to the culture. This involves fostering an atmosphere where team members are encouraged to develop new skills, share knowledge, and learn from both successes and failures. A focus on learning leads to higher performance, innovation, and resilience within teams and the organization. 

To promote a continuous learning approach, organizations should implement practices and create a culture that encourages and facilitates learning at all levels. 

Achieving a continuous learning approach 

Here are several strategies and real-life examples of how to achieve this: 

Knowledge Sharing Platforms 

Implement platforms and tools that facilitate knowledge sharing among team members. This can include internal wikis, documentation, and collaborative tools. 

Example: Spotify uses a combination of internal blogs, wikis, and Slack channels to share knowledge and best practices across teams. This helps keep everyone informed and up to date on the latest developments and innovations. 

Regular Training, Workshops, Learning Sessions and Talks

Provide regular training, workshops, learning sessions, and talks. Give access to online courses to help employees develop new skills and stay current with industry trends. 

Example: Google offers its employees access to a wide range of courses through its internal learning platform, Grow. Employees are encouraged to spend a portion of their workweek on learning and development activities. 

Pair Programming and Code Reviews 

Encourage pair programming and regular code reviews to facilitate knowledge transfer and improve code quality. 

Example: At Pivotal Labs, pair programming is standard practice. Developers work in pairs, rotating regularly, which helps spread knowledge across the team and improves the overall quality of the codebase. 

Hackathons and Innovation Days 

Organize hackathons and innovation days where employees can work on projects of their choice. This encourages creativity and allows team members to explore new technologies and ideas. 

Example: Atlassian hosts ShipIt Days, 24-hour hackathons where employees can work on any project, they are passionate about. This has led to numerous innovations and improvements in their products. 

Mentorship Programs 

Establish mentorship programs to help junior developers learn from more experienced colleagues. This can accelerate learning and foster a supportive culture. 

Example: LinkedIn’s mentorship program pairs junior engineers with senior engineers to provide guidance and support. This helps new hires ramp up quickly and integrate into the company culture. 

Encourage Experimentation

Create an environment where experimentation is encouraged, and failures are viewed as learning opportunities. Allow teams to take calculated risks and learn from the outcomes. 

Example: Amazon’s “two-way door” decision-making process encourages teams to experiment with new ideas, knowing that most decisions can be reversed if they do not work out. This fosters a culture of innovation and learning. 

Continuous Feedback Loops 

Implement continuous feedback loops through regular one-on-one meetings, retrospectives, and performance reviews. Use the feedback to identify areas for improvement and opportunities for growth. 

Example: Microsoft uses regular check-ins and retrospectives to provide feedback and discuss development goals. This helps employees stay on track and continually improve their skills and performance. 

Conclusion 

Supporting learning in a software development company is crucial for fostering a high-performance culture that is resilient, innovative, and continuously improving. Organizations can create an environment where continuous learning is deeply ingrained in the culture by implementing practices such as knowledge-sharing platforms, regular training, pair programming, hackathons, mentorship programs, encouraging experimentation, and continuous feedback loops. This not only enhances the skills and capabilities of individual team members but also drives the overall success and competitiveness of the organization. 

How do You Assess your Company or Project? 

• Learning is invisible or non-existent.​
• Learning is a cost. Time for learning is considered unproductive and interferes with real work.​
• Learning is budgeted and visible, is considered a perk or is reserved for select resources. Resources have limited ability to choose topics.​
• Learning from customers and actual usage of the system is an investment broadly available. Mentoring is supported.​
• Learning is continuous.  incorporates views from all stakeholders and is encouraged as a normal course of work. Mentoring is seen as a learning practice.

Cultural Capabilities Series

• Cultivating a Performance Oriented Culture
• Effective Team Collaboration: Strategies for High Performance and Success
• How Job Satisfaction Boosts Employee Engagement?
• Unlock the Power of Transformational Leadership

References 

• Forsgren, N., Humble, J., & Kim, G. (2018). Accelerate: The Science of Lean Software and DevOps: Building and Scaling High Performing Technology Organizations. IT Revolution Press. 

• “Grow with Google: Employee Learning and Development.” Google Careers. 

• “Spotify’s Approach to Knowledge Sharing.” Spotify Engineering Blog. 

• “Pair Programming at Pivotal Labs.” Pivotal Labs Blog. 

• “ShipIt Days at Atlassian.” Atlassian Blog. 

• “LinkedIn’s Mentorship Program.” LinkedIn Engineering Blog. 

• “Amazon’s Culture of Experimentation.” Amazon Day One Blog. 

• “Microsoft’s Continuous Feedback Culture.” Microsoft Careers Blog.

MORE ON GROWTH FOR EVERYONE 

Perficient continually looks for ways to champion and challenge our workforce, encourage personal and professional growth, and celebrate the unique culture created by the ambitious, brilliant, people-oriented team we have cultivated. These are their stories. 

Learn more about what it’s like to work at Perficient on our Careers page. Connect with us on LinkedIn here. 

Perficient and our colleagues have always given selflessly of our time and talent, making our communities brighter each day. Since 2021, our Giving Employee Resource Group (ERG) has inspired action and generosity while capturing and celebrating all the amazing ways we’re making a difference across the world.

READ MORE: 2023 Perficient Community Impact Report

Earlier this year, the Giving ERG introduced a new way colleagues could make a difference – the Perficient Gives Global Grants Program. Through the program, colleagues around the world can nominate their favorite charitable organization to receive a one-time $5,000 donation from Perficient. Any nonprofit organization that aligns with Perficient’s corporate giving pillars – advancing STEM education and improving health and well-being – can be nominated to receive a Perficient Gives Global Grant.

Nominations were held in April, with global colleagues nominating nearly 100 wonderful global organizations, and five were selected to each receive $5,000.

Today, we’re proud to announce the first recipient of a Perficient Gives Global Grant – Charity: Water – which was nominated by Renu Hall, a director out of Perficient’s Houston office.

Charity: Water’s Mission and Renu’s Passion for Ending the Water Crisis

Safe drinking water is much more than a basic human need. It’s the foundation for improved health, education, and economic opportunity. Charity: Water has been on a mission since 2006 to end the global water crisis. By partnering with experienced local organizations to build sustainable, community-owned water projects, Charity: Water has connected more than 18 million people in 29 countries to clean and safe drinking water.

For Renu, nominating Charity: Water for a Perficient Gives Global Grant came from her own personal experiences and seeing the need firsthand.

“I have a lot of passion for that organization, and hearing that they would be receiving this donation was pretty special,” said Renu. “I was born in Tanzania and grew up in Sub-Saharan Africa before moving to India and then the U.S. So, I grew up in developing nations, and one of the biggest struggles for these countries is bare necessities: sanitation, water, food, medicine. You see the effect of that in these countries and I grew up experiencing it.”

Charity: Water works with local partners to fund water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs for rural communities around the world. Once a local partner has been selected, Charity: Water works with them to evaluate existing water sources, terrain, and population to ensure they are funding the most appropriate solution for each community. After construction ends, Charity: Water continues to work with their local partners to monitor, evaluate, and maintain WASH programs, ensuring that each program operates sustainably for years to come.

Renu has supported Charity: Water through her own financial donations for years and says hearing the story of Charity: Water’s founder, Scott Harrison, is one aspect that initially inspired her to get involved. She noted President Jimmy Carter’s advocacy for global health and environmental concerns as another inspiration for making a difference.

“It is distressing to see a child’s future threatened or diminished by preventable disease. The rights to health services and to safe, clean, affordable water are fundamental to a life of dignity and are protected by international law. Yet millions of people die of water-related diseases annually, and millions more suffer needlessly. None of us should turn a blind eye to the shocking consequences of inadequate access to clean water and to sanitation.”

President Jimmy Carter, as quoted in Renu’s nomination

“Charity: Water’s work has a huge impact on communities all over the world, promoting health and vitality and reducing disease and decline, in areas where Perficient employees live and work,” said Renu.

Thanks to Renu’s nomination and Charity: Water’s fundraising model, 100% of Perficient’s donation will aid in the planning and implementation of sustainable water sources in rural areas around the world.

“The U.S. dollar can go a long way in developing nations to do so much with very little. The impact you can make with those dollars in those nations is remarkable. Whole communities and whole villages can be changed,” said Renu. “Charity: Water is doing life-saving work. People die from water-borne diseases in these countries, and it’s tragic to see how the basic necessity of access to clean water could save those lives.”

READ MORE: Learn About the Incredible Work Charity: Water is Doing

Help Charity: Water Bring Clean and Safe Water to Every Person on the Planet

More than 703 million people are living without clean water. Help Charity: Water bring clean water to these affected communities by making a donation today or joining their monthly giving community, “The Spring.” Every cent funds clean water projects around the world.

Perficient’s donation to Charity: Water is the first of five we will make in the next few weeks. Stay tuned for future updates announcing the other four great organizations that are receiving a Perficient Gives Global Grant! We’re not stopping here, either. Perficient colleagues will have another opportunity to nominate their favorite charity for a Perficient Gives Global Grant later this year.

Every Perficient colleague can make a difference and help us build a brighter world for years to come. The Perficient Gives Global Grants Program is an incredible opportunity for any colleague – no matter their global location – to help pay it forward and support charitable causes.

READ MORE: Explore How We’re Making Meaningful Differences in Our Global Communities

READY TO GROW YOUR CAREER?

It’s no secret our success is because of our people. No matter the technology or time zone, our colleagues are committed to delivering innovative, end-to-end digital solutions for the world’s biggest brands, and we bring a collaborative spirit to every interaction. We’re always seeking the best and brightest to work with us. Join our team and experience a culture that challenges, champions, and celebrates our people. 

Visit our Careers page to see career opportunities and more!

Go inside Life at Perficient and connect with us on LinkedIn, YouTube, X, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.

Performance Oriented Culture 

A performance-oriented culture in a software development company focuses on achieving high productivity, quality, and speed in delivering software. This culture emphasizes continuous improvement, innovation, and excellence throughout the development process.

One way to cultivate this kind of culture is by aiming for a generative culture, as defined by Dr. Ron Westrum. A sociologist who studied safety-critical complex systems in aviation and healthcare. Dr. Westrum describes a generative culture as one that fosters cooperation, information flow, and innovation. according to him, there are three levels of organizational culture: 

Westrum’s Three Levels of Culture 

Pathological (Power-Oriented) Culture: 

Characteristics: Low cooperation, hidden information, shirked responsibilities, discouraged bridging, punished failure, and crushed novelty. 

Behavior: Organizations at this level focus on personal power, respond to failure with blame, and maintain an atmosphere of fear and secrecy. 

Bureaucratic (Rule-Oriented) Culture: 

Characteristics: Modest cooperation, neglected information, compartmentalized responsibilities, allowed but discouraged bridging, justice-focused failure response, and problematic novelty. 

Behavior: Bureaucratic cultures prioritize adherence to rules and procedures over outcomes. Information flow is restricted by formal channels, and failures prompt a search for responsible individuals rather than systemic improvement. 

Generative (Performance-Oriented) Culture: 

Characteristics: High cooperation actively sought information, shared responsibilities, encouraged bridging, inquiry-focused failure response, and implemented novelty. 

Behavior: Generative cultures emphasize performance and continuous improvement. Information is openly shared, collaboration is the norm, and failures are analyzed to learn and improve. 

Achieving a Generative Culture 

To cultivate a generative culture, organizations should focus on: 

Encouraging Open Communication 

Promote a safe environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas and feedback. 

Example: Google’s “Project Aristotle” found that psychological safety is the key factor in high-performing teams. Google promotes open communication through various channels, ensuring team members feel safe speaking up. 

Empowering Teams 

Give teams the authority and resources to make decisions and take ownership of their work. 

Example: At Amazon, the “two-pizza team” rule ensures that teams are small and autonomous, with the power to make decisions quickly. This structure promotes ownership and accountability. 

Fostering Collaboration 

Break down silos and encourage cross-functional teamwork to solve problems and innovate. 

Example: Spotify’s “squad” model organizes teams into small, cross-functional units that work on specific features or projects. This promotes collaboration and agility. 

Embracing Failure as Learning 

View failures as opportunities to learn and improve, rather than assigning blame. 

Example: Etsy conducts blameless postmortems to analyze failures and learn from them. This practice helps build a culture of trust and continuous improvement.

Seeking Continuous Improvement 

Encourage a mindset of ongoing improvement and adaptation to changing circumstances. 

Example: Teams at Atlassian use the playbook to conduct regular retrospectives, improve their workflows, and address any collaboration challenges. By following the playbook, teams can build stronger relationships and work more effectively together, leading to higher performance and job satisfaction. 

Conclusion 

A performance-oriented culture is essential for achieving high productivity, quality, and speed in software development. Organizations can foster an environment of collaboration, continuous learning, and innovation by implementing strategies to create a generative culture. Encouraging open communication, empowering teams, fostering collaboration, embracing failure as learning, and investing in professional development are key to building a high-performing and resilient organization. 

Perficient promotes a high-performance culture through its Growth for Everyone program, which emphasizes continuous learning, empowerment with essential tools and resources, and leadership development at all levels. By offering structured development pathways like the Consultant Curriculum, Learning to Lead, and Leading with Impact, along with comprehensive toolkits and the Perficient Academy, the company ensures employees have what they need to succeed. This commitment to a people-first, collaborative culture, backed by data-driven decision-making, aligns with the principles of a Performance Oriented Culture showcasing Perficient’s dedication to fostering an environment where every employee can thrive. 

How do You Assess your Company or Project? 

• High Cooperation.​
• Good information Flow.​
• Experimentation embraced or encouraged.​
• Failures are opportunities to improve.​
• Root cause analysis is objective.​
• Responsibilities are discussed in terms of overall risk.​
• Risks are Shared among teams.

Cultural Capabilities Series

• How to Create a Continuous Learning Culture?
• Effective Team Collaboration: Strategies for High Performance and Success
• How Job Satisfaction Boosts Employee Engagement?
• Unlock the Power of Transformational Leadership

References 

• Forsgren, N., Humble, J., & Kim, G. (2018). Accelerate: The Science of Lean Software and DevOps: Building and Scaling High Performing Technology Organizations. IT Revolution Press. 
• Westrum, R. (2014). “A Typology of Organizational Cultures.” Quality & Safety in Health Care, 13(Suppl 2), ii22-ii27. 
• Barr, A. (2020). Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire. Dey Street Books. 
• “Atlassian Team Playbook” – Atlassian 
• “Project Aristotle.” Google Re:Work. 
• “Spotify’s Squad Model.” Spotify Engineering Blog. 
• “Etsy’s Blameless Postmortems.” Blameless Blog.

MORE ON GROWTH FOR EVERYONE 

Perficient continually looks for ways to champion and challenge our workforce, encourage personal and professional growth, and celebrate the unique culture created by the ambitious, brilliant, people-oriented team we have cultivated. These are their stories. 

Learn more about what it’s like to work at Perficient on our Careers page. Connect with us on LinkedIn here. 

Perficient’s Giving ERG was established in 2021, as a way for employees to bond over philanthropy and inspire generosity. Shortly after, in September 2022, a group of liaisons was formed in Atlanta so we could start to give back to our local community in person. Since then, the Atlanta liaisons have grown to a team of 8, planning frequent events from volunteering at animal shelters, cooking meals for the unhoused, hosting food, toy and clothing donation drives, and everything in between! So far, we’ve had over 10 events with 7 different organizations local to Atlanta and given back over 50 hours of community service. Continue reading below for a summary of what we’ve done in 2024 thus far!

February Family Dinner with Extra Special People

In February 2024, Perficient’s Atlanta Giving ERG hosted a dinner for ESP (Extra Special People), an organization we’ve worked with in the past that serves people with disabilities and their families. We catered Publix sandwiches, chicken tenders, fruit and veggie platters, and even baked some homemade cookies to share with ESP. The Perficient team came early to help set up the serving station and distributed the Valentine’s Day craft making supplies amongst the tables.  

“Extra Special People is truly a special organization. For the second time in less than a year, Perficient volunteers contributed to bringing families together to enjoy a catered dinner, play games, and catch up on the latest in their lives. I was reminded of what this community is all about, supporting family members with disabilities to an evening of fellowship and fun. “- Lisa McMichael  

After serving dinner to everyone, we dispersed to help craft valentines for friends and family. Here’s what AJ Steinhauser had to say about the night: “Volunteering at the ESP dinner was a heartwarming experience. Being able to support families with children facing disabilities was incredibly fulfilling. Here’s to hoping Perficient continues to find ample opportunities to make a meaningful difference in our community.”  

The leadership from ESP was thrilled to see us back, and incredibly grateful that we offered to serve everyone dinner and spend time with their organization for the night.  

“I just wanted to THANK you for coming out to our February Family Dinner. We had such a fun evening, and the families were very vocal about how much they loved interacting with all the volunteers there. We appreciate YOU!” – Taylor Shannon (Atlanta Program Coordinator at ESP) 

Shoutout to our ATL colleagues who volunteered: Ntasha Sharma, Bekah Williamson, Grayson Harden, Lisa McMichael, Eric Courtney, AJ Steinhauser, Mike Baker.

Learn more about how to get involved with ESP here!

Restoring One’s Hope – Feed the Hungry 

On March 9th 2024, Atlanta colleagues volunteered with Restoring One’s Hope Atlanta for their Feed the Hungry program to prep and package full meals and hygiene kits for the unhoused population in Atlanta.

We worked in several assembly lines: one to add shampoo, conditioner, body soap, hand sanitizer, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a clean pair of socks into a hygiene kit, another line to make sandwiches and bagels and put them into plastic bags with chips and granola bars, and the last line to put these two kits together in a bag with a large water bottle. We assembled over 50 care packages that were distributed to the unhoused around Atlanta the very next day. 

Since we finished putting together the care packages so quickly, we were put to work on a different task to organize all the donated clothing by gender, size and type of clothing item to make it easier for those in need to come in and find what they are looking for. While we were putting together the care packages and organizing clothing, we even noticed a few unhoused people come in and grab shoes and clothes they needed. This was great to see the direct, positive impact of the work we were putting in!  

“We do not need miracle to transform our society. We have all the energy we need inside ourselves already. Help your local community and you can make a difference. Super happy we were involved with Restoring One’s Hope volunteer event here in Atlanta!” – Victor Murra   

Shoutout to our ATL colleagues who volunteered: Ben Phillips, Bekah Williamson, Kimberlie Rose, Victor Murra, Grayson Harden, Ntasha Sharma, Sriharshavardhan Tokala, Nabeel Rahiman, plus some friends and family of our colleagues that came to help out.

Learn more about the organization here and how to get involved with their volunteer opportunities!

Conserving the Forest with Trees Atlanta 

In honor of Earth Day this year, Perficient Atlanta colleagues gave back to the environment by volunteering with Trees ATL, and organization that protects and improves Atlanta’s urban forest by planting, conserving, and educating. 

On April 27th 2024, the team from Perficient went out to Memorial Park in Buckhead for our first engagement with Trees ATL. We started off by hand pulling and cutting smaller vines such as English ivy, Chinese privet, and Kudzu that were holding back native species from growing. We then worked our way up to cutting down bigger trees that stole sunlight from smaller plants.

This was our first event with Trees ATL and it ended up being incredibly fun and rewarding! Work like this may seem difficult, but it is a lot easier when you’re surrounded by good company!  

See what Bekah Williamson had to say about the day:  

“Our volunteer event with Trees Atlanta was a great bonding experience for our team and a perfect way to give back to our planet for Earth Day. We learned a lot about invasive plants in the Atlanta forests and the negative impact they can have on the native species. It was a lot of hard work, but we were able to clear a ton of invasive weeds & trees, improving ATL’s Memorial Park for all to enjoy!” 

Shoutout to our ATL colleagues who volunteered: Harrison Blair, Eric Courtney, Bekah Williamson.

Learn more about the organization and how to get involved here!

Continuing to Make a Community Impact

From spreading joy at ESP’s Family Dinner, to providing essential support through Restoring One’s Hope Feed the Hungry program, each initiative has left a lasting impact on us as well as the community. Perficient’s Giving ERG exemplifies why Perficient is not just a workplace, but a community where employees thrive. By fostering a culture of service and compassion, this group embodies Perficient’s core values and creates a sense of purpose and fulfillment beyond day-to-day responsibilities.  As we look to the future, we aspire to maintain the relations we’ve made so far, and continue to forge new, meaningful connections with local organizations as we deepen our collective impact on our local community.  

“One of my favorite things about working at Perficient after 3 years is the Giving ERG events. These events are always fun and extremely rewarding to participate in. While I can’t always attend every local ERG event, I am incredibly grateful to work for a company that puts so much effort into helping others.” – Kimberlie Rose 

Providing feedback is essential for driving innovation, improving technical and behavioral skills, and strengthening team dynamics. The EAST methodology (Easy, Attractive, Social, Timely) offers a powerful framework for delivering feedback in a way that is more easily received and applied, which can help promote an environment of continuous growth. By applying these principles, individuals can overcome common challenges in feedback communication, transforming interactions into opportunities for personal and professional development. Considering the above, this post explains how each element of the EAST model can be applied to delivering feedback in an organization. For this, specific and applicable examples are proposed, illustrating how this methodology can be effectively implemented.

1. Easy

When giving feedback, it’s important to be clear and decisive about what needs to change or improve. Also, it’s important to specify what actions should be followed, adapting to the needs and contexts of the team.

Examples:

• Implementation of Agile tools: After a retrospective, instead of vague comments like “Let’s improve collaboration,” it proposes: “Let’s use Jira to assign specific tasks after a meeting, ensuring clear follow-up.”
• Specific feedback, not general: Provides concrete examples of behaviors to change. “In yesterday’s meeting, you interrupted a colleague several times. You must allow everyone to express their considerations before giving your opinion.”
• Actionable steps: Break down feedback into small, manageable tasks. “To improve your punctuality, try organizing your tasks the night before and set reminders 10 minutes before each meeting.”

2. Attractive

It’s important to present feedback in a way that captures the attention and interest of the recipient. To do this, it can be positive not only to highlight the benefits that change or improvements would imply for the project, but especially for the individual. Personalizing feedback to align personal interests with project goals increases its perceived value.

Examples:

• Highlight the benefits of change: Explain how the change not only benefits the organization but also the personal growth of the recipient. “Improving your presentation skills will increase your visibility and open up opportunities for leadership roles.”
• Recognition and rewards: Offers tangible or intangible incentives for achieving improvements based on feedback. “If you achieve this sales goal, you will be recognized at the next team meeting.”
• Positive feedback: Includes what they are doing well, not just what they need to improve. “Your ability to close complex deals is impressive, and if you increase your client follow-up, you could exceed your sales goals.”

3. Social

People are influenced by what others do. Suggesting that a behavior is being performed by several colleagues can encourage individuals to also perform it. Likewise, changes can be motivated by making the recipient feel part of a community that values their evolution. Seeing the progress of colleagues and celebrating achievements together strengthens the team’s commitment and motivation.

Examples:

• Accompaniment: Assign someone who has gone through a similar process to the recipient or establish pair programming sessions with a colleague. “Carlos, who significantly improved his time management skills last year, can give you practical advice and support.”
• Share achievements: Encourages sharing achievements related to feedback in team meetings. “When you implement these changes, let’s share your achievements at the next meeting to celebrate your progress.”
• Constructive group feedback: Facilitates sessions where colleagues can offer each other positive and constructive feedback. “We will organize quarterly peer feedback sessions to discuss our progress and challenges.”

4. Timely

Keep in mind that the timing of feedback delivery can make a big difference in how it is received and acted upon. Timeliness ensures relevance and maximizes impact.

Examples:

• After observing behavior: Provide feedback as soon as possible after a relevant event. “After your presentation today, I would like to offer you some points for improvement and highlight what you did well.”
• In moments of openness to change: Take advantage of moments when the person is looking to grow or improve, such as during Sprint retrospectives. “I noticed you’re interested in advancing your career; let’s talk about how we can achieve this together.”
• Before critical events: Offer feedback that can be immediately applied before an important task. “Before your next client presentation, let’s review the key points together to ensure its success.”

Conclusion

This approach recognizes the importance of personalizing feedback, celebrating achievements, fostering community support, and delivering feedback on time. By doing so, we create a culture of continuous feedback where people feel valued and motivated to reach their full potential, benefiting both their personal careers and the company’s objectives.

If you want to read a Spanish version of this you can do it here

MORE ON GROWTH FOR EVERYONE 

Perficient continually looks for ways to champion and challenge our workforce, encourage personal and professional growth, and celebrate the unique culture created by the ambitious, brilliant, people-oriented team we have cultivated. These are their stories. 

Learn more about what it’s like to work at Perficient on our Careers page. Connect with us on LinkedIn here.