Gillian McClellan’s Post

Last week, I had the pleasure of leading the incredible team of dedicated professionals and hilarious human beings which make up MENA Rights Group through what I can only describe as a transformative team retreat. I say transformative as much for me as for them. Seeing their courage in sharing and connecting, diving deep into their challenges and dreams, focusing as seriously on their mental health and team-work as they do on the crucial documentation and human rights work they do... It was inspirational, deeply gratifying, and strengthened me in my certainty that what the approach of combining "inner work" (team-collaboration, boundary setting, self-leadership, conflict and tension work, communication, etc) with the "outer work" (strategy, structuring, roles and responsibilities, impact measurement, etc) we have at Purpose+Motion is a key ingredient to building sustainable, regenerative organisations which have massive impacts on the global issues we are facing. #ProudCoach #Transformation #Retreats

It’s only been a month or so since the last time I posted about being given a gift for helping someone out. And I’ve come into the office today to more alcohol-free beer, a card, and some flowers from someone else in the operations team. I should be sharing the beers out because it’s the company, not just me, that does the things that help our people. On a broader cultural level, we strive to be a business that supports our people to become the best they can be and that means many things, but it also involves being a flexible employer. However, to make flexibility work we’ve found that reciprocity is a core tenant of our culture—you get back what you put in. Otherwise, flexibility can morph into a culture of entitlement. To avoid a culture of entitlement and nurture a flexible company, our recruitment focuses on selecting people who share our values and are prepared to support the business, our business partners, and ultimately our customers. And that is evident from expressions of gratitude when we do help our people out. We really do have an amazing bunch of people at QDOS.

My HQ visit last week was inspiring to say the least. Some things I learned: 👨💻 People are at the Heart of Hospitality: Whether it's your team or the guests you serve, building meaningful connections fuels passion and purpose. 🎓 Embrace Continuous Learning: Every interaction is an opportunity to grow—learning from colleagues, leadership, and even challenges helps elevate your career. 🏆 Celebrate Small Wins: From delivering exceptional guest experiences to achieving team milestones, recognizing accomplishments keeps motivation high. 💜 Purpose-Driven Work: Hospitality is about creating moments that matter. Staying aligned with the "why" behind your work can drive both personal and professional fulfillment. 🤝 Collaboration Breeds Innovation: The hospitality industry thrives on teamwork. Sharing ideas and working together fosters creativity and growth. 💱 Diversity is an Asset: The hospitality field is uniquely positioned to celebrate and benefit from diverse perspectives, cultures, and experiences. #InspirationAtWork #WorkplaceCulture #PurposeDrivenWork #EmployeeExperience #LinkedInCommunity #Networking #BusinessInsights #CareerInspiration #Chicago

I’m thrilled to share I’m working on a new interview series, "Enjoy Your Stay", where we delve into the magic behind Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. former corporate culture. Everyone I talk to who used to work at Starwood has wonderful things to say about the company (#starwoodproud). This got me thinking…what created this “cult” of employee loyalty? So I decided to reach out to some former colleagues and start investigating what was it that differentiated Starwood's culture. And I want you to follow along as I share what I've learned so we can all work together to create best-in-class workplace cultures. This week, our spotlight is on exploring the role of career advancement in driving employee loyalty. Katherine Keenan was gracious enough to share her memories and insights about working at Starwood earlier in her career. There was a theme around career development that emerged. Here are a few highlights from our conversation: 1. 🚀 Equal Playing Field: Starwood valued performance over pedigree. No invisible hierarchies—valuing all types of experience. No mandatory advanced degrees or prior hospitality experience—equal footing for all. 2. 🤝 A Culture of Sponsorship: Senior leaders and managers didn’t just mentor their teams, they sponsored them Sponsorship occurs when leaders advocated for their team members, often without them asking 3. 🌐 Valuing Rockstars: This wasn’t an “up-or-out” culture where everyone needed to get promoted every 1-2 years There was value placed on expertise and embracing subject-matter experts Check the link below in the comments for access to the full article where I expand on each of these three areas. I’ll continue to share what I find over the next few weeks and months. 📣 Want to share your experience working at Starwood with me? Send me a DM 🗣️What made Starwood's culture stand out to you? Engage in the conversation via the comments section below. #letsreworkit #culture #employeeloyalty #starwoodproud #starwood

Why is company culture so important? It’s simple: I likely won’t look back on a random Tuesday and remember the emails, meetings, or phone calls. But what I will remember is the culture that makes the day-to-day truly special. I’ll remember the day my manager surprised me with a housewarming basket, taking time out of their day to celebrate a personal milestone. I’ll remember the time we gathered at Outback Steakhouse to celebrate Aussie Day with a teammate from Australia, embracing a moment of cultural exchange. I’ll remember the Saturday brunch and movie outings with coworkers, because those connections made my weekends even better. And I’ll always remember being at a team member’s wedding, stepping into a photo booth, and laughing so hard we couldn’t keep a straight face for a single shot. Even if our workdays are quiet, it’s these moments that make it all unforgettable. Company culture is what turns an ordinary job into an extraordinary experience. #WhyUofUHealth

What’s your desert island work stream? That part of your job that you enjoy doing the most and that you’d really miss if you couldn’t do it again…? For us it is helping organisations define their values and behaviours. Why?  - They are the cornerstones of cultural change. - They embody how an organisation acts both internally with its employees and externally with its customers. - They foster a sense of belonging and are the basis of a robust ‘we’ mentality.   - They are a sure-fire way to achieve and create a best experience at work that keeps everyone on track to deliver on your organisation’s purpose.  - They lay the groundwork for employees to develop a growth mindset and frankly, people perform better when they feel they belong.   Who wouldn’t want a team like that? Seriously though?   So come visit us on our desert island, where the desert Island food will be pizza (no pineapple despite the tropical location), and probably a banging dance classic as the desert island tune. 😎 Neil Sykes Simon Allison Natalie Turner Louisa Handley, RNutr (AfN) Claire Hughes David Massey Pollyanna Chapman Louise Haynes Assoc CIPD Hannah Dixon Kelda Wright-Whyte Mark Connell Jonathan Hehir Karen Job Christèle Delbé, MSc David Farrell Irenie Ekkeshis #values #behaviours #teamdevelopment #teambuilding #culturalchange #organisationalchange #pizza #nopineapple

Imagine this: You’re walking into your office on Monday morning, your eyes shine as you walk past your colleagues, everyone’s smiling, and you actually feel (dare we say it?) excited to start work. Sound too good to be true? It’s not. Creating a positive work environment is a crucial ingredient to building a company that stands the test of time. Sure, a ping-pong table or a coffee machine can add to the atmosphere, but real positivity comes from valuing the people you work with. - Listen before you lead - Celebrate wins - Help without judgement - Foster a culture of learning - Encourage fun and laughter - Be transparent Making people feel valued and appreciated goes a long way. It’s the secret to creating a thriving company culture and a happy workplace. Time to make it happen!

Relaxed but Restless On this leg of our holiday, Helen Langhammer and I are visiting friends in Cambridge. Our friends David and Quim took us punting down the river. The two of them did all the heavy work of punting while we sat and sipped champagne, and really, who can complain at such hospitality? 😉 I'm now itching to get back to work. I've had so many ideas for designing some new team assessments and I'm restless to get started. 💪 #leadershipdevelopment #teamdynamics #workstyles