Leading in UX and Workplace Innovation As the Chief Work Officer at Xponent21 and co-lead of Ladies that UX Richmond, my leadership roles are deeply connected by a shared focus: creating environments where people can reach their greatest potential. At Xponent21, I focus on building a work culture that fosters productivity, innovation, and collaboration. Similarly, at Ladies that UX Richmond,…

As Chief Work Officer at Xponent21, I’m tasked with ensuring that our team has the tools, training, and systems in place to allow them to focus on and perform their best work. By creating a work environment that prioritizes the employee experience and fosters optimal performance, we believe that everyone wins – our clients, their customers, our employees, our company, and ultimately, our community.  That sounds idyllic, but how does it work in practice?…

It’s well known that Americans value productivity and work. We are a culture that esteems advancement. We pride ourselves on developing the newest technologies and having the world’s highest GDP. Our cultural fascination with work helps fuel our economy, our social systems, and our innovation. It also gives us the freedom to pursue our version of the American Dream.  But…

What Is Team Culture? My background is in science, specifically biology. So when I think about culture, one definition that instantly comes to mind is “the cultivation of cells in an artificial medium containing nutrients”. In the context of society, culture refers to the customary beliefs, social norms, and traits of a racial, religious, or social group. It encompasses many…

Key Takeaways: Approaching the Workplace Experience Like an Experience Designer At Xponent21, there is a question that is baked into every experience that we design: What happens next?  You might think of experience design as analogous to building a physical structure. The design needs to be architecturally sound and complete, with pathways to get someone safely from point A to…

Key Takeaways: Work is life. There is no other body that we step into when our shift starts and we don’t leave all of our personal stuff behind when the workday begins. We certainly don’t stop thinking about what is happening at work just because the workday is over. Our work life impacts our personal lives and what we do…

Everyone in America knows what Fridays “feel” like. For some it may seem exciting because the weekend is just around the corner; others may feel a little rebellious because we all know that Friday is a day to take the load off. Our favorite bosses go easy at the office and our favorite teachers play movies in the classroom. Fridays…

If you’re a small business owner, you understand very well just how many things must be balanced in order to build a profitable, sustainable company. In pursuit of success, we’re taught, either through school or the School of Hard Knocks, that the customer must be pleased first and foremost (and as a marketing guy, I’ll tell you they should). But…