Scaling a company, preparing for an IPO, or expanding globally all come with a common challenge: attracting, retaining, and motivating the right people to drive sustainable growth.
Leaders responsible for people strategy must prove the impact of their work, build credibility with their executive team and board, and make sure their organization is ready for what’s next.
Sequoia recently co-sponsored Workday’s Go for Growth summit at Nasdaq headquarters in New York City, where finance, HR, and IT executives came together to share strategies for building organizations that thrive.
As part of the event, I had the opportunity to moderate a panel on people and culture, joined by Partner and Chief People Officer at BCG Henderson Institute, Johann Harnoss; President and COO of Nayya, Sarah Liebel; Chief People Officer at Abnormal AI, Maya Marcus; and VP of Business Technology at Workday, Heather Gardner.
We explored what it takes to compete for top talent in high-growth environments and how to build a culture that supports long-term success. We covered a lot of ground — from BCG’s recent report on company vitality to hiring lessons for growth-focused leaders. Here are a few takeaways that stuck with me.
Understand That Diversity Drives High Performance
Diversity, which can be politically charged these days, is too often viewed solely as a company value. But as the panelists agreed, it’s far more than that. Diversity is a proven driver of performance. Teams with a mix of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives consistently outperform homogeneous groups, especially when it comes to innovation and solving complex problems.
BCG’s research on corporate vitality — a proprietary measure of a company’s potential for long-term growth — found that organizations with high global talent density and diverse, skilled teams are more resilient and adaptable.
As companies expand into new markets, tapping into broader talent pools is a marker of people vitality, which accounts for 18% of BCG’s overall vitality index. According to BCG, companies in the top quarter for people vitality tend to grow revenue about 29% faster and deliver 5-percentage-point greater shareholder value annually.
Build a Skills-Based Organization
The traditional approach to hiring — focusing on degrees, job titles, or years of experience — is giving way to a more agile, skills-based model. Fast moving companies are increasingly focusing on skills: What can this person do? And how quickly can they start contributing?
Panelists shared how adopting a skills-based hiring model allows organizations to move faster and align talent more closely with business needs. By evaluating candidates for the specific skills needed to succeed in a role, companies have a greater chance of bringing in people who will have an immediate impact.
A related shift is involving top performers in the hiring process, even beyond their direct teams. When they help assess candidates, they become critical filters for finding who truly fits your culture and can raise the bar for performance.
Foster an Ownership Mindset
As companies scale, it can be difficult to maintain the energy and accountability of a founder-led team. However, fostering an ownership mindset can keep the momentum going.
When people talk about an ownership mindset, they often think of everyone behaving like a founder. But the panelists agreed it’s about personal responsibility. Are you hiring people who hold themselves accountable, regardless of their role or title? While equity can reinforce it, the mindset starts with who you hire and how they operate day to day.
Looking Ahead: Sustaining Growth Through People and Culture
The summit made it clear that sustainable growth doesn’t happen by accident. It requires intentional investment in your people and culture, and a willingness to evolve how you hire, lead, and organize teams.
Whether your company is expanding globally or preparing for a major milestone, the most durable advantage you can build is a culture where the right people can thrive. That starts with clarity about what you value and the resolve to act on it at every stage of growth.
How Sequoia Can Help
Have a question about benefits and how your company can craft a competitive total rewards program? Connect with a Sequoia advisor who is ready to listen and answer your questions.
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