Purpose-Driven Culture, Employee Recognition & the Future of Customer Engagement | DisrupTV Ep. 80
In DisrupTV Episode 80, hosts R “Ray” Wang and Vala Afshar engage with three leaders:
- Brynne Kennedy – CEO & Founder of MOVE Guides
- David Sturt – EVP at O.C. Tanner Company & Author
- Paul Greenberg – Founder & Managing Principal at The 56 Group
They dive into how organizational culture and employee experience contribute to business success, the role recognition and feedback play in cultivating loyalty and high performance, and how customer relationships are evolving in an environment where trust, purpose, and human connection matter more than ever.
Key Takeaways
Culture & Purpose as Business Differentiators
Organizations that clearly articulate a purpose beyond profits tend to attract more engaged employees and loyal customers. Culture isn’t just internal—it shapes how a company is perceived externally.
Recognition & Feedback Fuel Employee Engagement
David Sturt underscores how consistent feedback and recognition aren’t “nice to have”—they’re essential for motivation, retention, and performance. A transparent system of recognizing contributions builds trust and shared ownership.
Customer Engagement Built on Trust & Transparency
Paul Greenberg and Brynne Kennedy highlight that in a saturated market, brands that build trust through honest communication, ethical behavior, and genuine relationships gain advantage. Trust becomes a currency.
Experience-Driven Talent Strategy
The episode emphasizes that employee experience (from onboarding to growth) must mirror customer-experience excellence. Internal culture, recognition, and alignment with purpose all contribute to employees delivering better customer outcomes.
Evolving Role of Leadership & Communication
Leaders must communicate purpose, values, and expectations clearly and frequently. When leadership shows vulnerability, listens actively, and acknowledges contributions, it fosters meaningful engagement.
Final Thoughts
- Purpose, culture, recognition and transparency are not HR side programs — they are strategic levers that influence employee retention, customer loyalty, and brand reputation.
- Companies that invest in employee experience (via feedback loops, acknowledgment, leadership communication) often see stronger alignment, innovation, and resilience.
- In a digital age, human connection still matters; customers and employees both are drawn to organizations that act with integrity and communicate authentically.
- Leadership must embody values consistently; culture isn’t declared, it’s demonstrated by what leaders reward, recognize, and build into daily practice.
Related Episodes
- DisrupTV Ep. 81 – Reimagining CX & CRM (Chuck Ganapathi, Will Hayes & Ron Miller) — voice, context, and unified customer journeys.
- DisrupTV Ep. 79 – Human-Centric Brand Strategies (Charlie Isaacs & Stuart Lombard) — how trust influences marketing, operational choices, and employee alignment.
- DisrupTV Ep. 85 – Investing in Innovation (Bruce Cleveland, Leslie Berlin & Steve Wilson) — lessons from the past and present about what innovation looks like and how values play in investments.
