A Transparent Approach to Getting Buy-in with Morgan Storie

“Culture does not happen overnight.” - Morgan Storie

Have you ever wanted to make change happen faster?   To create big, meaningful culture shifts sooner rather than later?  This episode will serve as inspiration for patience on the journey and highlights the importance of a transparent, agile and culturally-appropriate approach to getting feedback and buy-in.

My guest is Morgan Storie who is the SVP Global People and Organizational Development for IMAX.   Morgan is responsible for building the talent strategy that will take IMAX to the next stage in terms of their employee value proposition.   She is a highly agile and engaged leader, and you will hear about how she is currently making the transition from leading the HR Business Partnering function, to a more singular focus on talent development.

In this episode of Talent Management Truths, you’ll discover:

🍏  The importance of dynamic skills in today’s environment

🍏  What an enterprise leadership mindset looks like in action

🍏  The learning that is possible through global hands-on experience

About Morgan Storie:  Morgan Storie is a seasoned, strategic Human Resources Executive who has spent the last 10+ years of her career working for IMAX Corporation where she has worked with their teams to grow and scale their business and International presence into more countries than Starbucks. She has led the HR business partner team through many organizational redesign and business transformation initiatives, including crisis management during the COVID pandemic. As the company pivots into a highly successful recovery, Morgan is taking on the Global Talent & Organizational Development function at IMAX.

Holding an MBA specialized in HR and having worked in the Financial and Professional Services sectors, Morgan has led her functions through a business lens that has assisted HR in aligning to the agile needs of any organization she has been engaged with.   

A proud wife and mother of 2 boys, she is kept busy with their swim, basketball, and winter ski schedules.  Amongst family cottage time, and a busy work agenda, she likes to ensure their family moments are maximized and that they are 'Living life to its fullest'!

Links

• Morgan Storie on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-storie-31a0794/ 

Looking for a Team Coach or dynamic Keynote Speaker/Facilitator?

Book a call with me to explore how we might partner (serious inquiries only please): 

https://calendly.com/lisa-mitchell-greenapple/clarity-call

Share the Show

Like what you’ve heard?  Pretty please with an apple on top - kindly leave me a 5* review so that others can find the show and elevate their impact too!  Here are the simple instructions:

• Launch Apple's Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.
• Tap the Search icon (on the botton) and search for the show name.
• Tap the show's cover art.
• On the podcast page, tap the Reviews tab.
• Tap "Write a Review" at the bottom of this page.

Follow me

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mitchell-acc-ctdp-7437636/ 

Instagram: @greenappleconsulting 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenappleconsulting.ca 

Transcript

LM Ep 15
===

[00:00:00] Have you ever wanted to make change happen faster to create big meaningful culture shifts sooner rather than later? Well, this episode will serve as inspiration for patients on the journey. My guest is Morgan story. Morgan is the senior vice president. Global people and organizational development for IMX corporation, she's responsible for building the talent strategy.

[00:02:08] That's going to take IMAX to the next stage in terms of their employee value proposition. Morgan is a very agile and engaged leader with years of experience. And you're going to hear about how she's currently making the transition from leading the HR business partnering function to a more singular focus on talent development.

[00:02:26] On a personal note, Morgan, and I go way back dating back to mat leave. In fact we both have teenage boys who were born at D apart, so I can tell you that Morgan is the real deal. She's a leader with high energy, high integrity, and I know you'll enjoy hearing her story and insights. Thanks for listening.

[00:02:42] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Hi, and welcome back to talent management truths. I'm your host, Lisa Mitchell. And today I'm joined by Morgan story. Morgan is actually a dear friend of mine and she is currently the senior vice president of global people and organizational development at IMAX corporation. Morgan is a stellar leader.

[00:03:06] She has over 20 years experience as an HR senior leader in executive and. Currently transitioning into a full-time focus on talent and organizational development. She has a particular passion for people for strategy. She holds an MBA and something I really appreciate about her that I'm sure will come up in our conversation today is her her global experience.

[00:03:32] So we will, we will definitely touch on that. Morgan. Thanks so much for joining me today. I really appreciate it. 

[00:03:37] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Thanks for having me. 

[00:03:38] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: My pleasure. So maybe to start off with, you could just briefly tell us a little bit about how you got your start, your path.

[00:03:46] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: So many moons ago, obviously I started with a, a big consulting company. And you know, I had the opportunity to work in developing um, a call center for them. They had regional offices and we're working to centralize. And bring them under one umbrella. And from there, you know, grew into taking over their little mobility program.

[00:04:05] Their immigration program was really blessed to see you know, a lot of best practice happen in that organization. As well as, you know, having them helped me through my MBA as well, too. So had a really great start and really a lot of development and opportunity within that organization from there.

[00:04:22] I think, you know, getting my MBA really allowed me to have more of that business. And understand, you know, how HR strategy can really help support a business. So I moved into an HR business partner role from there and really felt like I found my pace terms of working with clients and, you know, understanding their needs and helping to you know, further support them with their business strategy.

[00:04:42] I've been in my current organization for a long period of time for red 11 years now. 

[00:04:47] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Wow. I can't leave it. I remember when he started there.

[00:04:50] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Time twice. And certainly my career here has had many different opportunities that have come with it. Starting, you know, off in a role that was touching on some L and D programming to, you know, being given an opportunity to, you know, go and help build the office in China and set up all the programming and the total rewards and all the hiring.

[00:05:09] Was it a huge learning experience for me? So, and within my current role um, as you said, I'm, I'm into a new journey and looking to really forward and excited about building out I'm moving from the HR business partner team touched into a bunch of things through this pandemic as well to.

[00:05:25] On the health and safety and facility side of the house and weirdly we've gone through a huge transition within our HR team reinventing ourselves and we had a new CPO join us. So, this is a really exciting opportunity for me to focus now on the talent development side of the house for the organism. 

[00:05:40] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Yeah. Well, congratulations on that. Cause I think it's going to really benefit IMAX, right? With your depth of experience on the HR side and, and knowledge of, of talent as well. But now to have that single. But right now you've got a foot in each camp. Don't you until about January? Why is that?

[00:05:57] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: So as we've been going through you know, our transition with our team, I've had a feat to many camps, so to speak. We actually had some turnover that happened in our operations team. So I was overseeing the operations team for a little awhile having. We've got some great new people that have joined us as well.

[00:06:12] Our HR business partners, we've had some turnover in, in that area as well, too. The great resignation is not something that?

[00:06:18] does not impact HR as well. we had our CFO actually leave in may. So, part of my transition now to my HR business partner world what's the hand off some of my inputs, hand off my clients.

[00:06:28] So my finance team I'm handing them off in January. They've had found an internal um, candidate that's going to be taking over that's moving into his deputy CFO role. So we're super pumped and excited about that. But I was saying with the drip to try and support them and we'll now start my full transition January. 

[00:06:45] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Excellent. Yeah. You said in the green room too, that, that, you know, IMAX seems to be a company that really values, you know, promoting from within. Agility. Could you tell us a little bit about that? How it shows up?

[00:06:56] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Absolutely. We're a small organization, so we're under 700 people. We have a brand that punches way above its weight. 

[00:07:02] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Yes. I just want change Shane you last night. It was awesome.

[00:07:06] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Yeah, it's a great, great movie. And we're in, I love this stuff. We are in more countries and Starbucks's our IMAX theater. So, our offices themselves are in seven countries globally.

[00:07:16] And you know, agility. We like to talk about ourselves as a very entrepreneurial company. That's very innovative. That means that we do turn on a dime and look at different opportunities. So certainly agility has been an incredibly important competency for our organization. As you look through the pandemic and how the team here has really moved through that as well, too, it's something I think that we're really proud of.

[00:07:38] My, you know, my career and others' careers here you know, have really shown up in a way. That proves that out in terms of making those changes and giving opportunity to people being a smaller organization means that you do not have all the competency that you need for everything that you encounter.

[00:07:53] And if you are a very entrepreneurial company, that means you're encountering new and exciting things that you need to go and dig and try and find a path through it. So certainly um, you know, that means that. Are given opportunities that you might not have all the competency for, but we have a strong belief in our people that they will figure it out.

[00:08:13] They will partner with the right people internally, they will collaborate. They will find their external resources and they'll work to. 

[00:08:20] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: And that is such a refreshing angle, I think, on, on how to view talent. I mean, it goes beyond succession planning and talent reviews. It's really about almost feels like a philosophy the way you describe it. Right. That is very agile because in a lot of organizations, you know, I was, I had somebody on the podcast we recorded last week and, and we worked together at one point and he went on to an organization and it was, it was one of the banks and nothing against the banks.

[00:08:45] I do work with them, but his manager at the time, it told him that he needed to get a degree. At some point for him to go any further than where he was going, which was about the senior manager level at the time. And so it was more about that formal education now, not to say that you don't value that because clearly you went out and got an MBA.

[00:09:04] Right. Which I'm sure adds a lot of weight and credibility to what you do. It's just interesting though, that it's, it's, it's about more than one thing, 

[00:09:12] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Absolutely. And I think it's a good example of, you know, where my career is at right now. I don't have all that formal training necessarily on, on the talent development programming, but. Knowing that I know the organization. Well, I understand our culture. I understand from a business perspective, from an HR perspective where it is that we need to go and you know, taking that and, you know, I've, I've thought that great opportunity right?

[00:09:35] now where I'm, I'm hiring my new team and I'm making sure that I'm surrounding myself with people that have that.

[00:09:42] That I can leverage, I think, as a good leader. That's what I would really point to as a good leader. I, you don't need to know all the detail of that, but you need to know how to leverage your team, how to motivate your team and understand where your, your own areas of blind spot, maybe as well, too. So, that you can, you know, get to the right place in terms of what the organization is requiring and what the needs of you know, how, how you as a team um, functioning. 

[00:10:06] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: so so the phrase that went through my head, as you were talking, there was, it was, you know, it's about surrounding yourself with great people. So having, having resources, but it really sounded like being resourceful, 

[00:10:16] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Absolutely. 

[00:10:17] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: which is it's both, you know, plus you can call friend any time. 

[00:10:22] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Yeah. Yes. I have lots of friends who have lots 

[00:10:25] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: exactly, exactly.

[00:10:27] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: It's learning the environment today is changing so much. So the things that I find that you may have thought you knew in, in theory EVP, that's something right now that, that we're taking a closer look at understanding what the employee value proposition looks at, looks like that is changing our environment.

[00:10:44] And you don't have to look far back to see. Three different models and three different evolutions of that, that are, that are happening. And everything that has happened through this pandemic has really had people, I think really rethink how they want to work, what they value. And it's important in the workplace to reflect that.

[00:11:01] A pretty unique time for me to be taking on this role, because I think it doesn't come with a, you know, a history of theory. That's overlaying it. It's, it's a new lens that that I'm laying on to it and working with the team and working to make sure that we put the right things in place that are really gonna resonate with. 

[00:11:19] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Yeah, it sounds, it sounds like it's a huge opportunity, right? Building that team and then starting kind of, not from scratch. I mean, you have things in place. Could you tell us a little bit about. What's in front of you. Like what's your, your one big, hairy, audacious goal and your new role.

[00:11:34] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: It's a biggie certainly in building out, what is that talent development strategy look like for us? And making sure that we understand how we prioritize, what that strategy looks like, how we prioritize I do see it as a bit of a blank slate. Yes, we absolutely have programming in place.

[00:11:49] But we've never had a really strong talent formerly laid out talent development strategy. And you know, wanting to make sure that we put that in place for our people. You know, we have very engaged staff. Our government results were fantastic. People are very passionate and real and do want to be here.

[00:12:03] But they are still looking for that career development and what that looks like for us. So, I think my, my big goal is getting the right strategy in place with the right programming. Rome was not built in a day and we are. So, how we prioritize to make the biggest impact especially as we move through these times and everybody's rethinking how they, they want to work and what they value.

[00:12:24] Making sure that they see that the organization is taking those steps, that we hear them, that we want to, you know, make sure that they love coming to work every day and that people are walking the talk. We want to make sure that we get the right thing. 

[00:12:36] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: So on that note. You know, when you were talking about the employee value proposition, what is the biggest shift that you, that you've seen? Cause you were talking about it's been evolving and changing, particularly with the pandemic and all we've had to respond to. So what is, what's the change?

[00:12:55] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: So the change?

[00:12:55] of. The theory that I, that I've been reading up on these days it was very employee centric and employees don't want to know just necessarily what you're going to be bringing to them as an employee. They want you to see them as people that people focus and that person, their life is not.

[00:13:11] That employee centricity it's actually, you know, with them as a person. So there's, you know, home things going on at home. And I think we've had a clear view into everybody's lives now, right? Would there may have been separation of segregation of, you know, work and life balance previously. And those things kind of through this pandemic and really blended them.

[00:13:31] And you really, I think has had more insight into what's going on in people's lives. You're in their houses every day, their kids crawling on their laps. I personally love that. I think it's been great to humanize some of it further. But that does mean your employee value proposition needs to incorporate some of those things.

[00:13:48] People are looking for that. 

[00:13:49] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Yeah. Well, and you mentioned the great resignation earlier, which apparently isn't hitting Canada to the same degree as the U S so we hear a lot about it in the news. And yet I'm gaging from your face that, that you you've seen. You've seen signs.

[00:14:02] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Yeah, definitely. I, I wouldn't say it's that Canada is immune to it, for sure. The job market has now opened its self up exponentially. Right? Those remote jobs allow for any way to live anywhere in the world. You used to just compete against a small population. And now, you know, it's, it's a huge workforce as well too, so.

[00:14:20] You know, Canadians certainly are, you know, applying and working for jobs in the U S and vice versa, I think as well too. So, talent acquisition team reports to me as well, too. And it's certainly something as a team that we've been talking about and know, how do we, how do we look to hire individuals that have some of those dynamic skills that, you know, we can, you know, we need to also part of our talent development, right?

[00:14:41] We are looking to hire individuals that you'll probably have 80% of what it is that you're looking for. Think leader about that 20% that you can develop. In-house what are those agile skills that you need to hire with so that you can continue to build? And as the company evolves, as products evolve, the world evolves those individuals will really, you know, thrive in this entire. 

[00:15:03] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: What's an example or maybe a couple examples of dynamic skills. You use that term 

[00:15:08] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: That's more of talking to the agility. thriving in an environment that, that might change or that you can take a skill that might be, you know, straightforward currently. Working in a marketing environment, but if you really think about it, are they doing project planning that might be able to translate into another area of your business?

[00:15:24] So that's something that our community of leaders that we have we've spent some time talking about that as well, too. Like how do we at an enterprise level understand the skills that we have in the organization and how can we you know, as a leadership team, make sure that we're leveraging them across the organization.

[00:15:40] It may not be. Traditionally, it's an it job that stays within it. Like how do we think about how those roles can support each other and how we can develop people with those skill sets in different areas of the company? 

[00:15:51] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Well, when we were talking earlier to you, you, you, you mentioned the importance at the organization around the enterprise. Mindset. Could you tell us a little bit about what's involved in that? How do you define it specifically? I have my own ideas, but I'd love to hear from you.

[00:16:08] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Well, I think we have enterprise leadership, really. It talks to our mathematical equation. We'll go there. We'll have our individual leader who is really strong within their functional area and really, you.

[00:16:20] know, it has a great team and they're a strong leadership. They're developing their people within that area.

[00:16:25] Then you have your network leader and your network leader is somebody that you does work to achieve things through other areas. And they may be an indirect leader not have a team reporting to them. But they are very successful, like leading a network and collaborating with people to get things.

[00:16:42] And then, you know, when you add that individual leader that has a functional area that they're very strong with with that networking that's happening, you know, that leads you to be an enterprise leader. That means you look across you not only look at the best interests of your own individual functional area, you're looking at the needs of the entire business.

[00:16:59] And do you understand like how to leverage those resources? How to think about that work, how to make sure that we are planful and operationally, you know, thinking about how we accomplish things to be a successful organization. So enterprise leadership for us, you know, really talks to thinking about things at a global level that can be really. 

[00:17:17] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Yeah, it can. And you know, I think for, for some people they would think of the, the idea of CEO mindset or, you know, not just entrepreneurial, but, but being able to consider. What's outside your lane, right? Like to, to get out of the tunnel vision that we can all have people sort of playing in their own silos.

[00:17:35] Right. It's thinking beyond. So that sounds like that's going to be foundational to your strategy. It's sounds really exciting actually.

[00:17:44] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Sometimes that means you have to put the interest of others above yourself too. And that can be really tough, right. Even at a very human level. That's very tough. Right. 

[00:17:51] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: So, so how, how can you support people with that? What are you what's that is tough right? To, to put the ego aside and to, to create a culture where that's encouraged.

[00:18:00] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: So, that's a great question. I think that's part of, you know, our, our strategy and part of we've really just started working with our community. We have community leaders that's our VP fluff population. And then we have our community manager. That's anyone, who's a people manager. I think working with our community of.

[00:18:14] We need to make sure that we all buy into what it is that we're talking about. How do we walk the talk? How do we hold ourselves accountable to that? And starting to build back those communities where they can lean on each other and leverage from each other. Is something that, you know, we are in the empathy stage with, with these things.

[00:18:31] And, and we talk to these leaders about this is going to be an evolution, this a journey for us. This is not a one and done conversation. There's going to be a, a lot of things that we're going to spend time. Working together on and, and understanding your, where it's most valuable to spend our time and work as a team.

[00:18:48] This can't be you know, a traditional HR talking head teaching you management 1 0 1. So I think, you know, where do we go next? Good question. That's what we're as a team trying to figure, I'm trying to nail down that strategy really make sure that we knock it out of the park and work together to make sure it resonates with them.

[00:19:06] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: that sounds a little bit like change management 1 0 1, like it's really baked in because when I ever I teach that particular topic or I'm working with clients around it, it's this idea of acknowledging, you know, here's where we're at. Early stages, right. And providing context. Here's what we think is possible.

[00:19:22] What we think is needed and then involve writing. You're involving them. You're going beyond your own function already to really get them engaged in what's needed. And I just, I can just see, uh, you know, the impact that'll have on the buy and ultimately

[00:19:37] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Absolutely. And that's part of our core values. Our core values are inspire and involve and exact. so, as you can see, we have, we've got alignment in terms of, you know, how we want to be living it. Uh it's it's what are those actions associated with them and how do we leave? 

[00:19:53] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Oh, I love it. Inspire, involve in ignite. There you go. So if anybody's listening is looking, loves alliteration and needs a little bit of inspiration about building some pillars. There you go. 

[00:20:03] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Yeah. 

[00:20:04] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Wonderful. Okay. So let's let's sort of switch gears a little bit because something that's always fascinated me.

[00:20:11] You know, I've got a bit of global expanse. Mainly working with us and Europe being based out of Canada when I was in the HR side of things years ago. But you've, I mean, you even referenced it earlier on, you've spent time in China, on the ground setting up. Tell us a little bit about that experience and what you learned.

[00:20:30] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Yeah, that was, I wasn't really very, very unique for me. When I started here 11 years ago, I was only six months on the job when they said, okay, so we're setting this office up in China. We want you to go over there. We want you to hire the people. We want you to figure this out. And I looked at them and I said, Just so you know, I don't have any competence vending experience.

[00:20:51] I don't have any international experience and I'm not. So like, are we really clear that like I'm excited, I'm pumped. I absolutely. And completely on board, but understand what it is that you're getting. I am not a subject matter expert. And they literally turned around and said to me, well, I guess you'll be one by the end of it.

[00:21:09] Won't you. And that to me is like really what inspires me to stay with this organization, that that's opportunities like that. That was a huge one. Obviously. Those ones don't drop in your lap every day. But you know, that. You know, been in inspiring for me, going over there and doing that again, you know, working with a great team, like working with leaders that are all inspired to, you know, get this thing off the ground.

[00:21:31] Know the impact that this will have on our business and our office and our business in China. We've gone IPO, we've taken it public. You know, it's. Certainly helped us on a global scale. Especially during a pandemic having, you know, the network that we have has been very instrumental for us.

[00:21:46] So the fact that, you know, I played a role in all of that to me, is something that I can certainly look back and point to and say, wow, that was, that was pretty awesome when we managed it. Well, 

[00:21:54] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Yeah. Nothing like going from zero to 60, 60, right. Come back out as the subject matter expert, what would you say? So it sounds like, like the learning was so massive, but was there one particular lesson learned that stands out for you when you look back on that?

[00:22:10] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Lesson learned. My husband was pretty a pretty awesome guy. I left him with a new puppy and 18 month old and a three-year-old and said, see ya. I called them halfway through the week trip and said, guess what? I'm staying for another two weeks. So the poor man so, you know, be planful in terms of your timeline, it's always other business learnings.

[00:22:28] The cultural differences, never underestimate the cultural differences that exist globally. Some of them can be, you know, a little bit more subtle when you talk about north America. But you know, culturally, it's really important to understand like how you're navigating, how you're building programs and how you're talking and engaging your staff.

[00:22:45] Even the leadership you know, models and communication, you know, walking in there with a north American view on Hey, tell me guys everything that's going on. Like, how can I help you? How can I support you? there's a hierarchy that?

[00:22:56] exists further there. And you know, finding that confidence, that's part of the Amex culture.

[00:23:00] And it's certainly more of what we've built over time. Culture does not happen overnight for a company. So certainly, you know, I think the team over there has evolved a great deal when it comes to. finding their voice and, and how they're working as Well,

[00:23:14] too. But walking into that initially I didn't have that international experience, so I may have undervalued you know, the need to make sure that you understand the cultural differences and what's going to resonate with. 

[00:23:26] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Yeah. Well, and I'm wondering how that showed up. Like, was it around sort of how you approach strategy or how you implement or, I don't know if you, if, if, if that's something you can even speak to, but I'm just.

[00:23:37] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: I would say probably like on the implementation side as well, too. When you are looking for through change management as well, too, when you're looking for that feedback to really understand, is this going to be a program that you're going to value that is going to resonate with you? the way like having a direct conversation about something like that was a little bit more challenging, like over in north America people you know, tend to have more direct conversation, can have direct conversations that way.

[00:24:02] And I think walking around. Somebody's unknown to them. From north America, from head office, asking those questions as innocent as I may have thought that was probably wasn't the right way to get the feedback that I needed out of people. And you know, taking a different approach, maybe a bit softer approach to it.

[00:24:18] May, it may have helped. 

[00:24:19] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Hmm. And yet, you know, things happen for a reason. So now you know that, and you, you know, you can, you can share that with others right in the culture. You're trying to create current. So it's fascinating. Thanks for sharing that with you, with us. So another thing that I'm curious about is, you know, I see you as somebody who is, is highly influential, right?

[00:24:39] You're very, you're a passionate speaker. you'll talk about stuff that's going on at work. Right. And you're just like your, your physical about it. When you describe stuff. It, lots of hands in the hands. I don't know the, so what are the strategies you rely on when it comes to getting buy-in?

[00:24:57] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Getting buy in. Think it's also part of my working style. And that's something actually that we've talked about as a team leader lately as well, too, because I love, you know, getting into like, Team discussions and let's debate this out and I want to hear your, your thoughts and opinions on it.

[00:25:13] And let's like, get in there, roll up our sleeves and figure out what this model looks like or how this program can, we can do better with this program. so I do think my approach to things, because it is. Tell me your thoughts.

[00:25:23] Tell me how you feel about some of these things. How would you approach this differently? Because I am very transparent that way. I, I hope that I'm unassuming in some of those things. So, you know, getting people talking and letting them feel like they have a voice in at all I think is important.

[00:25:39] You know, making sure also, I think one of the biggest things right now on this strategy and when I agreed to take on this role was that we needed the executive support behind building up the talent development strategy and that I didn't want to take the role unless we could have that in place.

[00:25:53] Meaning like right from the top of that that it has to be something that everybody wants to walk the talk on, and that everybody's going to understand what that looks Like for us as well. And certainly, you know, it's in our corporate objectives around, you know, the development of our people and wanting to see the importance of that growth and development for them.

[00:26:10] We only have three corporate objectives and one of them is about development of our people. So to me, that speaks volumes about having that buy-in 

[00:26:17] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Absolutely. okay. So what I'm hearing, so it's that transparency getting people, talking, making sure they have a voice, I think it is your natural approach and because you're somebody who as you described that I could sort of picture you just being just naturally very curious, those questions, just coming very easily.

[00:26:33] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Absolutely people have. Different ways of viewing things. And I think it's really important to make sure that you don't get into group thought. I try to make sure that when, when we're hiring that that's a really important piece that we have some different perspectives and communication styles and working styles on the team.

[00:26:51] To make sure that we don't get into that group thought and I'm person that gets like super pumped and excited and can like go 150 million miles an hour. Let me loose it this, but I need people around me that are going to say, hang on a second. Have we thought this fully through, is this fully baked?

[00:27:05] How do we build this out? It was a little bit more structure to it to make sure that we're bringing everybody along. And I think through the pandemic, we have been flying by the seat of our pants for so long now. That, you know, it's been a good checkpoint for our HR team, our HR leadership team to take a step back and say, okay, this isn't what life needs to needs to look like.

[00:27:25] We need to, you know, take a step back and paste this out in a way that, that works for everybody. Now that we have a little bit more structure back in our lives. 

[00:27:33] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Yeah. It's almost like another pivot, 

[00:27:35] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Yep. 

[00:27:36] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: right? It's just a planned one this time. Yeah. It certainly certainly has been challenging for, you know, everybody in some way, shape or form. So I can, I can appreciate that desired sort of say, okay, so, you know, now we have all Macron coming into play, but like, how are we going to respond?

[00:27:53] And build in some planning we'll still kind of exercising. That agility muscle that, that builds up. Okay. So another question that's coming to mind as we, we kind of get close to the end here. So what do you think you're going to miss the most in HR in the more pure HR side and what are you looking forward to the most in your new role?

[00:28:14] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Well, as you know, I'd love to talk to people. it's still going to be very client focused, I hope. And in terms of, you know, leadership development and you're getting people's buy in. But I think, you know, I really enjoy working in sitting on my executive teams that I've been sitting on for the last few years, as well, too, sitting at the business table, actually hearing.

[00:28:34] You know, the business solutioning and being a key partner in that that's tough for me to let go. It really is. But that's also, you know, part of the pivot that needs to happen and gives you, you know, an opportunity to focus on different things and taking that understanding of the. And making sure I'm leveraging that into what needs to happen to help this company be successful in the future, and really help us take us to the next level that we're looking to move to.

[00:28:58] So, I, it's just contributing to that bottom line in a different way. But sitting at that exact table and, and hearing those things, I think that's, that's where I lean into my, my people business partner group to really make sure that we're we're well connected and tight. 

[00:29:11] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Yeah, well, I think what's, what's beneficial here is that you have that established credibility and knowledge of the business that you can bring into play. Right. With this just slightly different angle on things. Yeah. Yeah. Interesting. So as we sort of move towards the end, I have one more question for you and this one might give you pause.

[00:29:31] So when you think about everything you've done in your career, what's your favorite standout memory?

[00:29:38] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: there's been so many great opportunities. Actually one of my favorite moments at IMAX was sitting beside, it was actually sitting beside our SVP of. I'm ex technology operations at Ontario place. And it says fair. And the guys the R and D team was showing us the first laser, our giant theater or laser projection. And doing their first demo of it. And we both were sitting there and we were in such awe of what they had actually built, cause it was a ground up development for us. So we, you know, purchased our codec patents. We hired a whole bunch of the guys. We built the office in Rochester. And then we hired team up here as well to, into this ground up development that had never been done here before.

[00:30:21] For our giant theater laser projection system that still is in the office here today, our 90 foot screen, one of the biggest in Canada What that, that technology that these guys actually managed to create was really inspirational. It's, you know, when you can touch and feel your product it really makes a very big difference.

[00:30:39] If you're at a bank you're not touching a ceiling, not rolling around in the vault with money. when you're sitting in the theater and you can actually, you know, have Airplane fly over top and feel like that vibration or going up into space. And you really feel that, or somebody singing on the screen, it evokes emotion in you.

[00:30:56] So the passion that comes with seeing such a fantastic R and D initiative comes to. I think that was a pretty instrumental one for me. That was a pretty exciting one with a done perfectly, probably not, but that's, that's the way, you know, the agile nature of, of this group here that I love. And it was, you know, it was the outcome of, it was so inspirational that I would probably point to that as, as a pretty new one. 

[00:31:18] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Yeah, that's, that's a really neat memory. It actually, you know, I think about the Cintas fear and being a little kid seeing north of superior, right? Like early film, way, way back, you know, like these things stand out. It is a very experiential product that you, that you create Yeah.

[00:31:36] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: And you know, it never tires like when you've been here, as long as I have, and you still sit there and you still feel that it's pretty, pretty special. 

[00:31:43] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--61157a395affa4006d0cfc64--lollyg: Yeah, that gets you through the tough, the tough days. I'm sure. Excellent. Excellent. Well, thank you so much for taking the time to come on and speak with me today. I really, really enjoyed our conversation. I appreciate it. 

[00:31:54] morgan-storie_recording-1_2021-11-30--t09-26-15pm--guest391386--morgan: Great. Thank you. So thanks for having me.