Gunnar Lovelace on Creating a Thriving Company Culture - with Lewis Howes

Positive Environment

Creating a positive work environment at Thrive Market is a priority for Gunnar Lovelace. He stresses the importance of leadership reflecting positivity and avoiding negativity like gossip and complaining. Gunnar shares that fostering an open culture where employees feel safe to speak up is crucial for the company's success 1.

If we're positive and we're not gossiping behind people to other parts of the leadership, and we're not acting in a judgmental way, but still like real performance. KPIs and metrics and excellence and deliverables, but positive and loving and authentic. The virtuous cycles that emerge from that are so unquantifiable and so powerful. And at the same time, it's hard to do.

--- Gunnar Lovelace

Additionally, he highlights the benefits of investing in employee programs, such as a food program that fosters community and interdepartmental relationships 2.

   

Empowering Leadership

Empowering leadership is another key focus for Gunnar. He reflects on his journey from being a micromanager to becoming a supportive leader who nurtures and empowers his team. Gunnar believes his role as a CEO is to find the best people, provide them with resources, and allow them to succeed 3.

My job now as a CEO, which I feel like is really more about chief energy officer, I'm really there conducting energy, the energy of the organization. My job is to find the absolute best people, get out of their way and make sure that they have the resources they need.

--- Gunnar Lovelace

He also emphasizes the importance of authenticity in leadership, sharing his personal journey of embracing his true self and how it positively impacts his leadership style 4.