Breakout Presentation

Presentation Details
"First-hand Lessons on Building a Culture of Learning"
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Workplace culture is shaped by real-world challenges, leadership decisions, and a continuous commitment to learning. This session explores key lessons in culture-building through case studies of business transformation and insights from leading organizations.
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Examples include revitalizing a neglected office in Costa Rica into a world-class service center, restoring profitability and engagement after a business acquisition, and managing the complexities of offshoring thousands of roles. Additionally, lessons from top-performing organizations highlight how culture is strengthened through pride in work, effective training, workplace safety, and employee-driven initiatives. A common theme runs through all these experiences: organizations and leaders must constantly evolve to build cultures that drive business success.
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Through this session, you'll know how to:​​
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Learn the Business – Develop a deep understanding of operations, challenges, and goals to build a workplace culture that strengthens business success.
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Ask and Listen – Engage employees by asking about their work, challenges, and needs. A culture of learning starts with leaders who prioritize employee insights.
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Simplify Processes – Remove unnecessary complexity in structures and initiatives. Streamlining efforts keeps teams focused on meaningful work.
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Speaker Bio:
David Irwin is the CEO of gThankYou, a company that provides gift certificates redeemable for food items at grocery stores nationwide, often used by organizations to express appreciation and build workplace culture. Before acquiring gThankYou in 2023, he spent two decades in leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies, including RR Donnelley and Fiserv, where he led workforce globalization, managed large-scale service operations, and oversaw numerous acquisitions.
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With an Economics degree from Dartmouth and an MBA from Wharton, Irwin brings a strategic, data-driven approach to business and culture. His experience leading teams of thousands has shaped his perspective on employee engagement, organizational growth, and the critical role of leadership in building strong workplace cultures.