#193: Strategic HR Evolution: Building Culture-Driven IT Organizations with Will Smith, Chief of Staff at the City of Seattle IT

Featuring:

• Will Smith, Chief of Staff at City of Seattle IT

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Seattle IT revolutionized HR by embedding dedicated business partners within each department, transforming traditional personnel management into strategic partnerships that understand both technical operations and business goals
• The critical intersection of organizational psychology and tech leadership, through Smith's doctoral research on how growth mindset principles drive successful cultural transformation in IT organizations
• Seattle IT's innovative "from-to state" framework for cultural change, creating systematic pathways from fixed to growth mindset and empowering teams with clear decision-making abilities
• The power of intentional culture-building in IT organizations, demonstrated through Seattle IT's focus on psychological safety and creating spaces where all perspectives are valued
• How modern HR leadership drives organizational success by understanding both human capital and technical operations, illustrated through Seattle IT's transformation from a traditional personnel office to a strategic business partner

Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction and Welcome

(01:00) Will Smith: From HR Expert to Chief of Staff at Seattle IT

(03:00) Personal Background and Family Values

(04:00) Educational Journey: Bridging IT, Law, and Organizational Psychology

(07:00) Understanding the 'Why' in Organizations

(09:00) Growth Mindset: Foundation for Organizational Change

(11:00) Revolutionizing HR: The Business Partner Model

(14:00) Creating Intentional Culture and Psychological Safety

(17:00) Managing Conflict Through Relationship Building

(19:00) Leading Change: Hybrid Work Transformation

(21:00) Seattle IT Learning Conference: Culture in Action

(23:00) Closing Thoughts and Show Information

Links Mentioned

• 2024 Seattle Learning Conference Playlist
• Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck, Stanford University

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Partners

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