The Leadership Listening Playbook with Penny Farinha
Episode Summary:
In this episode of Culture Conversations, Craig Forman talks with Penny Farinha — a people and culture leader who helped scale Ecobee from 60 employees to more than 600 while keeping the company’s values and mission at the center.
Together, they explore what it really takes to earn executive buy-in for employee listening programs, why timing and expectation-setting are crucial, and how leaders can move from data to action without losing sight of the people at the heart of their organizations.
Penny shares practical lessons from leading through high growth, building authentic connection at scale, and living your culture through everyday decisions — not just headlines.
Whether you’re an executive, HR leader, or people practitioner, this conversation will leave you with a clearer playbook for building trust, taking meaningful action, and shaping culture intentionally as you grow. ⸻
Key Topics Covered:
• How to earn authentic leadership buy-in for employee listening
• Why timing is crucial for listening and action
• How to set realistic expectations during listening programs
• Scaling connection without losing your culture
• Leadership’s role in translating values into everyday actions
• Lessons from scaling a tech company while protecting its culture
⸻
Resources and Links:
- Learn more about CultureC Consulting: www.culturecraig.com
- Follow Craig Forman on LinkedIn: Craig Forman
- Follow CultureC Consulting Here
About Culture Conversations:
Culture Conversations is hosted by Craig Forman, founder of CultureC Consulting. Each episode explores how leaders and organizations can listen more deeply, act more meaningfully, and build cultures where people and business thrive. Learn more about how CultureC helps organizations design better listening, leadership, and action strategies at www.culturecraig.com.