Steph Corker is a Vancouver-based People & Culture consultant who leads her own HR firm, The Corker Co. She helps organizations build amazing teams by teaching them to put their people first and helping them source the best talent.
When she's not working, reading, or cooking healthy meals, she's competing in triathlons -- Ironman competitions, to be precise. She's finished 13 of them and qualified for the World Championships three times.
"I believe in heart beats: elevated, sweaty and passionately pounding kind of beats," her website states. "I am most passionate about uncovering the potential of people and tapping into what’s possible in untraditional, unconventional, and totally innovative ways."
She uses her consulting practice to do just that: to uncover the potential of people by acquiring, developing, training, and transforming happy, healthy, engaged candidates.
We caught up with Steph to learn about her career, her unique and heartfelt approach to HR, and her tips for building a successful business.
Who are you, what do you do, and what’s your role in People & Culture?
I am Steph Corker. I am a people consultant who is most passionate about acquiring and accelerating talent within remarkable organizations. Every other moment of the day, I am an ambitious triathlete who believes in setting big hairy goals and chasing them with every last heartbeat.
Tell us about your career progression and what led you to where you are now.
The short answer is, "by mistake!" And perhaps it has been my favourite mistake. I left Toronto 12 years ago and came west to be a nanny. I fell into a short-term contract with an executive search firm and you could say the rest was history.
That short-term contract became one of my favourite career stops, as I learned all about the executive hiring process and how decisions were made about people well before everything was available on the internet. I had the chance to go in-house and lead the recruiting function at several organizations before landing at Lululemon Athletica for 5 years of rocket-ship growth. When the leadership team changed, I knew it was time for me to move on and support leaders who I really believed in. Just like that, steph corker inc (The Corker Co.) was born. It’s been 18 months and only a few sleepless nights. The hustle is addictive!
What do you see as being the most important aspect of People & Culture in 2015?
Well, I think 2015 is coming to an end...we are also seeing “old school HR” come to a pretty quick halt. It is no longer transactional, nor is HR a viable function to be deemed a business expense. I believe the People function has an opportunity to impact the business and the bottom line in a very different way, and the leaders who can create that value will be seen as the leaders of the future.
What do you think will be the most challenging aspect of People & Culture in 2016?
In 2016, I think we will really see the impact of a melting pot of generations in the workforce. I think the next 3-5 years will create significant waves about how people work, where they work, and how they are compensated. I'm not sure all HR leaders are equipped to renovate their thinking around how things have always been done to make room for these new disruptors. However, businesses will run more efficiently and with more innovation if we can figure this out. (Some might argue that we've already seen this take place. I think the waves are going to get bigger in the years ahead. (Surfs up!))
What are some core principles a team should employ to ensure knowledge, culture, and camaraderie remain vital and accessible to everyone at a company as it grows?
I’m a firm believer that culture is generated by each person, not something that is merely consumed by those who join an organization. To me, culture is how you operate your business. It is core values at work, it is how you make decisions (especially the tough ones!), and who you bring along for the ride. Hire the right leaders, commit to developing your people in every area of their life, and they will develop your business to a whole new level. And lest we forget, they don't call it growing pains for nothin'!
In your opinion, what does it take to build a successful company?
A leader with a vision beyond a product and a purpose for their people to believe in. By the simple laws of attraction, everything else will happen.
Tell us about making a scary decision and reaping the rewards.
I don't think I've made many scary decisions. I think I've made lots of tough ones, but they've never made me scared. Ultimately, I think: "What is the worst thing that can happen." If I can deal with that, well, it's not the end of the world. Leaving Lululemon was indeed tough. I felt very defined by my career there. Heck, I thought I could retire from Lululemon. Yet being able to recognize that the brand had changed and no longer stood for the same values it once had made it clear to me that I needed to move on. The toughest part was accepting that I could not change the direction the company was going. The scary part was wondering if I could pay rent on my own, and the reward has been building a consulting business that I could not be more proud of!
What’s the biggest piece of advice you would give for effective business growth?
I am biased, but come on: it is all about people! Set a clear vision of what you want to create in the world and then hire the right people. Commit to developing every single person like they will be the next CEO, and then they will make smart decisions accordingly. Fire the wrong people quickly -- it is better for everyone. I always think of [building a team] like growing a garden: plant seeds, water them daily and keep the weeds out. You will then have enough kale to feed your family all winter long.
What’s on your current reading list?
I just finished Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert and it was nothing short of awesome!
I’m part way through The Year Without Pants by Scott Berkun, a must read for anyone working from home who forgets to put on real pants.
Next up, I'm waiting to crack Richard Branson's The Virgin Way because I love everything about how this man leads.
And, because I think good food is as comforting as a good book, the Oh She Glows cookbook should also be on this list. I'll read it and create from it weekly!
Tell us something about yourself that we wouldn’t know otherwise.
I have only seen 8 movies in my entire life. I have always fallen asleep while watching movies and therefore, I gave up on them at a very early age (It’s been the only thing I’ve given up on!) However, I was recently informed by my favorite 11-year-old that I'm, "missing out on culture by not watching more movies." And you know what? I think he might be right. We shall see if I can make it through my next flick...
