Ever feel like the company you work for today is like a completely different planet compared
to when you first started?
Yeah, like it's gone through a whole metamorphosis or something.
Exactly.
And that's what we're diving into today, Akamai Technologies.
From its early days as a dot-com era startup back in 99 to the global powerhouse it is
now, should be quite a ride.
And to guide us, we've got insights from Akamai's very own CIO, Kate Prouty.
Pulling back the curtain on what it was really like back then.
Seriously, her talk was like, get this, 1999 dot-com boom is in full swing.
And at Akamai, rollerblading in the office wasn't just allowed.
It was practically encouraged.
I know, right?
Talk about a time capsule, but it gets even wilder.
Oh yeah, Prouty doesn't hold back.
15 hour work days were totally normal.
They had this Titans Award for people who basically lived at the office.
And the phrase, you are behind, might as well have been their motto.
It's almost unimaginable now, isn't it?
Totally.
And the funny thing, it's easy to just focus on the superficial stuff.
The rollerblading, the crazy hours.
But what I found fascinating was how this whole environment came to be.
Because it wasn't just random, right?
There were actual reasons.
Exactly.
So beyond the like quirky perks and stuff, what was at the core of it all?
Well, to understand Akamai's culture then, you have to understand the context.
This was a startup, a tiny fish in a huge GE pond fighting tooth and nail to survive.
So it was sink or swim.
Basically speed and innovation weren't just buzzwords.
They were essential for survival.
And that's where that always on mentality came from.
It was like their secret weapon.
In a way, yeah.
And you can see how in those early days, that intensity, as crazy as it seems now, was directly
tied to their success.
It's a classic startup story, right?
But even back then, Prouty recognized that this pace, this blurring of work and life,
it was exciting, but not sustainable.
Exactly.
And that's where we start to see the first signs of change brewing.
Because what works for a company in one stage doesn't always work in another.
It's like that saying, what got you here won't get you there.
Yeah, exactly.
And that same intensity that fuels the startup's growth can actually become a roadblock later
on.
Makes you think about all those companies that didn't make it, right?
It really does.
Because to grow, you need to adapt, attract different kinds of talent, and honestly just
prevent your team from burning out.
And things definitely did change.
That they did.
Fast forward to today, 2024.
Akamai is embracing work from home like 80%.
They're all about employee well-being now.
And the parental leave policies are light years away from where they started.
Something Prouty saw firsthand, actually.
Oh, really?
Yeah.
She talks about how she was one of the first Akamai employees to be pregnant while working
there.
Wow.
And like the difference between the policies then and the support they offer now, it's huge.
It's amazing how much changes even in just a couple of decades.
Right.
Makes you wonder though, was this like a conscious decision they made?
Or were they just forced to adapt like a lot of tech companies?
It's probably a mix of both, to be honest.
Yeah.
I mean, think about it.
The entire tech world went through a major cultural shift.
Totally.
Suddenly, everyone's fighting for the best talent.
Employee expectations are through the roof.
Right.
And the workforce itself is way more diverse than it used to be.
The companies had to get with the times or get left behind.
Exactly.
If you tried to stick to those old ways of doing things.
You'd be sunk.
Exactly.
So the question is, how did Akamai actually bridge that gap?
Right.
Because it's one thing to know you need to change.
Totally different to actually do it.
For sure.
But Prouty points to a few things.
Strong leadership was key.
They knew they had to evolve.
Okay.
But the big thing was they were willing to listen to their employees.
That's so important.
Right.
Because a lot of times the best ideas come from the people who are actually doing the
work.
Exactly.
They're the ones on the front lines.
So they know what's working and what isn't.
And it takes leaders who not only hear that feedback, but actually act on it.
Totally.
And not just like little surface level changes.
We're talking about a complete rethink.
Right.
Prouty even says their core values had to evolve.
Yeah.
Like in 99, one of their big values was relentless pursuit of results.
Which you know, makes sense in that environment.
Yeah.
But later on they changed it to sustainable achievement.
Muppet better.
I know, right?
It shows they realized that long-term success depends on employees actually having a life
outside of work.
Exactly.
You can't just slap a work-life balance sticker on a culture that used to be all about those
crazy hours.
Totally.
It's more fundamental than that.
For sure.
And that's where it gets really tricky for a lot of companies.
Yeah.
They hold on to the things that made you successful in the first place.
Right.
The drive, the innovation.
Mm-hmm.
But at the same time, get rid of the things that are holding you back.
It's like walking a tightrope.
Exactly.
Yeah.
It's a delicate balance.
Prouty hints at that.
Yeah.
She mentions that there was definitely internal resistance when they started making these
changes.
Well, yeah.
Change is scary.
Even when it's a good thing.
Exactly.
You're always going to have people who are afraid of it.
For sure.
In any company, there will be people who see those shifts as a threat.
To the company's identity.
Yeah.
Or even to their own place within it.
Which I get.
But you can't just stay stuck in the past.
Absolutely.
But then there's the other side of the coin too.
Which is?
Swinging too far in the other direction.
Oh.
Trying to please everyone all the time.
Exactly.
And ending up with what some people call culture by committee.
Ah.
So instead of a strong culture.
You end up with something that's bland and watered down.
Yeah.
Trying to be everything to everyone.
And that never works out well.
Definitely not.
It's like that saying.
What's that?
A camel is a horse designed by a committee.
Oh, I like that one.
Yeah.
It makes me think of this one time.
Yeah.
It makes me think of this one time I was at this tech startup a few years back.
Okay.
And they decided to try out this whole flat hierarchy thing.
Interesting.
Yeah.
On paper it sounded amazing, right?
Total equality.
Exactly.
Everyone gets a voice.
No more big bosses.
Right.
But in reality, it was a total disaster.
Oh no.
And seriously, no one knew who was actually in charge of decisions.
Yeah.
Projects got bogged down because everyone had to have their say.
Wow.
It was crazy.
And the funny thing is it actually stifled creativity instead of encouraging it.
That's so interesting though, because it shows how even well intention changes.
Can totally backfire.
Yeah.
If they're not implemented really carefully, you can't just like slap a trendy label on
something and call it a day.
It's so true.
And it made me think about something Proudy said about how we can all actually impact company
culture.
Oh yeah.
Even if we're not the CEO.
Exactly.
It's easy to feel powerless if you're not in charge.
For sure.
That she has this idea of being an anti-mentor.
Anti-mentor.
That's a new one.
I know, right?
But it's actually really cool.
So instead of just focusing on the people who are doing things right, you also learn
from the people who are doing things wrong.
Interesting.
Yeah.
You observe their behaviors and you're like, okay, I am not doing that.
I like it.
I'm just like learning by bad example.
Exactly.
And it actually happened to me earlier in my career.
I had this colleague who was a huge e-micro manager.
Oh no.
Seriously.
He was obsessed with every little detail.
He probably thought he was being helpful.
And it probably drove everyone crazy.
Oh, totally.
It killed the vibe.
And seeing that firsthand made me realize, okay, that is not how I want to lead.
It's amazing how those negative examples can be so powerful.
Right.
And the thing is by recognizing those anti-mentors and actively choosing to do things differently.
You're actually shaping the culture yourself.
Exactly.
You become part of the solution.
It's a good reminder that culture isn't just some top-down thing.
Right.
We're all contributing to it in our own ways.
Absolutely.
Those little actions can really add up.
I mean, imagine if everyone at Akamai had stuck with that old obstreperous attitude.
Yeah.
If no one had spoken up and said, hey, maybe there's a better way.
Exactly.
Maybe where they are today with such a diverse team and all those amazing products, it's
doubtful.
It really makes you wonder though, right?
Like in a world that's obsessed with hustle culture.
Still glorifying those 80-hour weeks.
Is there even room for a company like Akamai was back in 99 with that whole you are behind
mentality?
That's a good question.
Has our definition of success actually changed?
Right.
Can a company actually be both high-performing and prioritize its employees' well-being?
Or is there always going to be some kind of trade-off?
It's something to think about, that's for sure.
And it's not just for tech companies either.
No way.
This applies to any industry that's going through big changes.
Totally.
So as you're navigating your own career path, running into all kinds of company cultures.
Just remember what we've talked about here.
Because challenge equals change.
For companies and for us as individuals.
And on that note, I love what Proudie said at the end of her talk.
If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you.
That is so true on so many levels.
It really is.
That was our deep dive into Akamai's transformation.
Super interesting stuff.
It really was.
But remember, this is just one company's journey.
So take a look around at your own work, your own industry.
What challenges are you facing?
And how can those challenges actually be opportunities?
Something to ponder as you head back out into the world.
A little wiser, hopefully.
And maybe even inspired to make a difference yourself.