WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.439 Welcome to The Deep Dive, where we unpack huge 00:00:02.439 --> 00:00:04.500 amounts of research and distill it all down to 00:00:04.500 --> 00:00:06.839 the essentials you need to know. And today, we 00:00:06.839 --> 00:00:09.300 are really digging into a big one. We are. We're 00:00:09.300 --> 00:00:12.779 tracing the 25 -year evolution of a major tech 00:00:12.779 --> 00:00:15.660 company, Akamai Technologies. It's really a story 00:00:15.660 --> 00:00:18.879 about change, about how leadership has to mature. 00:00:19.260 --> 00:00:21.559 And, you know, how a startup culture survives 00:00:21.559 --> 00:00:24.940 that transition to becoming a, what, nearly $4 00:00:24.940 --> 00:00:28.199 billion? global leader. So our guide on this 00:00:28.199 --> 00:00:30.519 journey is Kate Prouty. She's the current CIO 00:00:30.519 --> 00:00:32.719 of Akamai. Right, and she's the perfect person 00:00:32.719 --> 00:00:34.479 to track this because she joined the company 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:37.539 way back in 1999, right at the beginning. She's 00:00:37.539 --> 00:00:39.479 been in leadership there for over two decades. 00:00:39.500 --> 00:00:41.920 And we need to set the scale here. Akamai is, 00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:44.299 for many, basically the backbone of the internet. 00:00:44.460 --> 00:00:47.219 They're handling content, security, cloud computing. 00:00:47.980 --> 00:00:50.840 billions of times a day. So this isn't just about, 00:00:50.840 --> 00:00:52.560 you know, changing the snacks in the break room. 00:00:52.679 --> 00:00:55.880 No. This is a fundamental shift in the company's 00:00:55.880 --> 00:00:59.299 DNA, all while managing this insane technical 00:00:59.299 --> 00:01:01.759 complexity. So our mission for this deep dive 00:01:01.759 --> 00:01:05.000 is to unpack the sources from Prouty's experience. 00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:08.219 How did they actually drive that change from 00:01:08.219 --> 00:01:11.319 the top down? And I think more importantly, what 00:01:11.319 --> 00:01:14.579 parts of that that sort of wild 1999 culture, 00:01:15.000 --> 00:01:17.560 did they have to leave behind to survive? Because 00:01:17.560 --> 00:01:20.340 the big takeaway here is that change, well, it's 00:01:20.340 --> 00:01:22.579 not really optional. OK, so let's jump in that 00:01:22.579 --> 00:01:25.219 time capsule. Let's go back to 1999. What was 00:01:25.219 --> 00:01:28.239 that startup environment really like? The sources, 00:01:28.299 --> 00:01:30.819 they paint a very specific picture. It's that 00:01:30.819 --> 00:01:34.879 high octane, late dot com era. Right. It's exhilarating. 00:01:35.060 --> 00:01:36.959 You know, frenetic energy, food deliveries, and 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:41.060 my favorite detail. people literally on rollerblades 00:01:41.060 --> 00:01:43.560 in the office. Rollerblades? I mean, that detail 00:01:43.560 --> 00:01:46.099 says so much, but that pace, it wasn't just for 00:01:46.099 --> 00:01:48.180 show, was it? There was a real technical need 00:01:48.180 --> 00:01:50.260 for that speed. Oh, absolutely. They were building 00:01:50.260 --> 00:01:52.519 a global content delivery network from scratch. 00:01:52.680 --> 00:01:54.780 They had to be faster and louder than everyone. 00:01:55.159 --> 00:01:57.659 And that desperation, it translated directly 00:01:57.659 --> 00:01:59.599 into their culture. So how did they define that? 00:01:59.799 --> 00:02:01.700 Their motto, and this was literally printed on 00:02:01.700 --> 00:02:05.680 their walls, was the word obstreperous. Obstreperous. 00:02:05.719 --> 00:02:09.759 I love that word. It's so... Noisy, defiant. 00:02:09.919 --> 00:02:11.580 That was the whole point. It meant you were a 00:02:11.580 --> 00:02:13.960 disrupter. You were making noise, demanding change. 00:02:14.379 --> 00:02:17.379 The lines between jobs were, you know, intentionally 00:02:17.379 --> 00:02:19.639 blurry. If you saw a problem, you just jumped 00:02:19.639 --> 00:02:23.379 in. But this idea of healthy debate, it sounds 00:02:23.379 --> 00:02:26.080 like it often tipped over into something, well, 00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:28.860 less healthy. It did. The sources are pretty 00:02:28.860 --> 00:02:31.319 clear that this culture was full of young, very 00:02:31.319 --> 00:02:34.379 academic people. And it created this environment 00:02:34.379 --> 00:02:38.949 of constant, intense confrontation. So the goal 00:02:38.949 --> 00:02:41.949 wasn't collaboration? Not really. The goal was 00:02:41.949 --> 00:02:43.389 often to be the smartest person in the room. 00:02:44.069 --> 00:02:46.689 To actively search for the mistakes in your colleague's 00:02:46.689 --> 00:02:48.389 work. Wow, that sounds incredibly stressful. 00:02:48.430 --> 00:02:50.430 A real pressure cooker. It was. And they had 00:02:50.430 --> 00:02:53.090 a mantra for it, you were behind. Jeez. Yeah. 00:02:53.270 --> 00:02:56.189 And the way they recognized success just solidified 00:02:56.189 --> 00:02:59.250 this whole individualistic, heroic thing. They 00:02:59.250 --> 00:03:01.110 had something called the Titans Award. OK, the 00:03:01.110 --> 00:03:03.669 Titans Award. Let me guess. It wasn't for the 00:03:03.669 --> 00:03:07.020 best team player? Not at all. It was explicitly 00:03:07.020 --> 00:03:11.020 for the superstar Titan individual contributor. 00:03:11.560 --> 00:03:15.379 The one brilliant person whose Herculean solo 00:03:15.379 --> 00:03:18.719 effort saved the day. So management, teamwork, 00:03:19.159 --> 00:03:21.620 that was all secondary to just these heroic solo 00:03:21.620 --> 00:03:25.159 acts. Totally. And the expectation was complete 00:03:25.159 --> 00:03:28.240 and utter dedication. 15 plus hours a day in 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:30.639 the office was normal. It was a badge of honor 00:03:30.639 --> 00:03:33.530 to sacrifice your personal life. People rarely 00:03:33.530 --> 00:03:35.590 even talked about their lives outside of work. 00:03:35.930 --> 00:03:38.210 So that culture, as exciting as it sounds, it 00:03:38.210 --> 00:03:40.409 really had a shelf life. It was a ticking time 00:03:40.409 --> 00:03:42.289 bomb. It was completely unsustainable. And that 00:03:42.289 --> 00:03:44.469 connects to the bigger picture, right? The mandate 00:03:44.469 --> 00:03:46.830 to evolve wasn't just about technology. It was 00:03:46.830 --> 00:03:49.389 about, well... about scaling their humanity. 00:03:49.969 --> 00:03:51.750 Akamai and Prouty basically grew up together. 00:03:51.969 --> 00:03:53.889 And the sources show that the pressure for change 00:03:53.889 --> 00:03:56.669 often came from very personal places. Yes, exactly. 00:03:57.009 --> 00:03:58.789 Prouty mentions that she was one of the very 00:03:58.789 --> 00:04:00.849 first people at Akamai to get pregnant back in 00:04:00.849 --> 00:04:02.669 those early days. And if you look at how the 00:04:02.669 --> 00:04:04.830 company handled that then versus now, I mean, 00:04:04.849 --> 00:04:06.949 it just perfectly shows the massive gap they 00:04:06.949 --> 00:04:11.430 had to cross. The contrast is it's really dramatic. 00:04:11.930 --> 00:04:14.569 Back then, she was one of maybe five people in 00:04:14.569 --> 00:04:16.649 the mother's group. Just five. Maternity leave 00:04:16.649 --> 00:04:20.699 was rigid. 12 weeks just following the law and 00:04:20.699 --> 00:04:24.100 zero paternity leave. It was seen as a concession 00:04:24.100 --> 00:04:26.639 You know not a benefit and now you fast forward 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:30.060 the company has over 12 ,000 employees You just 00:04:30.060 --> 00:04:33.579 can't ask thousands of adults with kids and mortgages 00:04:33.579 --> 00:04:36.720 and real lives To operate like those 22 year 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:38.899 old rollerbladers the leadership finally realized 00:04:38.899 --> 00:04:41.560 it The old culture was actively hurting their 00:04:41.560 --> 00:04:43.379 ability to keep the senior people they needed 00:04:43.529 --> 00:04:46.629 So their most precious asset, their people, was 00:04:46.629 --> 00:04:49.290 being worn down. Exactly. The mindset had to 00:04:49.290 --> 00:04:51.430 shift from, how much time can we get out of them, 00:04:51.930 --> 00:04:53.850 to something more like, how do we support their 00:04:53.850 --> 00:04:55.769 whole lives so they do better work? It's that 00:04:55.769 --> 00:04:57.930 old saying, right? What got you here won't get 00:04:57.930 --> 00:05:00.649 you there. It's so true. The heroic, chaotic 00:05:00.649 --> 00:05:02.629 stuff that built the company in the first place 00:05:02.629 --> 00:05:04.490 was never going to get them to that next stage 00:05:04.490 --> 00:05:07.589 as a mature, multi -billion dollar organization. 00:05:07.610 --> 00:05:09.779 Yeah. OK, this is where it gets really fascinating 00:05:09.779 --> 00:05:13.639 to me. How does a company that literally rewarded 00:05:13.639 --> 00:05:16.160 people for being at their desks for 15 hours, 00:05:16.680 --> 00:05:19.399 how do they suddenly pivot to celebrating the 00:05:19.399 --> 00:05:21.500 idea that you might never need to be in the office? 00:05:21.699 --> 00:05:24.199 It was a massive, massive undertaking. They went 00:05:24.199 --> 00:05:27.560 from that culture of mandatory face time to something 00:05:27.560 --> 00:05:30.480 they call flex space, which lets employees choose 00:05:30.480 --> 00:05:32.920 where they work best. And it's not just a policy 00:05:32.920 --> 00:05:36.160 on paper. No, it's real. Over 80 % of their employees 00:05:36.160 --> 00:05:38.360 now work four or more days a week from home. 00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:41.240 So my question is, the one every manager listening 00:05:41.240 --> 00:05:44.040 is probably thinking, how do you keep collaboration, 00:05:44.459 --> 00:05:47.379 productivity, all of it going when 80 % of your 00:05:47.379 --> 00:05:49.740 team is remote, especially coming from where 00:05:49.740 --> 00:05:51.819 they came from? Well, it's a huge investment, 00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:54.160 both technical and managerial. Technically, their 00:05:54.160 --> 00:05:56.300 systems had to be flawless and cloud -ready. 00:05:56.639 --> 00:05:59.000 But the managerial shift was the big one. You 00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:01.279 had to stop managing by sight. Exactly. The focus 00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:03.740 had to move from inputs, you know, did I see 00:06:03.740 --> 00:06:06.540 you sitting there, to outcomes. Trust had to 00:06:06.540 --> 00:06:08.899 become the default. Managers are trained to assess 00:06:08.899 --> 00:06:11.939 results, not your proximity to the office. And 00:06:11.939 --> 00:06:14.240 you mentioned that Titan Awards still exists, 00:06:14.579 --> 00:06:17.160 but it means something different. That must have 00:06:17.160 --> 00:06:19.399 required a total overhaul of how they review 00:06:19.399 --> 00:06:22.360 performance. It did. The Titan is no longer the 00:06:22.360 --> 00:06:25.490 solo superstar. So what is it now? The new definition 00:06:25.490 --> 00:06:28.829 is all about collaborative impact, cross -functional 00:06:28.829 --> 00:06:32.389 success, mentorship. The performance metrics 00:06:32.389 --> 00:06:35.569 now explicitly reward you for sharing knowledge 00:06:35.569 --> 00:06:37.990 for making the whole team succeed. So being a 00:06:37.990 --> 00:06:40.470 brilliant jerk is no longer a viable career path 00:06:40.470 --> 00:06:43.470 there. Not if you want to be a titan, no. It's 00:06:43.470 --> 00:06:46.449 about channeling that old intellectual fire in 00:06:46.449 --> 00:06:49.439 a way that's... you know, sustainable and positive. 00:06:49.899 --> 00:06:51.720 They didn't ask people to stop being disruptive. 00:06:51.959 --> 00:06:54.100 They just asked them to be constructively disruptive. 00:06:54.180 --> 00:06:57.060 Yes. They institutionalized that obstreperous 00:06:57.060 --> 00:06:59.939 spirit. They realized you can't rely on chaotic 00:06:59.939 --> 00:07:02.019 arguments for innovation when you're a giant 00:07:02.019 --> 00:07:04.660 global company. So they build formal structures 00:07:04.660 --> 00:07:06.879 like their annual innovation challenge. Tell 00:07:06.879 --> 00:07:08.860 me more about that. How does a formal structure 00:07:08.860 --> 00:07:11.819 like that create safety? It gives a clear, safe 00:07:11.819 --> 00:07:14.879 path for anyone, no matter their role, to pitch 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:17.079 an idea all the way up to the CEO for funding. 00:07:17.180 --> 00:07:20.379 It empowers people to challenge the status quo 00:07:20.379 --> 00:07:23.800 without the fear of, you know, personal backlash 00:07:23.800 --> 00:07:26.339 if the idea doesn't work out. So it's structured 00:07:26.339 --> 00:07:29.480 risk taking. It creates room to fail. That whole 00:07:29.480 --> 00:07:31.800 idea of letting people burn down the couch, not 00:07:31.800 --> 00:07:35.720 the house. Exactly. They made innovation a system, 00:07:36.279 --> 00:07:38.399 not something dependent on a random confrontation. 00:07:38.980 --> 00:07:40.959 The core values are still there. Disruption, 00:07:41.139 --> 00:07:43.060 innovation. But now they're channeled through 00:07:43.060 --> 00:07:45.459 a system built on trust. So let's bring this 00:07:45.459 --> 00:07:47.540 home for the listener. What does all this mean 00:07:47.540 --> 00:07:49.639 for someone who's in an organization right now 00:07:49.639 --> 00:07:54.019 that feels stuck in its own 1999 mindset? Okay, 00:07:54.259 --> 00:07:56.079 key takeaway number one. You don't have to wait 00:07:56.079 --> 00:07:58.860 for the CEO to have an epiphany. Proudi is really 00:07:58.860 --> 00:08:01.079 clear on this. You can be responsible for your 00:08:01.079 --> 00:08:03.220 own culture. You can be the catalyst. You can 00:08:03.220 --> 00:08:04.819 be the catalyst. If you see something that needs 00:08:04.819 --> 00:08:07.560 to evolve, speak up. Even if it's just in your 00:08:07.560 --> 00:08:09.399 small corner of the company. And that leads right 00:08:09.399 --> 00:08:12.040 into the second big idea. Control your immediate 00:08:12.040 --> 00:08:14.449 environment. Even if you can't change a whole 00:08:14.449 --> 00:08:17.199 company, you can change your team. That micro 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:20.259 level change is so powerful. You can build trust, 00:08:20.540 --> 00:08:23.699 respect, and safety right where you are. Set 00:08:23.699 --> 00:08:26.420 clear expectations for teamwork. Hold your team 00:08:26.420 --> 00:08:29.560 accountable for eliminating those little microaggressions. 00:08:29.699 --> 00:08:32.720 Make your bubble a safe place for people to bring 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:35.139 their whole self to work wherever they're working 00:08:35.139 --> 00:08:37.539 from. Right. And for anyone in a leadership role, 00:08:37.620 --> 00:08:40.299 this all demands a huge shift in style. It's 00:08:40.299 --> 00:08:42.779 about being authentic, not just copying the old 00:08:42.779 --> 00:08:44.950 titans. Which brings us to the third takeaway. 00:08:45.149 --> 00:08:47.629 This is about leading by example, but also learning 00:08:47.629 --> 00:08:51.090 from, well, from bad examples. Yes. Prouty talks 00:08:51.090 --> 00:08:53.710 about the power of the anti -mentor. The anti 00:08:53.710 --> 00:08:55.490 -mentor. I think that's a brilliant concept. 00:08:55.750 --> 00:08:57.769 What does that actually look like? It's about 00:08:57.769 --> 00:09:00.509 deliberate observation. You watch the leader 00:09:00.509 --> 00:09:03.809 who is technically great but relationally terrible, 00:09:04.289 --> 00:09:07.750 the one who micromanages their remote team or 00:09:07.750 --> 00:09:10.250 engages in that destructive personal kind of 00:09:10.250 --> 00:09:12.350 debate. And you just take notes on what not to 00:09:12.350 --> 00:09:14.549 do? You observe their actions and you consciously 00:09:14.549 --> 00:09:17.789 vow, that is a behavior I will never ever repeat. 00:09:18.090 --> 00:09:20.169 You're not copying their success, you're learning 00:09:20.169 --> 00:09:22.509 from their failures. It's such a powerful way 00:09:22.509 --> 00:09:24.730 to build your own authentic leadership style 00:09:24.730 --> 00:09:26.929 instead of just mimicking the people who came 00:09:26.929 --> 00:09:30.460 before you. Exactly. The end goal is authenticity. 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:34.840 Don't pretend you're a 1999 Titan in today's 00:09:34.840 --> 00:09:37.340 world. It just won't work. Because the world 00:09:37.340 --> 00:09:39.799 is constantly changing. The moment you get comfortable 00:09:39.799 --> 00:09:41.860 is the moment you fall behind. And that is the 00:09:41.860 --> 00:09:44.080 final warning. If you like how things are now, 00:09:44.200 --> 00:09:46.539 great. But you have to constantly be challenging 00:09:46.539 --> 00:09:49.899 yourself and adapting. Because, as the old Ikemae 00:09:49.899 --> 00:09:51.840 saying goes, if you're standing still... You're 00:09:51.840 --> 00:09:53.840 gonna be behind. You're gonna be behind. What 00:09:53.840 --> 00:09:57.269 a journey. From a frenetic rollerblading startup 00:09:57.269 --> 00:10:00.669 to this flexible, team -focused global company, 00:10:01.110 --> 00:10:03.490 the lesson from Kate Prouty's 25 years is just 00:10:03.490 --> 00:10:07.250 so clear. Evolution is not optional. It is absolutely 00:10:07.250 --> 00:10:09.470 necessary for survival. And if you're feeling 00:10:09.470 --> 00:10:11.870 challenged by change right now in your own work 00:10:11.870 --> 00:10:14.230 or life, we should leave you with Prouty's favorite 00:10:14.230 --> 00:10:16.350 quote on this. It really sums it all up. What 00:10:16.350 --> 00:10:18.190 is it? If it doesn't challenge you, then it won't 00:10:18.190 --> 00:10:20.830 change you. Powerful. So don't just wait for 00:10:20.830 --> 00:10:24.120 change. Be the catalyst for it. Thank you for 00:10:24.120 --> 00:10:26.039 joining us for the deep dive. We'll see you next 00:10:26.039 --> 00:10:26.240 time.