Created in 2013, 360Learning experienced steady growth before reaching a key milestone in 2017 with its 50 team members. At this stage, the three co-founders felt the need to formalize their culture, not as a simple list of values, but as a true and unique work system: Convexity.
Why formalize culture with 50 team members?
The milestone of 50 employees often marks a critical transition: founders can no longer directly interact with each team member. Thus, the culture can no longer remain implicit. For 360Learning, the goal was to address a critical issue for hyper-growing startups: the law of diminishing returns.
“With hyper-growth often come rigidities and a decrease in efficiency. Convexity is designed to counter these challenges by empowering team members while increasing collective performance.” – Nicholas Wagner, then Chief People Officer.
The 13 pillars of Convexity
The Convexity work system is based on 13 pillars, which encapsulate specific behaviors and practices. These pillars, far more than a list of values, define a clear framework for working effectively and avoiding misunderstandings.
Here is an overview of the 13 pillars of Convexity:
Impact: Ambitious goals achieved through the fastest means.
Low authority: Managers act as coaches without giving direct orders.
High accountability: Everyone fully owns their successes as well as their failures.
Rational thinking: Decisions based on tangible facts.
Transparency: All information is accessible to everyone.
Repeatable solution: Creating repeatable solutions to maximize efficiency.
Hiring up: Priority to the best talents through a rigorous referral process.
Continuous feedback: Regular feedback to continuously improve.
Benevolence: A culture of mutual help aligned with collective success.
“Your life, your way”: Flexibility in choosing the place and hours of work.
Personal growth: Aim for at least 1% improvement every day.
Simplicity: Preference for simple and accessible solutions.
Prosperity: Engaged team members reap the rewards of their efforts.
Discover Convexity in more detail: Official Convexity Deck.
Continuously Evolving Culture
Upon his arrival in 2019, Nicholas Wagner, Chief People Officer, recognized the strength of Convexity and undertook to structure its evolution.
The Advisory Board and Guilds
Nicholas established an Advisory Board, composed of volunteer team members, to gather ideas and feedback on Convexity. This system later evolved into Guilds, thematic working groups.
However, due to the heterogeneity of their dynamism, the Guilds were abandoned in favor of a return to the Advisory Board.
“Integrating team members in the evolution of Convexity is essential to maintain its relevance and effectiveness.” – Nicholas Wagner.
The Strengths of Convexity
A Globally Compatible Model
Convexity breaks away from typical pitfalls, such as "meeting madness," to propose a fluid and universal work framework. This model proved particularly effective during the international expansion of 360Learning, although it required adaptation efforts, especially in the United States.
An Introvert-Friendly Model
Unlike many cultures that value extraversion, Convexity is based on written communication and asynchronous interactions. This approach allows introverted team members to express themselves and contribute fully.
An Evolving Model
Convexity is designed to evolve. For example, the pillar “No authority” became “Low authority”, recognizing cases where authority might be necessary, yet remains an exception.
Embedding Convexity in the Employee Experience
Recruitment
Convexity is at the heart of job offers. Each interview includes a section dedicated to culture, led by a trained C-level executive, to ensure candidate alignment with the pillars of Convexity.
Continuous Evaluation
Team members and managers are assessed on their adherence to the pillars, with internal surveys such as: “Do the people around me take received feedback into account?”
FAQ – Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Corporate Culture
Why is formalizing a corporate culture crucial?
Formalizing a culture helps clarify values, expected behaviors, and work modes. It becomes essential as a company grows, since an implicit culture can lead to misunderstandings, decreased performance, or internal conflicts.
What are the advantages of a structured work system?
A structured work system improves transparency, team member autonomy, and collective efficiency. It also helps align teams around a common mission, even in complex or global environments.
What challenges are encountered during the evolution of a culture?
Among the most frequent challenges: resistance to change, aligning team members internationally, or varying interpretations of values. Ongoing explanation and training are often necessary to overcome these obstacles.
How to measure the impact of a corporate culture?
The impact can be measured through internal surveys (team member engagement, alignment with values), HR indicators (retention rate, team performance), or external feedback (client and candidate feedback).
Going Further
Want to learn more about Convexity and innovative work systems?
Check out the official deck.
Discover Convexity in videos.
Contact our experts to build a culture suited to your challenges.