That being said, this is not a story so much about Kolligian as it is about what can happen in a business when management chooses to make the emotional well-being of its employees its number one focus.

This is what Kolligian decided had to happen when he reluctantly took on the newly formed role of chief operating officer about 10 years ago.

He was reluctant because he foresaw the deep-seated changes and level of commitment needed to ensure the long-term business success of the company.

As an example of the kind of situation he was facing at that time, office politics and negative lore were threatening the well-being and hence productivity of the company’s 65 employees.

“It was clear that we needed a dynamic change; we needed to take a different stand,” says Kolligian.

One of the first things he did in his new role, at the suggestion of a colleague, was identify what he stood for, what was most important to him. It came easily to him, says Kolligian; he knew he was passionate about the emotional well-being of his employees.

“Very simply, I believe that if you can leave all the other debris and just let great people do what they do best, you will have an exemplary organization and your product and your services will be the beneficiary of that.”

In support of that principle, Kolligian had to make a number of changes at the company, some of them in direct opposition to those who simply didn’t want to abandon the familiar.

Ten years later, he says, it remains an ongoing commitment to maintaining and fostering a work culture that is celebratory and freedom-centred.

One of the key changes Kolligian has initiated is to eradicate office politics and negative lore and replace it with “healthy, happy lore.”

“I really try to convey every day through our management team that there aren’t ‘don’ts’ and ‘can’ts’; there are just ‘let’s try things new.’ I think that all comes in the spirit of the organization,” says Kolligian.

Related to that principle is the value the company now places on being appreciative and saying ‘thank-you.’

“We’ve become a culture of rewards, of thank-yous, of not letting the little things slide,” says Kolligian.

Another change is that most management and staff work in an open studio space; no one has a separate offices, a move that has helped foster understanding and behaviour around values of collaboration and transparency.

“We understand that our job as a leadership team is to mentor and nurture and partner with the people in the organization,” says the COO.

Another element that is important to creating and sustaining a dynamic and consistently relevant organization is that management has to balance the importance of what is currently working with a curiosity and fearlessness to explore and facilitate what’s next, according to Kolligian.

“There must be a strong desire both to mentor and get out of the way.”

Kolligian adds that if a company doesn’t embrace failure, “or more importantly support and reward change,” then in most cases people throughout the organization will either do what gets them recognized or move on to another company.

“It is essential that the corporate culture is permissive and supportive of those who exercise their curiosity and follow their passion,” he says.

As a company, Continuum continues to expand its capabilities and perspective based on the energy and commitment of people throughout the organization.

“I would like to see this happen with even greater frequency both for the value that it ultimately provides to our clients, but also because of its impact on our organization internally,” says Kolligian.

In effect it empowers people to move beyond their current place and often results in the development of new leaders, which is fundamental to the success of the organization.

Figuring out those innovative ideas come through “really understanding people’s values,” according to Kolligian. A research group undertakes to “penetrate the hearts and minds of consumers and understand what’s really missing from their lives” and that information is used to inform the design of new experiences, products and services.

Continuum has tentative long-term partnerships with the majority of its clients.

The company has offices in Boston, Seoul, Korea and Milan, and just this fall is opening two additional offices, one in Shanghai and one in Los Angeles.

Equally exciting is the fact that Continuum has become an aspirational destination for top talent, according to Kolligian. People want to work there at the firm, which now has 150 employees.

Continuum has been a WorldBlu List of Most Democratic Workplaces for the past two years. It will be participating in the survey again this year.

“(WorldBlu’s) mission is to elevate the human spirit through organizational democracy and freedom-centred leadership,” says Kolligian.

“Their selection of our company has served as a reminder that what really matters is that people throughout the organization believe that there is a fundamental openness to new possibilities and a true gratification from the success of others.”

To learn more about Continuum, visit their website, www.dcontinuum.com/content/.

If you have feedback on this article, please contact michelle(at)axiomnews.ca or 800-294-0051.