PODCAST:Boss Class from The Economist (subscriber edition)
TITLE:Boss Class: Tracey Franklin interview
DATE:2023-12-18 00:00:00
URL:
MODEL:gpt-4
This episode of the "Boss Class" podcast features an interview with Tracy Franklin, the Chief Human Resources Officer at Moderna. Hosted by Andrew Palmer from The Economist, the episode discusses various aspects of human resources management and organizational culture at Moderna. Here are the key points:
Introduction: The episode starts with a focus on organizational culture, highlighting how a toxic or mismatched culture can significantly impact staff turnover, more than salary in some cases.
Tracy Franklin's Background and Moderna's Growth: Tracy Franklin joined Moderna in 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic. She discusses her experience of joining a rapidly growing company, which had to pivot to meet the challenges of the pandemic. Moderna expanded from around 800 employees to over 4,300, transitioning from a Massachusetts-based company to an international one.
Hiring During the Pandemic: Franklin describes the challenges of hiring during the pandemic, particularly the need to do much of it virtually. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity and allowing people to be themselves to foster innovation and passion.
Building and Scaling Teams: The episode delves into the process of scaling up Moderna’s workforce, focusing on the roles and functions needed for its expansion. Franklin discusses the fluid and dynamic planning process used to adapt to the changing landscape during the pandemic.
Codifying Company Culture: Franklin talks about the decision to codify Moderna's culture into 12 mindsets in early 2021. These mindsets were intended to guide behavior and provide a framework for hiring and managing teams. She explains the importance of these mindsets in creating a coherent and aligned workforce.
Interview and Hiring Process: The podcast covers Moderna’s rigorous interview process, including the incorporation of these mindsets into interview guides and the importance of in-person final interviews.
Encouraging Psychological Safety and Belonging: Franklin discusses the concept of psychological safety and belonging in teams, explaining how Moderna encourages this through feedback mechanisms and regular check-ins.
Team Dynamics and Incentives: The episode touches on the dynamics of team incentives versus individual incentives, and how Moderna manages to align them.
Tracy Franklin’s Favorite Interview Question: Franklin shares her favorite interview question, which focuses on understanding candidates through their peer relationships and how they are perceived on both good and bad days.
Throughout the episode, the focus remains on how Moderna navigated its rapid growth and significant challenges during the pandemic by fostering a strong, adaptable company culture and effective human resources practices.
