The Value of Developing Our Core Values in Person

We recently unveiled our core values at Taysha Gene Therapies, which has been a long time coming. Being able to finally share those values with the team was an important point of reflection for me. As we emerge from this pandemic, it’s critical that our company is able to grow together with a shared vision and evolve from the virtual way of working we’ve become accustomed to. We’ve come a long way from my kitchen table where Taysha was started in 2020, but there’s plenty more work to be done.

As the founder of a company focused on eradicating potentially life-threatening diseases, I always knew there were parts of our work that could never take place digitally. Research and development has to be done in a lab. Patient care must take place in person. But what I didn’t realize was how critical it would be to collaborate together live in our corporate headquarters in order to immerse ourselves in the culture and best identify what truly sets us apart. We have a lot of heart here at Taysha Gene Therapies, so I wanted to make sure that human element was reflected in both our process and our purpose.?

In full transparency, I’m not proud of the initial working sessions we engaged in over Zoom. Those who work closely with me know that I’m all about efficiency, and it frankly took us too long to get the ball rolling. Between muted microphones and the inevitable tech issues, I quickly learned that video conferences are not the best for fostering creativity.?

After sitting in front of the screen for hours on end, we finally made the decision to table these discussions until our next board meeting, which would be our first one in person. I was confident that we could finalize our values in a conference room that day the old school way by whiteboarding our ideas, circling our favorites and debating them. This type of visual brainstorm actively encourages conversation, so I knew that it would help us align on what we wanted to stand for more quickly. This all proved to be true. In just two hours together, we were able to fully draft and finalize the phrases we had been brainstorming around for months.

Looking back, I realize there are many benefits to the digital remote lifestyle, but I have also learned that collaboration is best face-to-face. When I think about the future of work, I’m in favor of the hybrid model that allows for the advantages of both, though my personal preference is to always meet in person when possible.

All things considered, this process was an important learning experience for me as a CEO. I encourage my fellow leaders to revisit their corporate values as they iron out return-to-work policies, as the former should always influence the latter. There were also several things we did as a team that I deem a success, which I’ve outlined here.?

1. Assemble the right team

It’s a collaborative process and the best ideas won’t always be the most obvious to you as a leader. Gather a trusted team from all different levels and disciplines to support you in this process. Having different perspectives in the room will help ensure that each phrase represents the entire company as a whole.?

2. Isolate in a conference room

Plan to devote a half day to this brainstorm, at minimum. The key difference for our team was all the energy in the room, and the level of interaction that occurred naturally. We were able to whiteboard our ideas and debate them, which sounds simple, but proved to be such a cool thing to experience again.?

3. Do all brainstorming unplugged

Make your conference room a zero technology zone. Lead by example and proactively power your devices off at the start of each session. All laptops and cell phones should remain out of sight in order to keep the team focused, as productive conversations come from collective brainpower, not Google.?

Despite our ability to keep things moving virtually throughout the pandemic, nothing beats the collaboration that comes from discussing topics live. Ultimately, I believe that the spirit of being together is important. There’s no substitute for in-person gatherings.?

At Taysha Gene Therapies, most of us are ready for our work lives to return to normal, even if it looks a little different than our business experience before. As we come out of this challenging time, we’re taking the necessary steps to transition our team back into the office slowly and safely, and look forward to hosting more live events in our headquarters again soon.