“We tackle business problems as a team”

Calgary, August 1st, 2019

Global company Critical Mass is a digital experience design agency that started small, in Calgary, near the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. Today it has 950 employees ranging from designers, strategists, technologists, artists, and producers, working in 12 locations around the world.

At the helm of Critical Mass is Chris Gokiert, who has been the agency’s President for over a decade.

Chris describes the people that work at Critical Mass as a “Diverse bunch” that has in common “a mission to design experiences that improve the lives of our client’s customers.”

“We’re united by a special agency culture and shared values,” Chris adds.

“Our culture started with our Canadian roots. Work hard. Be real. Feel proud, but stay humble. Accept others for who they are. We’ve never lost those qualities, and people all over the world have been happy to join in and enrich them with their own experiences, backgrounds, and passions. Our values are connected with our culture, but they were more of a conscious choice – a set of ideals that we never stop striving for. They boil down to six key elements, to be: Honest, Inspired, Driven, Purposeful, Real, and Equal.”

Chris has an impressive background, having started life in a pretty small town in a farming community in Alberta, a province in Western Canada. He has a master’s degree in Classical Archaeology.

“It may seem a non-traditional career path,’ comments Chris, “but when I joined Critical Mass, the ‘Internet’ was still the Wild West. Our company was built with people from all sorts of different backgrounds.”

His master was not wasted. Archaeology is not just about digging. Archaeology is a science that focuses on facts. It describes what there is; the evidence of what has been found – not on what someone thinks there should be. These transferable skills are evident in Chris’ leadership style. We interviewed him to find out more.

How do you know that you are leading, and leading well?

I know I am leading well when we all agree on a direction, we understand our role in making it happen, and we execute well. The result is always that we have happy staff, satisfied clients, and work that we’re proud of.

How do you expect people to demonstrate they have leadership skills?

People with leadership skills have an odd combination of confidence and humility in everything they do. They are confident enough to push an initiative forward, but they don’t alienate everybody in the process. They listen to their team; they are aligned with them and see a project through successfully.

What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?

You need to listen to the signals around you when you are trying to get anything done. Also, if it doesn’t work, admit you’re wrong and move onto a new solution.

You are a truly international agency now, have you met everyone at Critical Mass?

At one point, I could have answered a definite “yes,” but that was a few years and a few hundred people ago. We do several things to bring our leadership from around the world together several times a year.

It is important to me that I get to know both our clients and the people who work here. So, I get on planes and go to meet them – a lot – and that’s true of the rest of the leadership team as well.

We try to have opportunities to mix and mingle with the entire Critical Mass team in a location whenever we can. It helps build relationships, and it helps us understand how we’re doing and how folks are feeling.

What strategy do you use to manage your fast growth?

We do several different things that help us manage our growth. We have a reliable leadership team, which helps us communicate throughout the company. Being on the same page also helps us bring in people who understand both Critical Mass and the way we attack the problems for our clients.

We have a very robust talent team that finds us the right people, on boards people correctly, and helps us nurture them over the long term.

We’re also doing some innovative things from an operations perspective. For example, we are using and supporting more remote workers – a.k.a. Liquid Talent. Liquid Talent allows us to move quickly and spares us the cumbersome task of setting up new offices all the time.

How is the Canadian office different from other Critical Mass offices around the world?

We find that all of our offices have a different flavour that reflects the makeup of the city where they are based. Whether it’s London, NYC, Calgary, Chicago, Hong Kong, Nashville, Toronto, San José, or LA, it all feels similar but with an injection of the local culture.

But there a few things that stand out about Calgary and Toronto—I mean, c’ mon, we have a reputation to live up to. We start every morning with a hearty meal of pancakes and properly Canadian maple syrup. Every meeting begins with a “how’s it goin’, eh?” and ends with “Sorry!”

Beyond that, our Canadian locations are pretty similar to our other offices. But the people at Critical Mass have a reputation for being uncommonly nice and hardworking, so maybe our other offices, though not inside of Canada, have become more Canadian over time.

How do you help a new employee to understand the culture of Critical Mass?

Whenever we have new people, we help them to get involved. The best way to understand our culture is to get involved with various groups, teams, and individuals – whether it’s a project or a social event. All culture is in the people.

Do you have a particular methodology to help others achieve their goals?

I try to find out what they want to do and then work with them to plan out several actions that will help them get there. The tough part is having an honest conversation about what is working and what isn’t. Most people don’t like that part.

How often should an agency encourage positive change?

An agency should encourage positive change in everything it chooses to do—large and small. Positive change can be as small as listening and respecting somebody, or it can come from driving social change on a mass scale. If you decide to do something, do it with a mindset of positive change.

What do you love about your job?

I have the pleasure of working with many highly inspired, creative individuals and clients. We tackle business problems as a team and come up with innovative solutions to meet customers’ needs. It’s challenging, it’s fun, it’s inspiring, and I don’t know if I would do anything else.

Could you name three important things or experiences that have brought you to where you are today?

I continually throw myself into situations that aren’t always the most comfortable so that I can listen, learn, and keep a fresh perspective on things.

I’ve had many experiences that have shaped who I am today. However, some early experiences stand out to me—like my time as an exchange student in Germany, or participating in archaeological digs in Tunisia and Greece. Those years taught me to look at things differently. That’s also when I learned that being uncomfortable teaches you to grow much more quickly.

What is your favourite word?

“We”

What is your least favourite word?

“I”

What turns you on?

That spark when you know you have a partner/team who wants to do something creative.

What turns you off?

People that start with the reason why you “can’t” do something.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Radio Talk Show Host.

Thanks Chris!

By Geny Caloisi.

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Chris GokiertLeadershipPresident