No Boundaries: internal Quicken Loans employee 'unofficial' handbook
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In a 2004 email, Dan Gilbert called No Boundaries "phenomenal" and so it was delivered to every employee as a motivational guide to thriving in the Quicken Loans culture. As a then on-site contractor, copywriter Kathy Fawcett pulled copy points from interviews of key Quicken Loans stakeholders and observations of corporate culture.
No Boundaries: internal Quicken Loans employee 'unofficial' handbook
- 1. No for arriving and thriving in the culture of Quicken Loans, Rock Financial and Title Source Boundaries! No Boundaries! Your Guidebook
- 3. We were all new here once. Except that one guy in accounting who’s been here forever! We know that traveling into new territory can be exciting, and a little scary. Just remember, the inhabitants here are extremely friendly, and there’s a good chance you won’t have to eat your lunch alone. After a while you’ll realize that inside we’re all the same: we all have family, we all have hobbies, and we all get a little passionate about “wowing” our clients.
- 4. Our ways are different, for good reasons, with good results. We have a proud heritage, which you are a part of! We look forward to telling you all about our people, our language and our conduct…and we hope your stay is a long and pleasant one. Compared to other corporate cultures, you have stepped onto foreign ground! Here is your guidebook to help you navigate our culture. Read it well. If you still have more questions…good! We hope you always do. { Welcome! 1
- 5. What does No Boundaries mean? You can’t go over the edge, you can’t hit a wall or a ceiling! 2
- 6. We have made it a point to remove the barriers that would stand between you and your personal and professional growth. We’ve also removed the barriers between your good ideas and those who would benefit. Every team member is empowered to make suggestions and point out potential snags any time in any and every area…to any team member. You might think that with No Boundaries, you’ll have to step carefully here, or you will be over the edge. Just the opposite is true! No Boundaries will help you stretch your own abilities to their furthest…which will be a real benefit to everyone in our unique culture. No Boundaries is about ideas. No Boundaries is about change and growth. No Boundaries is a vast frame of mind (without a frame).{ 3
- 7. Our culture began as a small blip on the screen…a dot on the map. After decades of conquering and claiming territory… we are the map! Our territory is expanding. Our No Boundaries philosophy is allowing our culture to expand even farther…to where it’s difficult to even show you our existing… as well as projected territory. But the high tech images to the right (taken from the space station via satellite) give you an idea of where we started and where we are going. Who’s the map? We’re the map. { 4
- 9. In many cultures it’s customary to earn the favor of the inhabitants with gifts. Sounds good to us…bring your gifts! We love gifts. But not blenders. Your strengths, your passions, your unique observations. { 6
- 10. Bring your talents and your energy every day to enhance our culture. We’re always open to being dazzled. But we don’t want blenders. Our culture is not about “blending in.” Our culture thrives on each team member being ready to stand out: ready to offer a critique, a compliment or a solid suggestion to make things better. Our culture rewards risk taking, and we expect there to be mistakes along the way. That’s one way we learn and make our culture even better. We’re always open to being dazzled. { 7
- 11. The big cultural taboo! Legend has it that once an inhabitant of our culture failed to respond to phone calls in a prompt manner and was rooted out, hunted down and deported…never to be seen again. { 8
- 12. Our folks have a high esteem for communication, both verbal and written. So much so that every phone call and email is responded to the same day. Our culture has a Chairman, but communication is king. 9
- 13. When coming to a new culture, it’s important to speak the language of the inhabitants. It’s also important that you become a well-spoken ambassador of our culture to others. Learning our language is as easy as saying the word YES. There’s no wrong way to say YES, and there are many variations. Learning our language. 10
- 14. Yes! {Words matter here. Here are a few examples: Yes! (variation: YessireeBob) Yep (variation: Yepper, Yeah) You bet (variation: You betcha) Right away (denotes timeliness of personal response) I’m on it (assigns accountability to one’s self) I’ll get Jim right on it! (assigns responsibility to Jim) Surprisingly, our language is so Yes Dominant that there is no widely accepted word for No…and most attempts to say No sound more like Yes. Here are a few examples of a team member attempting to say No: I can’t, but I can put you with someone who can. I don’t know why we couldn’t. I don’t have that answer…but I will get it and call you back today. I’ll get Jim right on it! 11
- 15. Intended to help you with the customary phrases of our culture. The ones on the left…are right. Pocket translation guide. Our Culture Typical Corporate Culture YES! NO! Leader, Team Leader Supervisors, Boss People, Team, Folks, Team Members Direct Reports, Employee Clients, Customers Borrowers, Debtors Livonia Corporate Office Team, Group Department 12
- 16. Culture shock. There is the typical corporate mentality – which you may be used to – and then there is our culture, which can be quite shocking. Adapting to our “Anti-Corporate Mindset” may require you to keep repeating this message: “I am not a tiny cog in a big corporate machine…I am the essential element that moves our company forward.” But let’s not answer our phones with this message, or we’ll never get anything done. Here’s the point that cannot be stressed enough: We don’t just give you an opportunity to share your ideas. We expect your ideas, both big and small. We anticipate your ideas. We have been waiting for you to arrive in our culture and share your ideas to keep our company thriving, growing and reaching higher ground. { 13
- 17. Always let your isms be your guide. We like to think that just about any question here could be answered by an ism. Of course, if you ask what the soup-of-the-day is in the cafeteria…you have found the flaw in THAT line of thinking. The philosophy behind an ism is carved in stone, but if we hear a philosophy communicated in a better way we’ll say it in a better way. You might even coin an ism while you’re here! What is an ism? One of our culture’s guiding principles. { 14
- 18. is Remember, an ism in the hand… is badly misplaced. (That’s not an ism.) Where should your isms be? In your work ethic and in your attitude. Isms need to be in your day-to-day operations while in our culture. That’s what makes it our culture. A word of caution: Never let the wily ism sneak up behind you. You always want to keep isms in sight at all times! 15
- 19. sm.ism.ism.ism.ism.ism ism.ism.ism.ism.ism.ism 16 Always raising our level of awareness. We expect all team members to notice what’s going on around them. This way, the two eyes of the CEO are joined by the eyes of a few thousand team members – all watching over our company. The inches we need are everywhere around us. Opportunities for us to make a difference are everywhere, and usually they’re found in the little things. Everything we do matters. Every second of every day counts and you can never get them back. They all add up. If we keep our eyes open we’ll see that the little things - the “inches” we need - are everywhere around us. It’s 1,001 of these little things, or inches, that add up to WHO we are. Responding with a sense of urgency is the ante to play. On this team, we return all phone calls and e-mails the same day. Not just to clients and partners, but to each other! We kill each other with courtesy…and very quickly.
- 20. ism.ism.ism.ism.ism.ism ism.ism.ism.ism.ism.is 17 Every client. Every time. No exceptions. No excuse. Could we be any clearer? This company is built one client at a time and every client deserves to be “wowed” every chance you get. Obsessed with finding a better way. We are on a never-ending quest to find a better way for every process and everything we touch. If it’s good, let’s make it great. If it’s great – let’s take it to an even higher level. Don’t settle for less. In fact, don’t settle at all. “Finding a better way” is not something we do on the side or when we get time. Rather, it’s the primary job for every single person who works here. It’s our passion - our way of living – our obsession. Ignore the noise. Don’t take your eye off the ball, and tune out the bad days, obstacles and naysayers. (They’re just louder than the yaysayers). We’ve all been boombarded by the noise, but those who can push on will win in the end!
- 21. m.ism.ism.ism.ism.ism.i sm.ism.ism.ism.ism.ism. It’s not about WHO is right, it’s about WHAT is right. It doesn’t matter where ideas come from in our family, what matters is which idea is the right idea. In our flat organization, great input and feedback can come from every- where. Egos (or lack thereof) are checked at the door. If the Chairman and CEO are wrong and the “new guy” is right, then the new guy’s idea or point of view is followed. We are the“they.” There is no “they”. “They” does not exist. “We” are the “they”. One team. United. All in this mission together. You have to take the roast out of the oven. Wrap it up. Finish the job. Execute! Over-analyzing can kill an idea and possibly make you miss an opportunity 18
- 22. ism.ism.ism.ism.ism.ism ism.ism.ism.ism.ism.is 19 You’ll see it when you believe it. Do you believe it? Then you can make it happen. It doesn’t work the other way around. Every second counts. Time, not money, is the most scarce commodity of all. It can never be replaced. What will you choose to do with the 31,536,000 seconds you get each year? Numbers and money follow; they do not lead. We don’t chase money. Chase the skills that will make you great at what you are doing or what you are building. Become an expert. Become the best. When you are clear about your goal then you can focus heavily on achieving it. And guess what? With enough hard work, what you focus on you usually find. Then, and only then, do the good numbers and/or the good money show up. On other words, focus on the dream. The vision. Pursue it with uncompromising passion and the numbers and money follow you. Chasing the numbers and money first will leave you chasing your tail.
- 23. A penny saved is a penny. A penny saved at the expense of a good idea is no savings at all. We eat our own dog food. We just might if we were in the dog food business. Here, we start with good people – who bring in other good people – who refer us to even more good people looking for home loans. We should be our company’s biggest fans! Simplicity is genius. If Forrest Gump or your 87–year–old Grandmother can’t understand it then we don’t say it. We don’t need to be complicated to be great. Communicating without the vagueness and muddiness is the only way: to our clients, to our vendors, to each other. Are we clear? m.ism.ism.ism.ism.ism.i sm.ism.ism.ism.ism.ism.i 20
- 24. ism.ism.ism.ism.ism.ism ism.ism.ism.ism.ism.is Innovation is rewarded. Execution is worshipped. A great idea is just the first step. The real magic is bringing that idea to life with great execution. Do the right thing. The high road is not a short cut. Stick to the highest standard of integrity, without compromise. And remember, character is what you do when no one is looking over your shoulder! It’s never worth it. 21
- 25. m sm The Chant of Power. The No Boundaries Guidebook is a product of the Idea Lab. Repeat this chant to yourself with all your passion and conviction, and it will give you legendary strength! Step up! “Now I am the voice I will lead not follow I will believe not doubt I will create not destroy I am a force for good I am a leader Defy the odds Set a new standard. Step up! Step up! Step up!” Wisdom of the Elders: “There are two natures that beat inside your breast. One is vile, the other is blessed. One you love, the other you hate. The one you feed will dominate.” { 22