As one of the earliest hires at NinjaOne, and having been with the company for 8+ years now, I can say without a doubt that one of the things I love most about NinjaOne is its people. Chris and Sal, NinjaOne’s co-founders, have cultivated an incredibly special culture and community of talented, creative, and dedicated individuals, led by a remarkable leadership team that is truly committed to the success and growth of each employee. No wonder we were just named to this year’s Inc.’s Best Workplaces list – one of the industry’s most sought-after company culture recognitions. As we continue to grow rapidly (we’ve brought on more than 500 new hires in the last 12 months), I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes our culture so different, and how, as a company, we can continue to sustain and improve upon our culture as we grow. Here are the 3 pillars that best sum up our culture at NinjaOne:
“Don’t be an a**hole”
Even in the earliest days at NinjaOne, despite the long hours and never-ending to-do lists (that still exist today), authenticity has always served as the guiding principle that keeps our team focused and inspired. Every NinjaOne employee is genuinely cooperative and considerate, and because of that, we all tend to work hard to support each other’s goals.
Another (less crass) way of saying this is “Be kind always.” Any meaningful work for the business can be much more powerful and effective if you lead with kindness. It grants you a significant amount of respect from the team. We view all NinjaOne employees as an extension of our brand and, therefore, we ask that all employees be approachable and respectful. At the end of the day, it makes interactions and experiences – with customers, partners, and team members alike – so much more rewarding.
No matter your role, you are Ninja
Every day, we challenge NinjaOne employees to approach their roles holistically. This means poking holes in processes and challenging the status quo (as long as you’re following the guiding principle of “Be kind always”). Most importantly, it means acting with conviction and being unafraid to fail sometimes. NinjaOne’s leadership truly values and listens when employees say “no.” Over the years, there have been plenty of times where I’ve raised my hand and disagreed with a process or strategy. Sometimes I’ve been right and sometimes I’ve been wrong. And when I’ve been wrong, I was given the courtesy of an explanation so that I could further grow and develop myself. I didn’t have to face a wall of ego or backlash for daring to voice my opinion.
That brings me to another Ninja-ism: Be a safe person to disagree with. NinjaOne was built on a foundation of good, healthy debate. We’ve always had respectful disagreements. Over the years, there have been times when, although remaining respectful, arguments among stakeholders have become more impassioned than intended. Something that I’m very proud of is that each of us have consistently been able to see through the bluster and recognize that we’re all aiming and arguing for the same goal: Our customer’s (and subsequently our company’s) success.
Always find your “why”
Lastly, it’s important to understand how your work is propelling you toward your professional goals. And you must constantly evaluate whether your actions and behaviors take you toward those goals or away from them.
As we continue to grow, it’s important to preserve that approach and philosophy. You must be willing to reconfigure and reevaluate your strategies to ensure that they map to the business’s top priorities. Know that what you’re doing matters, but also, understand why it’s important. And if you’re not sure why, ask questions to get back on the right track.
I am just as proud to be a Ninja today as I was upon joining the company nearly 9 years ago, largely because of a truly unique culture that has been thoughtfully maintained as the company scales. While my “why” has evolved over time, at my core this has never changed: I’m inspired by our vision, our mission, and most of all, our people. And most exciting of all… we’re still just getting started!
We’re always hiring and looking to grow our NinjaOne magic, and if the above culture pillars resonate with you, we’d love to have you join us! I’d also like to thank the roughly 1,000 Ninjas and our 17,000+ customers who continue to make our culture and community so profoundly special. It truly is a privilege to work with you all every day. And I promise, the words don’t do it justice: working here is even more fulfilling than it sounds.
