A Proactive Attitude.
Long Term Success.
Meaningful Failure.
A Customer-Centric Perspective.
These are just a sampling of Nota's core values (CV) and leadership principles (LP). What do they mean to you? Like all words and phrases, they can be subjectively interpreted by the individual. To spread our message with clarity and purpose, we try to incorporate them into our work and messaging as much as possible. But how does a company embody its core values and principles? The answer lies in the everyday. Our daily habits, our considerations and our efforts at work. This is where you will find the collaborative Nota spirit.
Curiosity: The Question of Why?
A curious mind is something we greatly value. Curiosity needn't kill the cat! At Nota, we try to keep ourselves informed about the work and effort of our colleagues. Not to pry, but to encourage and support one another. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our office work was understandably cut back, as we switched to more remote options. This drastically reduced our opportunities to meet and interact, and it was difficult to properly welcome new team members. To counteract this, in the second half of 2022, we created a program called Mingling, to enhance internal communication. Mingling allowed Nota employees to meet online in groups for a bi-weekly lunchtime session.
The meetings were going well, but people were sometimes assigned into the same groups in subsequent weeks. Jihyun, the schedule coordinator, was often asked, “Why do I keep ending up in the same group, with the same people?”
Aware of the issue, our R&D team quickly created the 'Mingling Team Generator' program. The program was able to sort through all the staff members, ensuring that there would be new and unique groups each week. By extending their helping hand, the R&D team helped the Mingling program become a huge success. Bringing everyone closer together, and creating a deeper understanding throughout the company. A true team effort.
Trust: The Glue That Binds Us
As the pandemic unfolded, remote work became a contentious issue. At first, it seemed like the best option in difficult circumstances. But as time passed, many companies toyed with the idea of reducing or even reconsidering the concept of remote work entirely. Heated debates have pros and cons on both sides, and they require cool heads and mutual trust and respect to resolve.
To head off any misunderstandings, and to maintain trust and respect, Nota introduced a culture of remote work notifications. When our staff are planning to work remotely, they can post notifications in advance, giving notice and time for others to plan accordingly. This system has now been in place for several years, and has served us very well. When colleagues cannot be found in the office, the remote work notification channel is the first place to look. Here everyone can see when our colleagues are on business trips, vacations or absent for any other reason. The exact information offered is minimal, and employee privacy is of course always respected.
Working in a comfortable, high-trust environment allows us to focus on our work without interruption. We are happy with how things are going, but we always leave open the possibility that one day we will find a better way to move forward.
Autonomy and Responsibility: + respect
Admitting our mistakes is not easy, but it is important, and it can be an opportunity to grow. With this in mind, we created an accountability system called 'Post-mortem.' Something similar had been attempted several times in the past, but it never really took off. Admitting when we are wrong is difficult, so perhaps it was too much of a burden. Nevertheless, more recently, some brave colleagues have stepped up when they made a mistake, using Post-mortem for Autonomy and Responsibility.
Through Post-mortem, we can listen to the feedback of others, finding areas for improvement. It is not about feeling guilty, or being cowed, but learning from our mistakes and working together as a team.
We experimented with Post-mortem across various platforms, like email and slack, listening to feedback as it came in. Through the testimonials of our colleagues, we settled on the current system. Though it's natural to be afraid to admit when we are wrong, it helps us correct our mistakes and lays the foundation for building trust with our colleagues. Through Post-mortem, we can work together to foster an environment of accountability, responsibility and growth.
Being a Good Influence: The Power of Sharing
When we embrace an attitude of sharing our knowledge and experience, we contribute to a culture of positive development, influencing others across domains. To give you a concrete example of what I mean, I would like to talk about our voluntary seminars. Should they wish, Nota employees are given the opportunity to perform presentations on a wide range of diverse topics. On such example was a patent seminar organized by the Legal and IP team. It began with an overview of Nota's existing patents and their characteristics, before delving into valuable insights in deep learning patent preparation. The seminar covered a range of engaging topics, from the internal employee invention reward system, to patent management systems, and other relevant aspects that piqued the interest of the development team. The initiative quickly became a fun way for people to share and learn ideas, keeping everyone abreast of the latest industry developments in a fun and relaxed way.
In addition to sharing knowledge, the seminars also give us the opportunity to spend time quality time together. As Seneca said, “There is no enjoying the possession of anything valuable unless one has someone to share it with.” On seminar days, the lounge area quickly becomes a hot spot for people to come together. There we discuss our lives, share cooking recipes and talk about our business trips and future plans.
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There is a saying in the industry, “A year in a startup feels like three months.” It couldn't be more true! The pace of change is rapid, and the growth is dynamic. If I was given the task of deciding what word is most important in this environment, I would say “adaption.” Though not everything in a startup will directly relate to your work or responsibilities, it will still have an impact on Nota's environment, and for this, the ability to adapt is crucial. I'm reminded once again of Nota's core values, where we create a supportive environment for colleagues who have yet to “adapt.”
Building a supportive environment is so important for what we are trying to achieve. We encourage everyone to retain a caring mindset with each other, through genuine empathy and honest, sincere communication. By taking care of each other, we cultivate a sense of stability and friendship, which fills us with the belief that anything is possible, solidifying Nota's core values in our minds.
Our core values were not decided or dictated by a single individual, they are the result of a collective effort over a number of years. Over time, they became our roots, growing with us in our every day actions and efforts. Sticking to principles is not always easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is. As we wrap up, I hope I have given you a good overview of our core values, and you can understand why they are so important to us.