Claire Valoti
Snap Inc
At a time when we have witnessed some of the greatest upheaval ever to our working and home lives, Claire Valoti, VP International at Snap Inc. took action and sought to change the typically negative narrative around disruption. She is on a mission to interview key business leaders and founders of disruptive firms which are changing their industry for the better.
A Time For Difference
Snap Inc has shaken up the world of communication and chooses to do things a little differently. It’s proud of its inclusive mindset with diversity and inclusivity high on the agenda. It empowers its people to be what Valoti refers to as “owners not renters” of the business, encouraging a more entrepreneurial attitude.
It takes internal comms and town hall events to the next level by hosting Snap Council where employees can come together to share and discuss non-work topics—essential in the past year. It invests time and resource into team networking and communications. Stand up meetings are commonplace and enable its leaders to role model the behaviors it values. And, just to demonstrate how different Snap can be to other organizations, it hired Valoti when she was 24 weeks pregnant knowing full well she’d be taking maternity leave.
Valoti herself is a leader that breaks the mold. She chooses not to use the term authentic because of its overuse, but it’s clear that this is one of her characteristics. She doesn’t create different personas for the different aspects of her life; what you see is the full and entire person and, as she comments, she wants to “really know” her colleagues.
The Drive For Positivity
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, organizational leaders have rocked up to interviews and podcasts and shared the ordeals their businesses are facing. The language used is of “coping and challenge” and, according to Valoti, often feels a little “doom and gloom.” And yet, she says, there is “real opportunity to see things positively and adopt an optimistic view about the lessons learned from such disruption.”
Valoti’s positive perception of disruption isn’t just because of the pandemic narrative. She explains: “We need to move away from seeing disruption as negative. There are some very powerful disruptors, each doing things differently, encouraging us all to adapt and rethink.”
It was this desire to shine a light on what can be learned from turning things on their head, that resulted in Snap’s Positive Disruptor video series.
Sharing Positive People
Snap is itself a disruptor, coming onto the market in 2011 to positively disrupt social media. Lessons have been learned along the way; insights that can be shared with others that Valoti “wanted to bring together to help bolster the thinking of those just starting out.”
Take for example her interview with Alex Mahon, CEO of the original disruptor to broadcasting, Channel Four. Valoti describes Mahon as a “great example of an extraordinary modern leader” making her mark on the channel, focused on the business strategy, but also on developing a more inclusive workplace by, for example, introducing a menopause policy.
Or beauty brand UOMA Beauty’s CEO and Creative Director, Sharon Chuter, as she rewrites the rules of inclusivity for beauty, fights for greater representation and equality in the industry, and emphasizes the importance of speaking up for what is right.
Or Charli Cohen, Founder and CEO of the eponymous fashion brand as she sets about transforming the fashion industry with NEXTWEAR, the link between fashion and gaming, and works tirelessly to improve mental health awareness in the industry.
All great stories. All great women leaders.
Listening to different female leaders on such different journeys, are there commonalties to their success?
Common Insights and Common Threads
These positive disruptors all have:
- A set of strong values
- Self-belief—but not arrogance
- Bravery
- A recognition of the importance of culture
- Resilience
- Patience
- Sacrifice
It is interesting to see sacrifice on the list. As Valoti comments: “Accepting that you cannot have it all, no matter what you think or have been led to believe, is a huge challenge for many. Without knowing this, you’re setting yourself up to fail—and I think I have a responsibility to share that with younger women coming up.”
The Positives Of Disruption
Disruption brings with it the opportunity for positive permanent change. The pandemic has taught us that. Rapid vaccination development—and rollout—processes. Gratitude for healthcare professionals. Greater respect for teachers at school. Increased visibility of the work of the ‘at-home’ mother or father. Time efficiencies from the reduced commute. More empathy for co-workers having seen into their lives via the webcam. Increased communication to maintain connection.
The list goes on.
What does this mean for female talent?
Valoti is hopeful that the positives are permanent, and they’ll lead to greater choice for women and how they work. “Talent will win out. The pandemic has shown us that great people can work anywhere and any way they want to work, because they are performance led and output driven.”
She offers though a word of warning: “women need to speak up to make change happen. They need to be clear what they want and feel confident they will be listened to.”
“In talking with these positive disruptors, you cannot be anything but extremely optimistic about the future of female leadership. The series gives so much optimism about what is possible.”
