Lurie took the helm at SurveyMonkey in the aftermath of tragedy: Dave Goldberg, the previous CEO and his longtime friend, had died suddenly at the age of 47. As a member of the company’s board, Lurie first aided in the search for a replacement and then, after that person didn’t work out, assumed the role himself. His employees were still in the grip of grief, fear, and anxiety. While continuing to provide them with emotional support, Lurie set about defining the company culture. When customers were asked what they valued most about the company’s offerings, and employees what excited them about coming to work every day, the word that came up most often was “curiosity.” Lurie and his team started encouraging and rewarding curiosity across the organization: celebrating the “question of the week” at town halls; using a peer recognition program to reward people for their candor; hosting the Goldie Speaker Series (named for the deceased CEO) to learn about success in other fields. They believe that when curiosity ebbs, people lapse into routine and complacency, exposing a company to disruption.
In May 2015 I flew to Mexico for a long weekend with a group of friends to celebrate one member’s birthday. We spent Friday afternoon beside the pool at a resort, playing a board game. Dave Goldberg, one of my closest friends, decided to go to the gym. His wife, Sheryl Sandberg, stayed with the rest of us by the pool and dozed off.
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