Parsable's culture

Our Mission
Help Operational Managers
reach the promised land of jobs done right, every time
by replacing 1950s tools like paper & walkie talkies
with a collaboration app for industrial teams*
for increased productivity, enhanced quality, and increased safety
* This includes:
1. Clear accurate job instructions on mobile devices
2. Multimedia collaboration with colleagues & supply chain
3. Effortless data capture for continuous improvement

Culture?
Mission = What we do. What the goal is.
Culture = How we do it. How to behave every day.

Why culture matters?
= 81% culture or attitude
(only 11% skills)
Source: Hiring for Attitude, by Mark Murphy

What do these mean?
● Coachability (26%): The ability to accept and implement feedback
from bosses, colleagues, customers, and others
● Emotional Intelligence (23%): The ability to understand and manage
one’s own emotions and accurately assess others’ emotions
● Motivation (17%): Sufficient drive to achieve one’s full potential and
excel in the job
● Temperament (15%): Attitude and personality suited to the particular
job and work environment
● Technical Competence (11%): Functional or technical skills required
to do the job
Source: Hiring for Attitude, by Mark Murphy

Testing for skills is easy...
● Find the bug in this code
● Let’s build a quick web project in React
● Show me your portfolio
● Pitch me Parsable as if I were a customer
● etc...
It’s straightforward to screen bad skills
candidates out at the door, instead of
having them fail at work.

Testing for culture - an exercise
Never
Hire
Always
Hire
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
● You are a manager at Hypothetical Corp
● Hypothetical Corp is a startup selling software to the Fortune 500
● Hypothetical is hiring, and we’ve asked the candidates to answer:
“Could you tell me about a time when you didn’t know how to do
something that a customer was asking you to do?”
● Read the next paragraph & grade the answer from:

At my last job I was inundated with requests that were outside my area of
expertise or influence. I am always pretty cautious when it comes to
stepping outside my comfort zone, so most of the time I just turned the
situation over to someone more experienced. After all, I want to make
sure I’m protecting the company’s back because I don’t want to touch a
project for which I’m unqualified and then have it do damage to the
client. The client’s interests are always of paramount importance. And it’s
critical that an engineer adhere to accepted practices and the proper
processes. If I’m in a situation where I don’t know those processes, it’s
better for me to pass the request to someone else that does.

Here’s how we rated the candidate...
Rating Score Count
1 2
2 5
3 11
4 7
5 2
6 3
7 0

What if you now knew Hypothetical Corp values more than anything
employees who exhibit the following attributes:
● You take ownership of problems — even if you’re not the one who
will ultimately fix it, you shepherd the process until it’s resolved.
● You’re a self-directed learner — you take full responsibility for
growing and developing your skills, and while you may not learn
everything, you’re in a constant state of growth.
Now grade the same candidate again...

Testing for culture - let’s try again
At my last job I was inundated with requests that were outside my area of
expertise or influence. I am always pretty cautious when it comes to
stepping outside my comfort zone, so most of the time I just turned the
situation over to someone more experienced. After all, I want to make
sure I’m protecting the company’s back because I don’t want to touch a
project for which I’m unqualified and then have it do damage to the
client. The client’s interests are always of paramount importance. And it’s
critical that an engineer adhere to accepted practices and the proper
processes. If I’m in a situation where I don’t know those processes, it’s
better for me to pass the request to someone else that does.

Why culture matters….
Rating Count #1 Count #2
1 2 13
2 5 13
3 11 3
4 7 0
5 2 0
6 3 0
7 0 0

How to discover our culture
1. Interviewed 15 team members for
1-2 hours each
2. Collected over 500 stories
3. Mapped those stories into themes
4. Created survey questions for those themes
5. Surveyed the entire company
6. Analyzed the survey results
7. Mapped those results into themes

What do we get out of this?
● A common code to live by as Citizens of Parsable
● A set of culture interview questions
● An answer guideline for good & bad answers

Word Pictures*
Parsable citizen’s guide to good citizenry
* named so because you should be able to read the words, close your eyes, imagine a picture and have that be the same
picture your teammate is imagining.

I have grit in the face of adversity
Needs Work Good Work Great Work
When we encounter problems (with the
product, a customer, a prospect), I
exclaim that we are a failure or failing at
our job.
When we encounter an obstacle, I get
demoralized because I realize that things
are going to be hard.
When customers don’t like the first
version of a feature or product, I think
that we’ve failed and that there’s no use
in that feature or product.
When I can’t get in touch with a
customer or prospect, I keep trying until I
get through.
When I have to work with a difficult
customer, I find a path forward. I
brainstorm with others, but I know the
company relies on me to find a solution,
so I keep trying till something works.
When I run into a naysayer or
gatekeeper, I try both to convince them
and, in parallel, find other champions to
make sure that our product gets the
attention it deserves.
When we encounter an obstacle, I see it
as an opportunity to learn and improve.
I do everything in the Good Work
category, plus ...
When I see an opportunity to help the
company, I jump on it and try to help --
irrespective of whether it’s in my area of
expertise.
When I’m responsible for minding an
area, and even though I might be
overwhelmed with work, I continue to
chip away at it, despite the lack of
immediate reward or recognition from
others.
I take on projects that don’t have
immediate rewards, because I know they
will add long-term value to the
company.

I seek to understand the world through others’ eyes
When the team is discussing a topic in
which I consider myself an expert, I don’t
listen to other people’s opinions,
because I’m the expert.
When a coworker asks me to perform a
task with high urgency, I’m annoyed that
they always ask for stuff last minute.
When making a change to my area of
the product, I don’t think about the
impact it has on other teams or on
customers.
When engaged in a conversation, I make
it my goal to get my point across or
convince the other person, rather than
learn what they have to say.
When the customer encounters a
product issue, I assume the customer did
something wrong, that it was their fault.
When working through a complex
feature or request, I first try to put myself
in the customer’s shoes, understand
what they needed when they asked for
this feature, and work from that insight.
When a coworker asks me to help them
with a task, I assume there must be a
good reason.
When joining a team or project, I strive
first to understand what decisions were
made prior to my joining.
When talking to someone, I ask
open-ended questions and seek to
understand their perspective before
adding my inputs.
When a customer asks for a feature that
doesn’t make much sense, I try to put
myself in the customer’s shoes to figure
out why they are asking for that feature.
I do everything in the Good Work category,
plus ...
I create environments where everyone
can add their voice to the discussion, and
actively work to ensure that quiet team
members are given the opportunity to
talk and be listened to.
If I’m working with a difficult customer,
rather than getting frustrated at him, I try
to see the world through his eyes &
understand why they may be mad.
After interacting with a customer or
prospect, I strive to teach my fellow
teammates how that customer thinks
and reacts to our product, so I can
spread that empathy to folks who did not
experience it firsthand.
Even if I’m an expert in a domain, I strive
to keep beginner’s mind, to think and
explain my rationale like any newbie
would.

I ask how can I help?
I badmouth teammates or customers to
try to make myself look better. I gossip
about my coworkers.
When a coworker asks for help, I tell
them I’m too busy already with my own
work
If I’m part of a complex project, I’ve
finished my work, and others are
struggling to meet their commitments, I
complain that they are making me look
bad.
I believe my contributions have an
outsized effect on our success compared
to my teammates’, and deserve outsized
recognition.
I think I’m smarter than my teammates
and have difficulty trusting others’
decisions or work.
I regularly commit things to others that I
don’t then deliver.
When a team I’m working on/with has
done good work, I share credit openly.
I’m willing to chip in to help a team
member with their work, even when it’s
outside my core area of expertise or
responsibility. I’m willing to help out with
any part of the product, even if it means
I’ll have to work harder to contribute than
an expert might.
Even under stress, I take the time to help
a coworker or answer their questions.
If I’m part of a complex project, I’ve
finished my work, and others are
struggling to meet their commitments, I
help my teammates get their work done
so the whole project can get delivered to
the customer.
I take time to publicly recognize
teammates who do great work.
plus ...
While continuing to deliver on my existing
obligations, I also take additional
significant projects, even though no one
asked me, because I know the company
needs them to be done.
I take on projects that don’t have
immediate rewards, because I know they
will add long-term value to the company.
I am willing to put myself in
uncomfortable situations for the
long-term benefit of the team and the
company. I am comfortable being the
“odd one out” if it benefits the company.
In the heat of the moment, I cover for a
team member & their responsibilities
even though I know it won’t accrue to me
and likely no one will know how hard I
worked or personally sacrificed to make it
happen.

I see opportunity in difficult situations
I regularly say “I can’t do that”, “I don’t
know how to do that”, “I don’t want to do
that”, or “I don’t want to do that anymore”
In high-stress situations, I criticize others.
When an issue happens, I seek to blame
other or context for the issue. Problems
are never my fault. It’s always something
wrong with the PRD, the process,
something that others did.
I think I’m putting in good enough work,
and that there is no need to get better
from here.
“I’m too good for that. That’s not in my job
role”
I’m willing to pitch in even though it’s not
in my area.
When asked to do something that’s not
traditionally in my purview, I learn about it
and help out.
I take it upon myself to continually
improve both the depth and breadth of
my skills.
When presented with an obstacle, I’m
energized by the opportunity to surmount
it because I see it as an opportunity to
learn. I proactively seek out challenging
problems because I know they can
maximize my learning curve.
I plot my own path through a chaotic
situation.
plus ...
I roll up my sleeves and learn about a
topic I previously knew nothing about so
that I can be excellent at it.
I regularly strive to improve myself and
look for ways to bring that back to
improve the company as a whole.
I proactively seek opportunities to expand
my knowledge and ways I can be of
service to the company.
I make a concerted effort to find ways to
improve the company, then execute on
those things.
In a stressful or uncomfortable situation, I
create opportunities so my teammates
can realize they are also an opportunity to
learn and grow.

I have pride in craftsmanship
If it’s 6p, I stop working. It doesn’t
matter if the work is done or if others
are depending on me for something.
If others’ work isn’t done to my level
of quality, I complain about it or get
dejected that we’re failing as a
company.
If someone provides critical feedback
on my work, I get offended.
I regularly build “quick fix” solutions to
problems without spending the extra
time to make sure the problem is
truly solved.
I assume I’m the only one who cares
about their own craftsmanship. I don’t
trust my teammates’ decisions or give
them the benefit of the doubt.
I don’t hold others accountable when
they consistently fail to deliver on
their promises to the team.
I seek out others’ opinions to provide
feedback and improve my work.
I sweat the details and am patient in
explaining my decisions to others.
When asked to perform work (build a
feature, a customer-facing task), I
think about the request carefully,
think of ways I can improve it, and
implement it to my highest bar.
I accept criticism of my work because
I see it as a way to improve the
quality of my work next time.
I never take incomplete information
as an excuse to not do the work. I put
myself in the customer’s shoes and
dig deeper. I look inwards for the
drive to find a solution.
I think cross-functionally. It may not
be the quickest way to get something
done, but it’s optimized for quality
delivery.
category, plus ...
I bring together the complete set of
stakeholders and facilitate
collaboration so we can think through
a feature to make sure it’s built right
for the customer.
I strive to solve problems outside my
area of expertise
I strive to teach people how to
improve their own skills and do so
without being pedantic or seeking
credit.
It’s late and I want to go home, but
there’s value in that extra hour of
work -- so I stay and do it.
I’m willing to call the team out when
something isn’t functioning properly.
I’m willing to hold others accountable
even though it’s an unpleasant
situation to be in.

I’m a proactive problem solver who gets shit done
I correctly identify problems, but then
complain instead of participating in
finding a solution.
When a problem arises, it’s never my
fault or responsibility. It’s always
something wrong with the PRD, the
process, something that others did.
I think if a feature can’t be built the
perfect way, it shouldn’t be built at all.
My teammates have to proactively ping
me to find out the status of my work
items.
When I’m given a project with open
questions, I make a bunch of silent
assumptions.
When asked to do something, I list all
the reasons it won’t work.
I’m unwilling to make decisions under
uncertainty. I always need more data.
When a teammate mentions
something is broken, I think “how can I
help fix it.”
I see iterative improvement as a good
thing. I want to “make it better.”
When I realize that something I’m
working on is going to be late, I
proactively communicate to all the
stakeholders in a visible and
transparent way and take personal
responsibility for the delay.
When someone comes to me with
something they need done, I own the
delivery of that actionable thing. If I
realize that some things are outside the
scope of my day-to-day job, I still make
sure they get done, whether by me or
by somebody else. Even if I delegate
some of the work, I continue to own the
complete delivery.
When in doubt, I proactively raise
questions to clarify my hypotheses.
category, plus ...
I regularly solve problems for the
company, even outside my area of
expertise
I take what I’m doing and optimize the
work product for what is needed at the
time. I take the time to understand the
big picture.
I’m proactive in helping others get their
work done.
I constantly remove distractions and
context-switches from my co-workers
so they can focus on getting their work
done
I’m not burdened by precedents. I’m
inspired to out-execute and set new
records for myself.
I balance the need for urgency and
need for quality.

I’m humble, radically candid, and open to feedback
If I think a coworker did something
wrong, I criticize them openly or in front
of others.
When someone has made me mad or
sad, I assume they have negative
intentions towards me, or are
incompetent.
I take critical feedback as a personal
assault or a sign that people don’t trust
me or my skills.
When something fails, I blame others for
the event and assume it’s someone
else’s fault.
I regularly talk over my peers in
meetings.
I say hurtful things about my teammates.
I’m openly critical of my peers to try to
make myself look good.
When someone has made me mad or
sad, I suffer in silence and build
resentment towards the person.
In the heat of a debate, I’m receptive to
acknowledging the common goals
with my counterpart, and using those
goals to work backwards & resolve
sticking points.
When someone has done or said
something to make me angry or sad, I
go talk to them 1:1, discuss my feelings
without getting defensive, try to
understand what they were thinking
when they said what they did, and find
a solution that satisfies both parties.
When something went wrong, I realize
where I fell short & am specific in
following up with a desire to learn from
my mistakes. I follow up with the team
and the offended parties with tactics or
a strategy to ensure it doesn’t happen
again.
When I haven’t received feedback in a
while, I think of specific events I want
feedback on and proactively go ask
my peers for feedback.
category, plus ...
When someone gives me criticism,
even if poorly worded or harsh, I try to
see the truth in their statement, listen
actively, ask open-ended questions,
and use it as an opportunity to
improve.
I find ways to tell my peers who made
a mistake in a way that is still
respectful of the work that was done
and the good intentions behind it.
I help other people have radically
candid conversations with each other
by refusing to be the party they vent
to. Instead, I recommend they speak to
each other and resolve their
differences.
Even under duress, I’m always open to
receiving criticism and willing to act on
it to improve.

Some Parsable Culture Heros
Grit in the face of adversity: Amy, Chase, Kathryn
Seek to understand through other people’s eyes: Scott, Kathryn, Ryan, Mark, Will, Alex, Rory
How can I help: Will, Kathryn, Tom, Zach, Devansh, Mark, Amy, Harish, Derrick
Seeing opportunity in difficult situations: Devansh, Will, Kathryn, Harish, Ab, Yanda, Scott, Ryan
Pride of craftsmanship: Yanda, Zach, Harish, Beth, Will, Sam, Amy
Proactive problem-solver who gets shit done: Ab, Kathryn, Rory, Tom, Yanda, Scott, Devansh, Chase, Will
Humble, radically candid, and open to feedback: Scott, Yanda, Ryan, Rory, Harish

Interview Questions &
Answer Guideline
Parsable citizen’s guide to immigration

You’ll have to apply to
find out
careers@parsable.com

Parsable's culture

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