Tens of thousands of companies — from startups to Fortune 50 corporations, mom and pop shops to megaconglomerates — are currently undergoing digital transformation. One common pitfall is not understanding the true requirements of adapting to the digital economy.

Transformation isn’t only about technology; it requires a behavioral change, which makes cultural metamorphosis as important to a successful digital journey as choosing a cloud strategy. Shaking up the workforce is one way to make this happen.

“You learn from all the talent around you and the way people think differently about problems,” said Christine Heckart (pictured, left), chief executive officer of Scalyr Inc. “That synergy often creates magical outcomes.”

Geeta Schmidt (pictured, right), chief executive officer of Humio Ltd., agrees with Heckart. “Celebrate people’s differences. [You should] feel comfortable and safe when you’re coming with an opposite viewpoint because the diversity of thought is really what we’re trying to include.”

Heckart and Schmidt spoke with Sonia Tagare, host of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s mobile livestreaming studio, in two different interviews during the CloudNOW Awards event in Menlo Park, California. Both women were presented with a Top Women in Cloud award during the event.

Choose a key value for company culture

Picking one key value and focusing on it is important to build a cohesive company culture, according to Heckart. At Scalyr, this value is care. “We really strive to have a culture that encourages people to care about each other and care about the company’s mission,” she said.

This means prioritizing customer experience and product quality but also has wider implications. “[We] also care about the environment and care about the community and care about people’s lives outside of the day-to-day work job,” Heckart added.

Being the CEO of a start-up is “an exhilarating experience,” according to Heckart. She draws inspiration from her co-workers and the employees she supervises.

“We’re a company by engineers for engineers; and engineers innovate to change the world,” she said. “Every day is different, and every day is fun.”

Here’s the complete video interview with Heckart:

Active inclusion means celebrating diversity

As one of Humio’s founders, Schmidt found her input was an integral part of the company’s success. Yet alongside the excitement came challenges as she stepped out into male-dominated territory. She remembers her early days raising capital for Humio.

“I walked into a venture capital event where there were no other female CEOs,” she said. “There were a hundred CEOs, and I was the only [woman].”

Schmidt overcame her fear and proved herself as a CEO. Now she wants to help other women join her in the executive suite. This means taking active stance toward making the workplace more welcoming for women and minorities.

All employees, at every level, should feel like they can reveal their authentic self during work hours, according to Schmidt. This means “bringing together folks that don’t look like each other, wear exactly the same clothes, and do the exact same hobbies and come from the same country,” she said.

Another way to help create a supportive work environment for women is through events such as CloudNOW, where women come together to share experiences and help one another. “I’d like to see more of [where] we actively create environments and communities for that to happen,” Schmidt said.

Here’s the complete video interview with Schmidt:

A personal board of directors helps guide life decisions

Becoming a C-suite executive led Schmidt to a revelation on how the concept could be applied in her personal life. “I realized I probably need my own personal board, my own sort of support infrastructure,” she said.

Gathering a diverse network pulled from family, friends, and career contacts gave her a safe place to gain advice and share experiences. “The personal board isn’t exactly people; it’s profiles,” she said, describing how she built her board by seeking out people she could learn from outside of those she knew from her daily work.

As the relationships matured, she found that the personal board was a “two-way street.” The members supported her life and career growth, and she supported them.

Encouraging other women to adopt the same concept, Schmidt said that it builds a support infrastructure unrelated to one’s job. “It’s not your manager; it’s not your coworker,” she said. “You feel some level of freedom having those discussions, because those people aren’t looking at your company. They’re looking at helping you.”

These interviews are just part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of the CloudNOW Awards.

Photo: SiliconANGLE