How Upstart Builds Inclusive Teams + Culture
Meet Lakshmi- Lakshmi has over 20 years of experience in various data leadership roles. Lakshmi has successfully driven cross company collaboration and led cross functional teams to deliver solutions to market, and managed multiple tracks through product life cycles from concept to delivery. Lakshmi combines her broad background to balance multiple perspectives to achieve effective and sustainable means to address business needs. Prior to Upstart, Lakshmi worked in various roles such as Head of Consumer Data Science, Senior Director, Senior Data Solutions Architect, and Manager CRM.
ModelExpand sat down with Lakshimi, VP of Data Engineering to discuss how Upstart, a leading artificial intelligence (AI) lending platform, is working proactively to build inclusive teams and cultures.
Building Team Culture
How do you ensure the culture and team dynamic you created continues on when the team is ever evolving - employees leaving the company and new ones joining? What strategies can you share with other leaders as their teams have rapid growth?
Everything at Upstart is driven by our core values, including hiring. Every person on my team helps define the culture by bringing a piece of themselves to the table. As teams evolve, if the leadership continues to focus on making decisions through the lens of the Company’s core values, a consistent culture can be maintained.
What do you think are the most important attributes of building and developing a successful and inclusive team? Any tactics you could share?
I am fortunate to lead a team that deeply cares about inclusivity, and sees it as their own problem to solve. We, as a team, strongly believe in the quote by Beverly Sills, “there are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going.”. This has put me in an advantageous position. As a leader, I strongly feel that if the team possesses traits like commitment, authenticity, humility, awareness of bias, curiosity, cultural sensitivity, and allyship, then they are more likely to be a successful and inclusive team.
“As a leader, I strongly feel that if the team possesses traits like commitment, authenticity, humility, awareness of bias, curiosity, cultural sensitivity, and allyship, then they are more likely to be a successful and inclusive team.”
Cultivate a sense of inclusion and belonging
What are 1-2 things that you are the most proud of that have helped Upstart move the needle in terms of representation in the workforce? What is your strategy as you continue to grow?
Upstart does not look at DEI only from a talent acquisition and retention perspective. It’s in our DNA and we truly care about it. Upstarters are empowered to ask the tough questions, and are encouraged to use their voice. We foster allyship and believe that without equity, efforts to promote diversity and inclusion are laudable, but not sustainable. To enact equity is to provide all people with fair opportunities to attain their full potential.
How does Upstart infuse a culture of equity and inclusion?
Upstart infuses a culture of equity and inclusion starting with its mission statement “to enable effortless credit based on true risk”. With the help of machine learning and artificial intelligence, we look beyond the credit scores of our borrowers and make loans more equitable, affordable and accessible.
“Upstart infuses a culture of equity and inclusion starting with its mission statement “to enable effortless credit based on true risk”. ”
At Upstart, we hire, groom and invest in leaders who strive to build a truly equitable and inclusive culture, where everyone is welcomed, valued, respected, and heard. Based on Jennifer Brown’s book “Inclusion: Diversity, The New Workplace & The Will To Change” and a few others I have read, there are different models to assess leadership maturity. Jennifer uses the “Unaware, Aware, Active, Advocate” model, while some others use the “Reactive, Proactive, Strategic, Transformational” model. Upstart invests in developing a conscious action plan, tapping into various internal resources and tools, being mindful and avoiding the pitfalls of unintentionally hurting others.The leaders hold themselves accountable and constantly seek to learn more about what we don’t know when it comes to cultural competency.
Anything else you would like to share with ModelExpand readers?
There are tons of talks around DEI. I am constantly learning and happy to connect with anyone to learn and share my learning journey.
Lakshmi Venkateswaran, VP Data Engineering at Upstart, will be sharing more about her experience at ModelExpand’s upcoming Women In Leadership Breakfast: How to Build & Develop A Successful Team. The ModelExpand Women In Leadership Breakfast Series provides a space for women to connect, inspire and uplift one another. Check out our upcoming events here or learn more about our sponsorship opportunities.
Upstart is hiring! View their open positions here.
