Haley Dorn on her three-year anniversary at Nomadic.

Jun 03, 2024

Robert M. Burnside Hi Haley, congratulations on your three year anniversary! So, how's it going for you working at Nomadic? What's keeping you here?

Haley Dorn Coming up on my 3rd year I feel like now, more than ever, I can call myself much more of an expert as far as understanding the product and better enabling clients from a customer success POV. I definitely feel confident in talking to clients about the things that I'm an expert in – all thanks to leadership here at Nomadic for their mentorship and guidance! So that's a really good feeling for me. I look forward to continuing to contribute to our clients’ success with their Academies and learning initiatives.

Robert M. Burnside so I hear what you're saying, you're very satisfied to feel a sense of growth and development, something like that. You feel like you're really growing in your understanding of customer service. If somebody asks you, what's it like to work at Nomadic, what do you say?

Haley Dorn When I think of working at Nomadic or really working anywhere, I think of it from 2 different perspectives. There's the client work: understanding the actual product and services and best practices and things like that. And then there's the actual - I hate to use a buzz word here - the culture and the teamwork. Everyone here at Nomadic is so helpful and willing to jump in regardless of their role. I’m constantly reassured that no one makes you feel like you're asking stupid questions, or anything – every question is valid and a learning opportunity!

Robert M. Burnside Yeah, that's interesting, that there's a sense there if I'm listening well, you're describing a cultural aspect in which people treat each other as human beings, not as whatever, robots.

Haley Dorn Yes, exactly! I feel like that's crucial because there are so many different experts at Nomadic and so many different areas. And we all tend to kind of do different things outside of our role to help out the client and/or each other.

Robert M. Burnside It's interesting the notion that there's a safety or feeling of safety. If you can ask any question and not be worried that you're going to be thought stupid, or that's a ridiculous question. Or why are you bothering me?

Haley Dorn Yes! And I think as a learning company ourselves, that just makes sense to have that embedded into our culture. Because I feel like if we can learn from each other and have that acceptance that not everyone's an expert in everything, that makes for a much more comfortable, safe, and supportive work environment. With clients, for example, there's a learning curve for them to get to know our Platform and getting users used to being in this new program and academy online. I feel like behind the scenes working here at Nomadic I've definitely seen and felt a learning curve is expected and taken into account by all of our very patient and understanding our fellow Nomads!

Robert M. Burnside Maybe saying we're sort of walking our talk is another way to say that.

Haley Dorn Absolutely, yes!

Robert M. Burnside you used the term nomad a couple of times. So what's it mean to you to be a nomad?

Haley Dorn I feel like to be a Nomad is to want to continue to learn more and continuing my understanding of how processes/ideas outside of my role fit with the big picture of what Nomadic offers and provides, more or less – we have the yearn to learn!

Robert M. Burnside What a great phrase you just said - a nomad is someone who “yearns to learn”.

Haley Dorn At Nomadic, we have these lunch and learn opportunities to teach each other and learn from each other about things outside of Nomadic, and I think to be a nomad is to want to continue learning, regardless of whether it’s within work or outside of it! I’ve been inspired by other nomads as far as understanding what it is someone else is interested in or doing in their life, whether work-related or not.

Robert M. Burnside I share that with you. Like hearing recently Tim talk about what China's actually like in his recent visit is priceless. You know we all get all sorts of things through the news, or you can read an article, but it's much more real when somebody that you know says, well, I was there and here’s what it’s really like.

Haley Dorn It's so much easier (and more interesting!) to pay attention when it's someone that you're connected with, at least from my perspective!

Robert M. Burnside Anything else you want to add, or you want to be sure you say about working at nomadic?

Haley Dorn One of my other favorite parts about working at nomadic is demonstrating to the clients all of the work that THEY’VE done to implement this learning initiative and how it's paying off for them. I like making them feel genuinely good and proud of all the work they've put in, because I think sometimes that can be forgotten (but hopefully not!). In many cases our client is project managing an entire academy or learning initiative, and there are a lot of good things that come out of it (learner completions, learners connecting with each other, etc.), but I like to be sure they are recognized for the part they played in it & for that work that they're putting in.

Robert M. Burnside It's interesting that part of what you really enjoy is helping make the client aware of how much they've done to achieve something valuable for their company. Specifically recognizing their work, not just the outcome.

Haley Dorn Exactly! Maybe it's a client has just launched their academy, and they're seeing program completion a little bit lower than they thought, or that they intended. But I like pointing out all of the other great things like, well, look, you've never had an online academy before, and you have 600 people that are signed up and have already started the program. It’ll get to completions and I’ll help to guide you as far as how to achieve that goal of yours!