Suggestions
Marissa Heckman
Vice President of Learning & Development | Certified Positive Psychology Based Coach
Marissa Heckman is the Vice President of Learning & Development at Power Digital Marketing, a digital marketing agency based in San Diego. She is also a Certified Positive Psychology Based Coach.24
Heckman's career at Power Digital Marketing has been marked by significant growth and achievements:
- She started as an intern at the company and quickly became an integral member of the organic social team.1
- In 2017, she was hired as an organic social community manager, demonstrating her expertise in social media marketing.1
- By 2021, she had progressed to the role of Social Media Project Manager, showcasing her deep understanding of social media platforms, particularly Instagram's algorithm.3
- Currently, as the Vice President of Learning & Development, Heckman is responsible for creating and implementing training programs for the company.2
Heckman is known for her expertise in:
- Developing micro-learning programs for employees with demanding schedules
- Creating engaging, digestible training modules
- Implementing solution-based training approaches
- Understanding and navigating social media algorithms, especially Instagram's3
Recently, in March 2024, Heckman obtained her certification in Applied Positive Psychology based Coaching, further enhancing her skills in employee development and coaching.5
Her approach to training and development focuses on intentionality, engagement, and practical application, which has contributed to the successful implementation of various programs at Power Digital Marketing.2
Highlights
Last week I conducted a routine manager role play certification, and I was saddened to hear something I’ve heard before during these sessions.
Me: “Before we dive in, how have the manager training sessions been going for you?” Team member: “So helpful. My last company instructed us to hold feedback until annual reviews. Coming here and going through this program, it was shocking and refreshing to hear the exact opposite. I look back and cringe thinking how terrible I was giving feedback.”
Who are these companies? Can I meet with them, please?
This only hurts everyone involved, including the business. It impacts its psychological safety, stunts growth, and kills trust. It’s a losing strategy. What works better - and yes, is harder to pull off - is building a culture of radical candor. 🤝
Here is my advice for those looking to build such a culture: 📖 Read The New One Minute Manager 📚 Read Radical Candor 📙 Read Profit from the Positive: Proven Leadership Strategies to Boost Productivity and Transform Your Business 🌪 Be a force for change 🛑 Implement a No Surprise Rule (see below)
We’re not perfect at Power, but we try every day to get better. And we invest in our managers with a high degree of intentionality. Even experienced managers new to Power Digital Marketing go through training to ensure we’re on the same page.
Our Performance Reviews happen not once, but twice a year and have a strict NO SURPRISE RULE. If we’re practicing timely radical candor, there’s no concern in having a no surprise rule.
There's a terrific metaphor from Profit from the Positive that stays with me. Performance reviews are dessert. When done well, they're great. To be great, they have to include the right ingredients. And a person cannot live off of dessert alone. They need nutritious meals. Guess what the meals are.... real time feedback.
Speaking of performance reviews, we’re about to kick off our H2 review cycle. And the beautiful thing about it is… I’m EXCITED for it. That speaks volumes of our managers and our team.
