A conversation with Lisa Britto on intentional remote culture, paying for impact rather than location, and why inclusion means seeing the whole person—not just their resume or demographic category.
Host: Tia Kleckner (CEO at LinkTech), Adam Kleckner (Head of Strategy at LinkTech)
Summary:
Lisa Britto planned to become a nurse until a medical diagnosis changed her path. The desire to help people stayed—and led her into organizational psychology and people leadership. Now leading people at Circle, she approaches culture through behavior, trust, and everyday decisions. In this conversation, Lisa explores what remote companies must make explicit, how her mixed-race identity shapes her view of inclusion, and why a young candidate from a shoe store deserved a chance that traditional hiring requirements would have denied her.
Main Topics:
From nursing ambitions to a people-first career in HR
Remote by necessity vs. remote by design
Paying for contribution rather than an employee’s zip code
Why approachable, imperfect leaders can earn trust
Seeing mixed-race identity as a whole—not separate boxes
Diversity beyond percentages: whose voice actually gets heard?
Recognizing potential outside traditional career paths
Continuous feedback, meaningful outcomes, and culture under pressure
Intriguing Quotes:
“We pay for work and we pay for the impact. We do not pay you for the zip code you’re gonna live in.”
“Percentages tell you who’s in the room, but not who’s heard.”
“Give them a real problem to solve. And then you can kind of see how their mind works.”
“People wanna work for good humans. They don’t need to be perfect.”
Key Moments:
[01:47] The original motivation: watching her brother’s hospital experiences inspired Lisa to pursue nursing. When that path closed, helping people remained the priority.
[06:57] Remote work requires intention: without hallway conversations or learning by observation, companies need clearer documentation, expectations, and opportunities to connect.
[08:30] Impact over location: Lisa explains why Circle’s approach to compensation attracted her—and what it communicates about the value of someone’s work.
[12:40] HR and the jangling keys: Lisa remembers conversations stopping when she entered a room. She wanted to be a trusted human, not a walking compliance warning.
[19:06] “Am I enough of that one?” Lisa shares how separate identity groups can leave a mixed-race employee questioning where they belong instead of feeling included.
[24:23] Who is actually heard? Representation numbers don’t tell you whether people feel safe challenging an idea or bringing a different perspective.
[30:04] From shoe store to department manager: Lisa advocated for a young candidate without the requested call-center experience. Within roughly a year to a year and a half, that hire was managing the department.
[36:50] Rethinking performance reviews: timely feedback gives someone something to act on now. An annual conversation shouldn’t be the first time they hear it.
[40:58] Culture isn’t just the feel-good moments. It shows up in decisions, psychological safety, and how consistently leaders respond when things get difficult.
Concepts: Industrial-organizational psychology; intentional remote work; location-independent pay; cognitive diversity; psychological safety; continuous feedback; internal locus of control
Connect with Lisa Britto:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabritto/
Connect with The Human Advantage Podcast:
Website: https://www.thelinktech.com/podcast