Great leadership behaviors at Freshworks: A blueprint for success

At Freshworks, leadership isn't about a title; it's a daily practice of inspiration, focus, expectation setting, and continuous growth among all employees. This transformation began when Chief People Officer Johanna Jackman and Chief Customer and Marketing Officer Mika Yamamoto joined forces in late 2023, driven by a shared vision: cultivating a people-first, high-performance culture where every individual thrives, irrespective of their role or designation.

Upon their arrival at Freshworks, Jackman and Yamamoto identified a critical gap: the absence of standardized leadership behaviors that communicated a shared understanding of how the company expected leaders to show up. To bridge this, they embarked on a collaborative journey, engaging with Freshworks' most effective leaders. Through these insightful conversations, they distilled five core leadership behaviors, laying the foundation for a unified vision of excellence.

The five great leadership behaviors

Setting clear expectations for leadership behavior is essential for building a strong, high-performing organization. When these behaviors are clearly defined, they foster consistency, a common language, transparency, and accountability, helping leaders make fair decisions and create a unified direction for their teams.

Leaders who model these behaviors provide clarity, ensuring that teams stay aligned with the organization’s goals and focused on what matters most. This clarity helps prevent confusion and keeps everyone on the same page, even as teams grow and change. Additionally, leaders who consistently meet these expectations set a performance standard that encourages continuous improvement and motivates employees to excel.

Clear leadership expectations also drive accountability. When leaders embody an aligned set of behaviors, they set the tone for the entire organization, inspiring teams to take ownership of their work and perform at their best. This accountability, in turn, builds trust and strengthens engagement, as employees feel supported and valued by leaders who lead by example.

As organizations expand globally, clear leadership expectations ensure alignment across regions and facilitate the seamless integration of new leaders. Consistency in behavior helps scale leadership without losing the organization’s core values or cohesion.

Finally, these behaviors create a culture of collaboration and learning. Leaders who prioritize teamwork, transparency, and growth foster an environment where employees feel empowered to share knowledge and learn from one another, driving collective success.

Cultivating awareness as a leader 

At the core of effective leadership lies self-awareness. As Yamamoto states, “The magic isn't in waiting for things to happen. It's in being intentionally present, showing up with curiosity, and consistently executing with excellence.” For Yamamoto, visionary leadership begins with self-understanding: knowing your purpose, your drivers, and how your energy shapes the team. 

Jackman adds, “True magic occurs when people are mindful and aware of their potential and the opportunities around them.” This philosophy underscores their approach, highlighting leadership rooted in self-awareness and mindful action. They both believe in cultivating a heightened awareness in your interactions, embracing challenges as learning moments and fostering a culture of growth, collaboration, and authenticity.

Great leadership is a lifestyle

The Great Leadership Framework extends beyond mindfulness. It encompasses a holistic approach to leadership that includes raising the bar, taking ownership, and nurturing a high-performance culture. Jackman and Yamamoto stress that it's more than a theoretical model; it's a lifestyle. 

“Great Leadership isn't a checklist; it's a lifestyle and a way of being all the time,” Yamamoto asserts. “You’re presenting yourself as a leader when responding to email, addressing employees in the halls or on Zoom, or delivering a formal presentation. It all matters.”

By prioritizing growth, collaboration, and authenticity, leaders at Freshworks create an impact that extends beyond themselves, empowering teams to unlock their full potential. 

Great leaders create learning moments every day,” Jackman emphasized. “The question I ask myself is, how can I help others be greater than they are today?”. Yamamoto shared about the power of collaboration, noting how working with another leader on a customer churn challenge yielded significantly stronger solutions than she could have achieved independently. 

Your moment of impact 

Jackman and Yamamoto remind us that leadership isn't about waiting for a grand gesture but the cumulative effect of daily, mindful actions. Cultivating a heightened awareness in your interactions, regardless of industry, can significantly impact your team and organization. Whether leading a meeting with greater clarity, practicing active listening with a colleague, or making a decisive choice for your team, each intentional step contributes to a culture of excellence. Freshworks demonstrates that by embracing mindful leadership behaviors and holding one another accountable to them. It is ever present in how we speak, how we act, how we hire, and how we gauge leadership performance. Embrace the opportunity to shape your environment, one great leadership behavior at a time, and watch the magic unfold.  

Tip: Start today: Choose one leadership behavior you want to strengthen and practice it intentionally in every interaction this week. Small, consistent actions create powerful, lasting impact.