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The 2025 America’s Top 100 is live. See the list →
The 2025 America’s Top 100 is live. See the list →
Ladies and gentlemen, thanks for tuning in to a new episode of The Leader Show with Lou Carter. Today, we are joined by Tony Thomas, the CEO of Windstream. Windstream is a comprehensive telecommunications provider offering a broad range of services.
These include high-speed broadband internet, reliable phone services, and diverse Digital TV packages for residential customers. Their tailored offerings also cater to small to large-scale businesses and government agencies, providing innovative solutions and indispensable services to meet their specific needs.
With that said, let’s find out what makes Windstream a Most Loved Workplace®.
Tony discusses how Windstream’s mission “to connect people and empower businesses” has been crucial, particularly during the pandemic. He underscores the importance of connectivity for work, education, and entertainment and positions Windstream as a purpose-driven organization.
Their work not only impacts business operations but also provides critical infrastructure support to institutions like children’s hospitals, adding a sense of purpose for their employees.
When asked how this mission translates into leadership and the overall enterprise, Thomas acknowledges that the company has invested over $5 billion in network upgrades over five years, shifting to state-of-the-art cloud-based systems. This commitment demonstrates that Windstream aligns its actions with its vision and values.
Thomas is confident that this alignment between words and actions is essential for instilling a sense of purpose and pride in their teams.
Lou and Tony continue their discussion, focusing on Windstream’s substantial investments in cutting-edge technology. Thomas explains that the $5 billion investment facilitates superior connectivity over fiber for the company’s residential customers, providing multiple gigabits of speed, which was unimaginable just a few years ago.
Software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) solutions allow businesses to oversee applications over their network and operate more efficiently. This technology becomes increasingly vital with the rising need for cloud-based applications.
Following up, Lou asks about the work culture at Windstream and how it handles the complexity and speed of work in their teams. In reply, Thomas states that they have adopted a small team mindset and an agile work method. This approach encourages innovation, creativity, and independence among teams.
Decision-making is decentralized, and smaller groups are entrusted with creating new capabilities and features. Tony explains that they use a “team of teams” philosophy, where all groups are loosely coupled but tightly aligned with the company’s mission and vision. This decentralization and empowerment lead to a quick response to customer feedback and needs.
Lou and Tony delve deeper into the importance of the “team of teams” mindset and how it has fostered respect and collaboration within Windstream. As CEO, Tony is particularly enthused about the constructive debates this approach engenders, where team members trust one another enough to have intense discussions about what’s best for the customer. He identifies this as a sign of a healthy team dynamic and a key reason why Windstream is succeeding in the marketplace.
Lou then discusses the concept of “safety” in teams and how crucial it is for team members to feel secure enough to admit mistakes and identify areas for improvement. Thomas agrees, referring to the concept as “psychological safety,” and affirms its importance in fostering an environment where employees feel empowered to speak up and be authentic. This, he says, is the primary ingredient for high team effectiveness.
They also touch on feedback mechanisms at Windstream, and Thomas shares the various platforms through which employees can contribute their opinions and concerns. These include an internal collaboration tool and town hall meetings that facilitate an active dialogue and debate about the company’s strategies, priorities, mission, and vision.
Moving on, Lou and Tony discuss the importance of strategic communication and fostering a “big-picture” mindset among employees. To help employees connect the dots and understand the company’s long-term goals and annual priorities, Windstream has implemented a video series that features interactions with product leaders and front-line employees. This initiative aims to ensure all 11,000 employees understand how their individual roles contribute to the company’s strategic objectives.
Lou then compliments Tony on his leadership style, praising his dedication to fostering a culture of innovation and psychological safety. The latter mentions that the essence of business is a collection of people and that competitive differentiation is achieved through a highly engaged team.
The dialogue then shifts to the concept of the “connection web,” a concept from the Most Loved Workplace Index, which illustrates how people connect and collaborate to solve problems. Both Carter and Thomas agree that this connection of people is crucial for creating bonds of trust and driving successful outcomes.
As the conversation wraps up, Tony expresses his excitement for the future of Windstream, particularly in relation to the potential of big data. He explains how Windstream harnesses this data to provide customers with valuable insights and personalized advice to improve their experiences, whether they are business clients or residential customers. Machine learning algorithms are used to process the vast amounts of data Windstream collects, and the company is investing heavily in this technology.
Lou draws a parallel between the vast amounts of data stored in the human mind and the terabytes of information that Windstream processes. He applauds Thomas for Windstream’s investment in emerging technologies and data utilization, emphasizing the importance of such investment across all technology companies.
Thomas also highlights some of the key drivers of employee engagement at Windstream based on their own data analysis. He reveals that being proud of the products and services they sell, understanding the company’s mission and vision, and feeling they can bring their authentic selves to work are the top three factors that contribute to high levels of engagement among their employees.
Lastly, he emphasizes the immense value that comes from employees feeling proud to be a part of the company, demonstrating the connection between investment in data and technology, and fostering a satisfying and engaging work environment.
Thank you for listening!
