The integration of HTEC and Mistral is the story of shared fundamental values and ways of operating.
The recognition of a high degree of cultural alignment between HTEC and Mistral was the starting point for any considerations of a shared future. Without this foundation, the two organizations would have simply never come together.
Common Ground
Organizational culture is not a declarative statement or a list of abstract values. It is a collective mindset that evolves organically over time through the constant application of answers to the questions: how we approach our work, how we interact with our colleagues, and what we stand for in the greater scheme of things. With HTEC and Mistral, we both owe a great deal of our success to a strong team culture established in the very beginnings and nurtured through our growth. It was shaped and fortified through consistent actions – from everyday interactions to major business decisions – which, over time, become principles and ways of operating. The cultures of both of our organizations have grown from our persistent dedication to placing people before profits, treating them with respect and empathy, giving them trust and autonomy to enable them to grow and excel, empowering them to always swing for the fences in their work and encouraging them to stay hungry and continue growing. Over the following lines we will take a closer look at the cultural symmetry that has served as the foundation for the ultimate unification of the two organizations.
Essentially, both HTEC and Mistral have succeeded in building inclusive and welcoming environments across multicultural geographies where passion for work and respect for coworkers are unifying factors that overcome all individual differences.
Fear stunts growth. When team members are afraid to make a mistake or speak their mind, they resign themselves to playing it safe and effectively support the status quo.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, trust and autonomy are the foundations of professional development. HTEC and Mistral have both strived to build a safe professional environment where everyone can speak openly and honestly and where respectful disagreement and honest feedback are welcomed. Even through our recent expansion, we have maintained a high degree of autonomy on all levels, enabling team members to make fast decisions and adjust quickly to the ever-changing circumstances. The autonomy stems from the fundamental belief that if we all act to the best of our abilities and with the best of intentions good things will happen. This approach replaces tight supervision and micromanagement with trust and freedom. The degree of trust awarded to team members of both HTEC and Mistral also accounts for not just the inevitability of occasional mistakes, but also their formative value.
With both companies, we have thrived on an early understanding that hiring top talent also comes with the responsibility of providing them with room to make an impact – both in ways that are predefined and, perhaps more importantly, in innovative and surprising ways outside the scope of one’s job description. Employees are not expected to simply do what they are told, but also empowered to help shape and define the continued evolution of the organizations.
Shared Future
Stronger together, we have the capacity to continue to expand the already substantial platform for the development of our team members. We strive to enable our employees to impact the world from where they are, to make it possible to grow and thrive without having to move for greener pastures. To borrow a saying often heard around the hallways and watercoolers, we bring the Silicon Valley to our doorstep, empowering the region’s top talent to reach full professional realization right here in their own community.
The joining of forces between HTEC and Mistral is a monumental event. We understand that a change of this magnitude carries a complex mix of emotions for the people that make up our organizations. While uncertainty and doubt are not just understandable, but also unavoidable, they are also temporary. What is permanent is what connects us – our devotion to the people that have carried us to this point and our shared desire to create an ideal environment for them to thrive. Together, we have the power and the opportunity to build a better workplace, a better industry, and a better future.
We are excited for what the future holds and can’t wait to roll up our sleeves and start building it together. 
