December 09, 2025
In 2020, cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase implemented two organizational resets that transformed the company. First, it became a remote-first organization without physical headquarters. Second, it banned political discussions and activism at work.
As Coinbase evaluated its talent density initiative with structured cognitive assessments, standardized compensation, and rigorous performance management, leadership must weigh whether their mission-focused approach creates sustainable competitive advantage or potentially limits diversity and inclusion.
L.J. Brock, Chief People Officer at Coinbase, was central to the organizational restructuring. He joins “[Mission First at Coinbase](https://store.hbr.org/product/mission-first-at-coinbase/125103?srsltid=AfmBOorPh6P…
December 09, 2025
In 2020, cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase implemented two organizational resets that transformed the company. First, it became a remote-first organization without physical headquarters. Second, it banned political discussions and activism at work.
As Coinbase evaluated its talent density initiative with structured cognitive assessments, standardized compensation, and rigorous performance management, leadership must weigh whether their mission-focused approach creates sustainable competitive advantage or potentially limits diversity and inclusion.
L.J. Brock, Chief People Officer at Coinbase, was central to the organizational restructuring. He joins “Mission First at Coinbase” case author and Harvard Business School professor Charles Wang and host Brian Kenny to discuss the controversial talent management strategies Coinbase set to support their mission of increasing economic freedom through crypto.
The case, set in 2024, explores how these organizational practices can either facilitate or hinder a company’s ability to attract top talent while maintaining cultural cohesion through periods of rapid growth and market turbulence.