Episode 6 : Interview Timing

Friday, November 17th, 2023|

At this stage of the game, you have set clear expectations for the role, you’ve written an amazing job description, prepared before and during the interview, and had your first interview with a candidate.

Now it’s decision time and time to choose whether that candidate is a good fit and ready to move to the next stage, or not.

It’s only natural that you may want input from other stakeholders to help you with the decision. You may feel a second or third interview and perspective is needed before you can make an offer.

If that is the case, then be mindful that your candidate may have other interviews scheduled elsewhere too.  And if your decision-making process takes too long, you may risk losing your candidate to timing.

I am a fan of including key stakeholders in interviews.  Remember that your candidate is also interviewing your company, so a couple of interviews with other stakeholders will give them additional insight into the culture, team environment, and product.

However, be mindful of the intention of multiple interviews, the impression it can leave, and the impact it may have.

Time is a valuable asset for everyone—including your candidate.  The days when candidates had to jump through multiple hoops to show their interest in a job are over.  Today, companies have to do the same.

So without clear and open communication, a lengthy interview cycle can imply that you are not serious about a hire, or are indecisive, or that you have doubts about their candidacy, and that their time is not valuable.  This is not the way to build trust.

So please set expectations with the candidate upfront, or if working with a recruitment firm let them know what the interview process in your company is like, so they can inform their candidate ahead of time.

A simple statement can set the tone: “Our process includes X interviews with Y stakeholders. We value your time and promise an expeditious yet thorough process to give us both a strong sense of connection, understanding and requirements.

If multiple rounds of interviews are necessary, or assessments are required, please find out where the candidate is in their interviewing journey with other companies.  Are they awaiting an offer, or have they just begun their job search?

Be ready to pivot and adjust your approach if you really like this candidate and they are your front-runner.

In our experience, we have had situations when a client was really excited about a candidate, but other stakeholders in the decision-making process were unable to conduct the follow-up interview for a couple of weeks due to vacations, tradeshows, and other deadlines….and during that time, the candidate accepted another offer.

Don’t lose your top candidate to TIMING. Create a process for fluidity.  If needed, conduct multiple interviews on the same day or if multiple days are needed, then

make the interview a priority, and clear your and any other stakeholders’ calendars so everyone is committed to continuing the process smoothly without unnecessary delay.

If hiring is truly a priority….make it be one.

Let’s do a Pulse Check

Can you make interviewing a priority at your company?

How many rounds of interviewing do you need before a decision is made?

Who are all the stakeholders that need to be part of the decision-making?

 

Watch the previous episodes in this series:

Episode 0: Introduction

Episode 1: Transforming Your Hiring Mindset

Episode 2: Writing Impactful Job Descriptions

Episode 3: Recruitment & Sourcing Strategy

Episode 4: The Candidate Experience

Episode 5: The Interview Mindset

 

 

 

Episode 5 – Interview Mindset (IQ, EQ & AQ)

Saturday, November 11th, 2023|

 

By this point in the hiring process, you’ve spent lots of time and resources to set up your employer brand, write your job description, review incoming resumes, and now you are finally ready to invite a handful of candidates to an interview.

No matter what route you take to get here, make sure your energy tank is full when you meet your prospective interviewee.

Make sure you are present, you are focused, prepared, and in the right interviewing mindset.  Also, it’s key to allow each interviewee to shine on their own merit, and not let any history of previous bad hires impact this new person and this new opportunity.

It’s imperative that you or your lead interviewer are not tired, hungry, or rushed and instead are at your best to represent your brand in the proper way and make a good impression.

If your hiring mindset is wrong, it can lead to a wrong hire!

Interviewing is both an art and a skill and it involves curiosity,  empathy, and authenticity to become a skillful interviewer.   In order to conduct your most perfect interview, consider the following pointers to transform your interviewing mindset.

The perfect interview starts with

  • Your preparation
  • Managing your energy
  • How do you build rapport
  • Staying present and focused
  • Creating engagement
  • Create a true human connection
  • And building trust

Skilled interviewers have an equal balance of questions to determine IQ, EQ & AQ.

IQ-focused interview questions as about technical skills and expertise, certifications, education, awards, and the specifics of how to do the required tasks.

And while skills-based questions are critical in assessing a candidate’s ability to do the job right, they only paint a partial picture of overall fit within the company.

Equally vital are the interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence (EQ) of a candidate, which reviews alignment, culture fit, values, communication skills, and overall compatibility within the team.

Add to the mix an opportunity to assess for AQ, or adaptability quotient that highlights a candidate’s ability to handle change, leadership, decision-making,  stress-management skills, and navigating the unknown!

This can be extremely valuable if you are launching a new product, are a start-up, or going through some changes within your organization or if all your processes and SOPs are not quite solid.

Assessing EQ and AQ skills requires asking open-ended, values-based, and situational interview questions which enable you to delve into a prospective candidate’s empathy, conflict resolution, and problem-solving capabilities.

Open-ended questions also allow your candidate to dive deeper into a topic and expand their answers, highlight their reasoning, thought processing, and communication skills

For example, you can glean so much information by asking:

  1. Share a time when you successfully diffused a misunderstanding between two colleagues.
  2. Provide an example of fostering a sense of belonging and teamwork among your peers.
  3. What leadership qualities do you admire most about yourself or your current boss?

Values-based questions tie the interview questions back to your company’s values.

For example, if your company’s core value is Agility,  then a line of questions that focus on agility will give you a glimpse into how that core value shows up for your candidate:

  • Tell me more about when you had to juggle multiple projects.
  • How do you handle change and unexpected interruptions?
  • Can you explain your approach to prioritizing and planning your day?

If Accountability is your company’s core value, then ask:

  • What do deadlines mean to you, and how do they impact teamwork?
  • How do you motivate yourself to stay accountable and achieve your tasks?
  • Describe a situation where you rallied your team members to accomplish a task.

While hard skills can be acquired or taught through various educational resources, assessing a candidate’s cognitive and emotional intelligence requires that you actively listen, be present, and be focused.

Asking follow-up questions, and observing their body language and communication style. This approach ensures a thorough evaluation and helps identify candidates who possess the right blend of technical as well as interpersonal skills that may align with your company culture.

Let’s do a Pulse Check

How are you currently interviewing for IQ, EQ, and AQ?

Watch the previous episodes in this series:

Episode 0: Introduction

Episode 1: Transforming Your Hiring Mindset

Episode 2: Writing Impactful Job Descriptions

Episode 3: Recruitment & Sourcing Strategy

Episode 4: The Candidate Experience

Episode 3 : Recruitment & Sourcing Strategy

Tuesday, October 24th, 2023|

 

Now that you’ve clarified your employer brand, and written your job description, let’s talk about your internal and external recruitment strategy.

Before you start looking externally for candidates, have you considered anyone from your current team who may have the skillsets you need to execute? Perhaps they are in another department or are ready to take on a new challenge or for a promotion.

An internal hire could be a morale boost and build trust, bring recognition, growth, and internal mobility within your teams…and in the long run, be a great retention tool. It reduces the need for someone to look for a “better opportunity” elsewhere because they trust that opportunity exists within and you’ll look internally first.

However, if you do need to hire from outside of the organization, you’ll need a recruitment & sourcing strategy that is best suited for your needs.

If you have an HR or recruitment team in place, then you have great support as a first line of reviewers to evaluate the incoming candidates.

However if you don’t have the bandwidth or the support to plan your own sourcing strategy, you may want to consider working with a recruitment agency that will work with you to showcase pre-vetted and pre-qualified candidates.

Let’s do a pulse check:

  • Who do you know who may know someone?
  • Do you offer incentives internally for referrals?
  • Are there companies that are aligned with your expertise, or your mission/ values where you want to see people from?
  • And…what companies or verticals do you NOT want to hire from? ie.  Potential vendors or existing customers, or competitors
  • Do you want to hire from a competitor?

If you decide to pursue the route of working with an outside recruiter instead of doing it internally yourself, then it’s critical to ask the right questions to find the recruiters and agencies that best suit your needs.

Recruitment agencies typically work either as a retained or as a contingency agency.

A contingency firm will invoice you after a placement is made.  There are no upfront fees, however in a contingency search typically the agency is working on several roles with multiple clients at the same time, and every role has equal focus and attention.

A retained firm, on the other hand, typically charges a 1/3 to get started and the balance when the candidate is hired; or a third to get started 1/3 when they present candidates and the third one that hire is made.

In a retained relationship, specific focus and priority are given to an open role, and a dedicated team is assigned. They often will help you write the job description, take you through an in-depth pre-qualification process to learn about the role, team, and your company, and in return will send you a handful of qualified and pre-vetted candidates to review.  So if you have an urgent need or have a very specific requirement, this may be the right route for you.

In both cases, fees are typically anywhere from 20 to 30% based on the candidate’s first-year salary, and a guarantee period is extended.

Even though in a contingency agreement there is no upfront fee, there is still an internal cost to consider.

Do a cost analysis of what it means to hire a professional recruitment agency versus the cost of internally doing it yourself.

Internal costs include your or your team’s resources, bandwidth, and expertise, as well as the cost of that open role, the cost of lost productivity

This exercise is no different than doing a cost analysis whether to work with an outside marketing agency, an outside accounting firm, or a payroll agency vs doing those functions in-house.

If you do determine that working with a recruitment agency is the route to go, then hire a firm that has a specific focus and expertise within the skill set that you’re trying to fill versus working with a generalist recruiter.

When you’re gauging potential partners, ask your peers and colleagues for referrals, and schedule a meeting to learn more about that particular recruitment agency’s policies, processes connections in the marketplace, and sourcing practices.

Look at firms whose core values, culture, and mission align with yours and who can attract the type of talent you’ll want to hire.

By the same token, you must be upfront and truthful with your recruiting agency and partner with them.

Share with them any challenges or roadblocks with this role or at your company. Let them know of any past candidates and any who are being reviewed currently. The last thing you’d want is for them to reach out to the same talent pool.

The more your agency knows the more targeted they can be in their search and be advocates for your company.

Let’s do a Pulse Check

  • What is the internal cost of this position being open?
  • Is there someone on your team who has the expertise to review incoming resumes?
  • Does my internal HR team have the bandwidth to recruit this new role?

 

Watch the previous episodes in this series:

Episode 0: Introduction

Episode 1: Transforming Your Hiring Mindset

Episode 2: Writing Impactful Job Descriptions

 

Episode 1: Transforming Your Hiring Mindset

Monday, September 25th, 2023|

In his book” The Speed of Trust” Stephen R. Covey says “Trust is the one thing that changes everything.”

In Hiring, building trusted relationships starts before the recruitment and interviewing phases begin.

It starts with the preparation you do before you set out to hire that builds trust sets the stage for WHY a candidate chooses your company instead of a competitor’s.

In any hiring climate, You want to be a candidate’s First choice and highlight WHY joining your company is a good career move for them.

Not only are YOU interviewing a potential candidate, THEY are also interviewing YOUR firm, and in that vain they are reviewing YOU, and checking out your company’s reputation.

It is no longer a one-way responsibility on the candidate’s shoulders to promote their skills,  YOU have to do the same.

What prospective candidates learn about your firm via your digital presence helps establish your employer brand and builds trust between your company and their decision to apply. Clarifying your purpose, identifying your values, and highlighting your culture, and being a subject matter expert in your industry builds trust with applicants.

Building trust includes the communication you have with them from the time they apply, throughout the interview phase to the final step of an offer.

Trust is also built (or broken) in how you lead, how you give feedback, how you interview, and how you,= as a leader, show up.

I am going to ask you more questions to get you thinking about “why”…..

You don’t need to have the answers now….this is to transform the hiring mindset.  There is a worksheet in the resources section to work on this when you are ready.

Trust is a critical component here and ties right into why you are hiring now:

Why is this role open?

  • Is it because of growth?
  • Or is it because of attrition?

If it’s because of growth:
Are you hiring because your workload is too much and your team is already tapped?

  • Or is your team missing key skillsets to address the new work?
  • Is it to offload some of the things that you are doing yourself that you just don’t want to be doing anymore?
  • Is there an influx of projects, however, you don’t have enough staff to be able to handle them, or are deadlines being missed or opportunities being lost?

However, if it’s for attrition:

  • Did an employee leave?
  • Or did you let somebody go?

These are very different questions to ponder and the answers may shed light on a deeper issue to address with the next hire:

If somebody left:

  • Why did they leave?
  • Was there a cultural nuance that you need to be aware of?
  • A team dynamic or leadership issue to be aware of?
    Was it because of salary/benefits?
  • Did they leave for a better opportunity?  What does that mean? And how can you message and build trust that they can grow and flourish right here and that your workplace is that better opportunity?

Or did you let somebody go?

  • Why was that?
  • What was missing in how they did their job?
  • What was missing in their technical or communication skills?

Contemplating these questions will help you determine what your team needs now, who will be the right candidate, and how your employer brand is perceived… then start building trust with your messaging as you embark on the hiring journey.

Let’s do a Pulse Check

  • What does your employer brand convey?
  • Can an applicant get a sense of your culture from your digital presence?
  • How is trust established via your online communication?

What the previous episodes in this series:

Introduction

Bringing Our Whole Self to Work

Monday, April 10th, 2023|

I decided to repost this article that I had originally written in 2021 because this past year has reaffirmed that as hiring managers we must encourage interviewing and meeting candidates with empathy and authenticity.   There are gaps in many resumes these days.  Before rejecting a candidate because their resume has gaps, or it seems they have job hopped, can we pause and ask why to learn more? These have been hard times for many. Layoffs are a reality.  Short freelance stints are a reality. Covid and its emotional and financial repercussions are a reality.

Can we connect on a human level with one another?

This is my story:

When people hear that I’ve written a book, they generally assume that I’ve written about recruiting, human resources, or the culture of creativity. After all, with over 20+ years of experience in the creative recruitment field, it’s an expected assumption.

When they learn that my book, The Butterfly Years, is actually about the journey from grief toward hope, a puzzled look crosses their brows, expressing an initial surprise that I share so vulnerably my experience of loss and grief.

You may wonder, what does that have to do with my business? What’s the connection? Well, writing the book had absolutely nothing to do with my business and has everything to do with my business… because it has everything to do with me.

I choose to bring my whole self to my business.

In the book, Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations, Frédéric Laloux explores the concept of new organizations (Teal Organizations) where management and teams focus on creating a culture where the whole self comes to work.

My whole self has dealt with grief this past decade, including the loss of both my parents and step-parents. I wrote about grief because it was hard for me to concentrate, stay focused, or even remain positive.   I worked hard to hide what was happening inside. Of course, I did not let candidates or clients, or even my team, get a glimpse at what was truly happening to me on the inside at that time. I thought that I needed to fake it so I could make it. I was wrong.

Over the past ten years, I’ve learned the importance of being true to myself, being authentic, and encourage genuineness from those around me, professionally and personally.

So this is a request to all the hiring managers and recruiters who are interviewing right now. Everyone, every single candidate that you connect with, is more than their LinkedIn profile. They are so much more than what you see on their resume. It’s key to learning more about a candidate’s interests and passions, about their core values, aspirations, and motivations.

As you interview new candidates or manage existing ones, ask yourself who is the “whole self” that you’re interviewing and meet them where they are with empathy and authenticity.

 

Katty Douraghy

President, Artisan Creative

Celebrating Margaret Jung’s 28th year with Artisan Creative

Saturday, March 11th, 2023|

March marks the 28th anniversary of our senior account manager, Margaret Jung, with Artisan Creative. It is a momentous occasion and cause for celebration. Working for the same company for over a quarter of a century is quite the feat, especially in this day and age.

Those of you who have been fortunate to meet Margaret, know that she enters every room with the biggest smile, loudest hello, and is filled with joy and enthusiasm.

Working for a company whose values are aligned with hers, the opportunity to create a difference in people’s lives and to build long-lasting relationships is what motivates her. Her energy, enthusiasm, and drive come down to one phrase: creating relationships based on trust.

She is a consummate business development professional, highly knowledgeable in the world of creative and marketing recruitment, and has a first-rate understanding of the design marketplace.

 

 

Margaret shares 28 lessons learned along the way to stay strong over the past 28 years. 

  1. Stay positive 
  2. Be open to change
  3. Be realistic
  4. Work with and hire the right people–it goes a long way
  5. Know you have a team to back you up
  6. Support your team
  7. Believe in the core values of your company and share the same philosophy with your team
  8. Be accountable to yourself and the team
  9. Be self-aware
  10. Know your capabilities
  11. Keep yourself motivated
  12. Have a boss who gives you constant encouragement and advice
  13. Lead by example
  14. Have the mindset of being your own boss (especially in a remote business model like Artisan Creative’s)
  15. Have good communication skills with both internal and external stakeholders
  16. Understand that things aren’t always black and white
  17. Compromise when needed
  18. Don’t be afraid of having difficult conversations 
  19. Sometimes you need to just pick up the phone to get your point across (emails and/or text can get lost in translation)
  20. Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up…
  21. Control what you can control and what you can’t–move on
  22. First impressions are lasting impressions
  23. Stress can be managed. It’s not the end of the world 
  24. Be true to yourself, know your limitations, and stick with it
  25. Having the 3D’s- drive, determination, and discipline
  26. Having Empathy for others especially since we are in the “people” business
  27. Be good to yourself – take breaks and do what makes you happy- life is not always about “work”.
  28. Finally, life is so much better when you are laughing.

If you need help with recruitment to hire a position on your team, reach out to Margaret. You’ll see what we mean.

Thank you, Margaret, for an amazing 28 years. Here’s to creating even more impact and new relationships in 2023 and beyond.

Prepping for your next Interview

Friday, January 13th, 2023|

Interviews can be a nerve-wracking experience! Preparation helps calm those nerves. In order to help you through your next interview, we’ve compiled a list of things to consider to get that job offer.

  1. Do Research
    Being prepared for an interview is a given, but how well do you really know the position and the company? It’s useful to make notes and bullet point any relevant information before your interview. Do your research and check out Linkedin, reviews and social media posts to learn a few facts about the company.   This shows your interest in the product offerings and culture of the company
  2. Watch your Body Language
    We can’t stress how important body language is. If you don’t believe us, watch this TED Talk  by Amy Cuddy (it has over 22 M views!!)  We are not saying you should walk or Zoom into an interview with attitude, but what we are saying is that subtle language such as posture and hand movements can make all the difference between appearing shy or confident. Sit up straight, make eye contact and use open hand gestures. Check out our Zoom interview best practices blog too.
  3. Be Grateful
    Gratitude can go a long way so thanking the interviewer for meeting with you and following up with a thank you note will show how interested you really are. You could be up against several candidates and if you’re the only one to follow up and thank them, you’re already ahead of the rest.
  4. Questions
    Even if the interviewer has answered everything for you, ask another one! There’s nothing worse than being in an interview and not having any questions prepared or forgetting to ask something. Take in a list of questions and refer back to your notes when they ask you. If they truly have answered everything, at least they can see how prepared you were, but make sure you leave knowing as much as possible about the job and company.
  5. Stand Out
    How can you stand out – what is your unique ability? Winnie Hart of Twin Engine branding has a wonderful series of e-books to help define what makes you stand out.  Whatever your unique skill set, ability, or qualification, bring it up as a topic of conversation to help the interviewer remember you.
  6. Avoid Negative Talk
    This one is absolutely a key point to avoid using negative language. Refrain from saying “I’m not” or “I can’t” and say phrases such as “I’m strong with” or “I can”. Also, avoid speaking negatively about a previous role or boss.  Be truthful about why a role came to an end, however, do it with professionalism.
  7. Infuse Enthusiasm
    Be sure to show your enthusiasm about the role, the company, and the opportunity presented to you. Everyone wants to work with people who share the same excitement and passion about a project or product, so show your personality, and communication style. This is one of our core values here at Artisan Creative too.

Meetings with a Purpose

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2022|

Have you thought about your meetings, lately?  Are they purposeful?  Do they create impact?  Or, are they a waste of time?

According to master facilitator Priya Parker, it matters most to know why we are gathering.  There are many reasons for meetings and bringing people together;  sometimes to share ideas and brainstorm, other times to bond and create a stronger work culture, or to discuss new information and product launches.

In her book The Art of Gathering, How We Meet and Why it Matters, Parker outlines several best practices in defining purpose and outlining actions.

These three resonated the most with me:

Know the WHY of your gathering and don’t be swayed by other details.

Don’t mistake having an agenda with having a purpose.

Recently I was facilitating a gathering of approximately 80 business owners.  The initial goal of our meeting was to share new developments and tools.  We could have delivered the information digitally, however, once we determined that the WHY of our gathering was to bring people together to connect, create bonds and meet others from around the country after two years of Zoom gatherings, the meeting’s purpose and thereby meeting plan changed.

With a co-facilitator, we built the agenda based on the purpose of connection and structured the room in a way that allowed for smaller group discussions at round tables of 8. We rotated the groups throughout our time together to allow the attendees to meet as many other people as possible.  We also ensured that plenty of breaks and free time were built into the agenda so people could socialize and connect.  Without knowing that WHY, we may have structured the meeting in a classroom-style session, or not have planned for as much interactivity as we did.

 

Be an engaged Host

Don’t assume your gatherings, whether a business meeting or a party, is going to be self-managed just because people know one another.  Don’t give up the opportunity to craft a great experience for everyone by being a “chill” host.  Whether it’s a daily huddle that has its own rituals and cadence, or an annual offsite, sweat the small details from the location, to who is or isn’t invited.

Create a plan for engagement and connection exercises to set the tone and theme.  Setting expectations even before the meeting starts by communicating with the attendees ahead of time and sharing any pre-work that may be needed.  On the day of the meeting, be a gracious host by welcoming the attendees, interacting with and introducing everyone, and setting the tone for the time together.

Take advantage of Opening and Closing your meetings

Don’t start or end the meeting with logistics.  That can come later, and take advantage of the opportunity to use the Close and Open timeframe to create the mood and momentum of the meeting.  Remember, some people may be anxious about attending so plan how can you set up the opening to be a safe space for everyone to feel ready to participate.

Wrapping up your gathering presents a great opportunity to create memories, reflect on key takeaways, and provide “stickiness of content” so that people walk away energized and impacted, and remember what was discussed.

Whether you are now gathering in person or digitally these days, these best practices of having a purpose, being an engaged host, and having a memorable open and closing apply.  For more info please read her book.  It’s a fabulous read.

What specific rituals or best meeting/gathering practices would you like to share?

Planning a Remote Holiday Party

Wednesday, December 8th, 2021|

Every holiday season, our Senior Account Manager, has hosted a festive luncheon for our team during the holidays. She has done so for 24 years in a row, except for 2020!  This year we had hoped to come together again person, however opted for another virtual gathering instead.

And, while we couldn’t be in person, we laughed, exchanged gifts, and ate together (via zoom). Our team from across the U.S. was able to join in, and a few of our pets made unexpected zoom appearances too.

Although it was different, it was great fun and we connected from the heart, evaluated 2021, and put plans in place for 2022.  Additionally,

  • We reviewed our Vision Boards with one another and shared our personal and professional accomplishments for the year, and reviewed our goals for the new year.
  • Secret Santa gift exchange took place via Elfster complete with oohs and aahs and zoom screenshots to capture the festivities.
  • We pre-ordered and prepared lunch and eat together.
  • We shared our gratitude and wrapped up our gathering.

This year continues to be filled with new learnings and wonderful, unexpected surprises. This party was no exception.

After all, our core value of creating trusted relationships means connecting and creating memories, and what better way to connect than to celebrate one another!

Wishing you and yours a happy holiday season and a lively virtual gathering.

We hope you’ve enjoyed 598th a.blog.

 

The Intentionality of WFH

Friday, July 16th, 2021|

Industry reports are showing that staggering numbers of employees are re-visiting their priorities to decide whether to stay in their jobs or to leave for other opportunities.

According to the labor department, in April alone, 4 Million people left their jobs.

With labor shortages in every industry from hospitality to technology and the fact that not everyone has left for another job…..we wondered why is there such a huge demand vs. supply of skilled professional talent?

Some candidates are leveraging this demand and focusing on freelance vs full time careers.  Others have moved out of their city, changed their focus, and are spending more time outdoors or with family while contemplating what to do next. Others are taking inventory of their skillsets and taking online courses in a variety of disciplines to expand their current skills.

One thing that is clear, is that a large population does not want to go back to the office in a full time capacity. And, for some, they don’t want to go to the office in person at all.   For employers and employees, it’s important to define what the future of work looks like and understand why it’s important to know how and where we want to work.

The pandemic has taught many the value of time, and how we can best spend this precious commodity.  At Artisan Creative, we’ve long held the view of an integrated life with work vs. trying to find balance in work and life.  Finding work/life balance implies being out of balance and putting work first, then life.

We prefer to put the emphasis on life first and then integrate work within it—life/work integration.

We have been a remote team for 11 years now and we respect the moments when a team member takes a few hours off to accompany their child to swim class or tends to a personal matter.  We embrace the time someone needs to go for a walk in the middle of the day to reset.  We do all this because we trust one another and know the work will get done because we’ve committed to doing so. We also believe we will return to work happier.  We do all this because we know our team embraces our core values of Accountability, Agility,  Trust,  Communication, Enthusiasm.

One thing we’ve learned over the years is that remote work is not for everyone. The idea of it may be attractive to many, however, the execution of it takes diligence, self-discipline, and intentionality.

As you contemplate a return to work—whether hybrid, fully remote, or in person, be sure to evaluate which specific work situation is best for you and know whether you can self-motivate, and stay accountable to yourself and to your team.

We hope you’ve enjoyed the 588th issue of our weekly a.blog.