10 Promises Maren Makes to Red Branch… #8 is Pretty Sweet

Let’s go back in time to 2007. When a bright eyed young gal started blogging for various industry communities and had all the advice in the world to give. Back then, I had very little experience hiring, managing or firing people, so I did what any writer would do. I found, interviewed, quoted and researched those who DID have experience.

“It’s not easy but it IS simple,” shouted the man in the front of the conference session waving pages of employee engagement data.

“Be transparent and authentic and your employes WILL respond,” claimed the Twitter guru widely believed to be the expert in her subject.

“It’s not about skills, it’s about culture,” said ME just two years ago at the front of my own presentation.

It is so much harder than that.

Culture takes grit and strong leaders who can go at it every day. It ALSO takes strong employees who can handle when direction changes or when faced with criticism.

We DO have a unique culture at Red Branch but there is always room for improvement and like every thing involved with leadership, that has to start with me. So here are my promises to my people:

1) I promise to appreciate your efforts, especially when you are learning a new skill or working on a new process. It’s been a long time since I’ve had to do that and sometimes I forget how hard it is and how frustrated one can get.

2) I promise to say “Thank you for your work” every day when you leave the office. As routine as it sounds I know this makes a difference after a long, hard day (and during conference season our days are long and hard).

3) I promise to communicate more clearly when I need something done a certain way so that you can get right to work without delay.

4) I promise to back you up and stand in the gap when you make a mistake.

5) I promise to never stop demanding that the work you provide be the absolute best because that’s why I hired you.

6) I promise to listen when you have issues that need to be resolved and do my best to resolve those that are professional in nature.

7) I promise to keep you accountable to the rest of your team and help you learn what team work really is.

8) I promise to give you wine, cheese and chocolate on Friday afternoons, as soon as your work is done.

9) I promise to make sure there are no clique, no bullies and no mean hearts in our company. (Inappropriateness is totally okay though).

10) I promise to promote a culture of respect by not interrupting you (as much as I can possibly help it!)

I know there are many more things I could do to create culture in my agency. Rock walls, a new office (check), office parties (check), a Keurig (check) and fancy trips. But what I’m realizing is that it isn’t the every-once-in-awhile perks that make for great culture, it’s every day attitudes and education.

How do you create culture in your organization? Whether you’re a manager, an employee ambassador, the CEO or the janitor, you have the power to create it. How do you?

Maren Hogan

Maren Hogan is CEO of Red Branch and general Bad@$$

Maren Hogan is a seasoned marketer and community builder in the HR and Recruiting industry. Maren started Red Branch Media and, before she hired all the smiling faces you see below, she ran it on her own. In marketing for over 15 years, she has deep experience in strategic campaigns and a long-term, results-based operational approach.