Inspiration: Why it’s essential to our culture

We talk a lot about inspiration around here. It’s baked into the work we do and  it’s a core principle we live by. It’s fair to say inspiration is a driving force for the way we do business. Our Chief Strategy Officer, Chris, gets to this point much better than I could in this article.

So I’m not going to retrace that ground, but rather I want to take this opportunity to frame some of the reasons why we put inspiration at the center of our business.

 

We are a culture driven company. In practicing what we preach, we expend a lot of time and energy to purposefully create a culture that truly captures who we are, as well as who we want to be. This is critical for a small company like ours in order to hire and retain the best talent while differentiating ourselves from other branding firms in our space.

 

There were some foundational business challenges surrounding the cultivation of our culture that established inspiration as one of the central touchstones. Inspiration became the tool we use to combat our “common enemies” and create a culture we all want to be part of. Here is a glimpse at some of those business questions that inspiration helps us to solve:

  1. We don’t want to be satisfied with the status quo and won’t allow the organization to stand still. So how do we push into new spaces and expand our perspective?
  2. We believe that motivation is not created externally; it’s an internal process. So how do we help others find their motivation?
  3. Our job as consultants is to bring something new to the client engagement. That’s the value we bring. So what has to be true to foster new thinking and new ideas in order to bring something unexpected to the table?
  4. How can we create an environment that is positively restless and cultivates growth – personal, professional and collective? What are some approaches we can take to learn new things and take on new challenges with tireless energy?
  5. How do we make a dent and affect something (each other, clients, the community) in a profound way?

 

The simple answer to all these questions is inspiration – something that changes the way we see what’s in front of us, something that ignites new ideas and places, something that shifts perspective and illuminates a North Star.

This is the foundational thinking that led to inspiration becoming a pillar of our vibrant culture. How can inspiration spark new directions for your company or yourself?