How deep should you go in understanding your employees motivations?
This week, we did something we never do. We stopped.
If you ever ask a former employee about what it is like to work for Marketing Eye, they always say that there is never a moment to spare. There is always something to do.
The nature of our business is marketing. As such, we deliver marketing strategy and campaigns for the clients we work with. If we are not executing marketing strategies, we are increasing followers for clients on social media, researching their competitors, educating ourselves on the latest marketing techniques and in general spending time surfing the internet.
If you ever ask a former employee about what it is like to work for Marketing Eye, they always say that there is never a moment to spare. There is always something to do.
The nature of our business is marketing. As such, we deliver marketing strategy and campaigns for the clients we work with. If we are not executing marketing strategies, we are increasing followers for clients on social media, researching their competitors, educating ourselves on the latest marketing techniques and in general spending time surfing the internet.
It's non stop. Every single day. From the moment someone starts their day in the office until 5.30pm when they leave.
And if they are really ambitious, employees work out their role in making Marketing Eye successful. Let me assure you, this is a case of 'how long is a piece of string'.
Burnout can be high particularly if a marketer isn't organized. Once they fall behind the eight ball, they find it very hard to get back on top of things. We have systems, processes and technologies that help them be better marketers, but at the end of the day, it takes a lot of discipline.
Last week, I did a vision board for myself. It was very personal and I shared it with all of my team, then on their encouragement, with the rest of our readers and followers. It exposed me personally and shows my vulnerability. I followed this up with a blog about '9 Fears and Insecurities That I Have'. Now, that was confronting but strangely I am glad I did it. My blog seems to be the place where I share things that are on my mind, experiences and the things I don't say out loud, but think.
I then asked our interns to stop work for an hour and do their own vision boards for 2015. When I first asked, I asked them to drop whatever they were doing and come out into the open area where there is a lot of magazines and start working on their vision boards.
30 minutes later, no-one did. They kept working on what they were working on. I asked, "do you not want to do this task?" Everyone said yes, but one. He said he wasn't sure. I asked, "what are you not sure about?"
I suppose my question was confronting and he said he would do it.
At that moment I realized that they were afraid to share their dreams and aspirations with each other and with me.
However, once they got started, they all got into the task and had a great time. Each commending the others on their vision boards. They all can be found on Marketing Eye's Instagram account (marketingeye) and are great for inspiration.
But what they do that is more than just an inspirational piece is tell a story. It tells the story of the person that put it together. It says something about them. It shows vulnerability, dreams, and in some way fears.
Try it. You will be surprised how rewarding it is to put these things on a piece of paper.
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comment ( 1 )
carley
11 Mar 2015Great article to inspire every team to stop and do the things that build culture, meaning and strength in an organisation
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