Lessons In Business. #People
Since I finished my studies at uni, almost 7 years ago, I was told that Marketing was a world of sharks, and if you wanted to succeed, you needed to be a shark too.
Silly me, I did exactly what I was told. When I was working in a team, I only cared about being seen, performing so hard that I would ultimately get the recognition, sometimes leaving my colleagues behind. And I never got too close to the people I worked with because I used to think that was a sign of weakness.
The real problem was that I love people. I really care about people… and always competing with people made me feel exhausted and miserable.
With more experience, I learnt how to appreciate and accept that some of my colleagues were better than me at many (many, I already said MANY?) things. I also learnt what makes me unique, and that helped me accept that I had a place in a team, and I was appreciated and respected for that. This gave me so much peace and allowed me to focus on what I’m good at, and truly enjoyed my colleagues.
Because when you are surrounded by people you love to work with, you have “trust”, and when you “trust”, then you have “love”... and where there is love, beautiful things happen.
I can love my job, but my job can never love me back. So when it comes to my relationship with my colleagues, I don’t try to guard my heart anymore. I’m truly convinced there is a place for love in the office.
In today’s world, not only do people look to work to provide them with a sense of purpose, many of us seek out work cultures that give us a feeling of belonging. It’s increasingly common to hear colleagues say they want to bring their “whole selves” to the office, whether that means opening up to other colleagues about parenting struggles, forming an after-hours yoga club, or expressing a gender-nonconforming identity.
When people feel comfortable being authentic around one another for eight hours a day, five days per week, it should be no surprise that they form deep connections in the process.
Relationships formed in the office are not less genuine than relationships outside of it.
I’ve noticed myself and my colleagues expressing a sentiment of “love” and “family” more and moreover the past year or so, in the wake of big changes at our agency.
So… to “my people”, “my tribe”, my amazing colleagues, I’m truly grateful for you and all the ways you inspire me every day. I’m incredibly proud of you. I’m grateful for the challenges we face together, for our little fights and our laughs, for your support, your trust, and your friendship.
Thanks to you I’m a better marketer, a better manager, and above all, a happier person.
My lesson for these 25 years in business is simply that: Love the people you work with. And if you don’t, go somewhere else. Because with the right people around you, you don’t need to work so hard to be happy and successful, it just happens effortlessly.