Blog

Creative Culture at Work

Hello again!

I am now three-quarters of the way done with my MBA at American University’s Kogod School of Business, and happily the newest full-time employee at TaylorMade Experience.

Something that has been stressed to me over and over again at school is the importance of culture at work. Different cultures work well for different organizations, and some cultures don’t really work at all.

Over the last six months, I have observed first-hand how the values embedded in the TME culture are what make the company one that is excellent both internally and externally. Although there are many subsets that the following values can be segmented into, the three below encompass much of what TME stands for:

• Above and beyond – The TME team strives to go above and beyond for clients. We do our best to ensure that all our clients’ needs are met, including those they don’t even know are needs yet. Anticipation of these needs can and does go a long way, and it is one factor in seeking to make each and every event a huge success. This same notion can be applied internally; we as a team seek to go above and beyond as we help each other, and such a collaborative environment helps us to better serve our clients.
• Calmness under pressure – For better or for worse, things happen, particularly at events. The flexibility to persevere, “keeping calm and carrying on,” is vital to the event’s success, as is the ability to manage client expectations – and doing all this with a smile and a good attitude! This truly is a rare skill, but one that is demonstrated time after time at TME.
• Smile, have fun, and celebrate – We love what we do, and that’s important. When you love your job, it shows – to your team and to your clients. Our team truly enjoys our office days together and our meetings with clients who become our friends. It’s amazing how far a genuine smile can go.  And when we succeed, we celebrate – spa trips are one of my favorites.

And that is my takeaway from the last six months: going above and beyond, keeping calm with a positive attitude and a smile on your face.

Your culture at work may very well be different; it may be very different! But whatever it is, if it’s working for you, embrace it! Write it down, talk about it at work, and consciously teach it to your new employees. Your culture becomes part of your brand, and it is just as important to manage your culture as it is to manage your company website and interaction with clients.