Association and ideas

Last week was full of great association and new ideas.  J Paul Getty once said, “Where you will be in five years is determined by the books you read and the people you associate with.”  True words.  I learned a bunch this week spending time with guys like (and including) Jeff SanGeorge and  Kennedy Pittman.  There is a lot of value in masterminding ideas and framing thoughts.  I also appreciate the community at The Third Tribe Marketing for being a great place to interact and discuss work that matters.

As important as it is for us to associate with people who stretch our thinking and aid our growth, companies need to associate internally to accomplish the same. An organization that is moving forward is one that spends creative time together. Vision is transferred, success stories are shared, and innovations are made. This benefits every aspect of the business. Marketing becomes better at communicating its message. Operations becomes more efficient. Unity is created.

Zappos.com famously sends all of their employees, from the CIO to the receptionists, through a training program that includes spending time with the call center team. Zappos’ culture is built around customer service. Everyone associates with the folks answering the phones because their brand was built on having great client interactions.

Facebook created “Hackathons” as way for different groups  to come together and table ideas. During these monthly sessions everyone from coders to accountants show up and contribute. Some of the company’s best features have come out of these meetings of the minds. Hackathons impact Facebook’s brand image as one of the most  innovative companies in a positive way.

Advertising used to suffer from a lack of internal association. At one time copy writers and art directors never communicated during the creation of an ad. The copywriter wrote then passed it off to the art director. The art director then created the ad. When the two groups started talking about bringing a campaign to life something magical happened. The ideas got better. The team was able to tell a better story and connect to their audience. We should do more of this.

How can you create a collaborative environment within your organization? What groups would benefit by spending time together?

I encourage you to look into your business. Find the right people to associate with. Share ideas. Create a better product or service for your customers. Get a new perspective on how you can improve and grow.