An Object in Motion, Stays in Motion

Last week we took some time as a team to reflect on our 2019 and determine where we wanted to go in 2020. It was an offsite meeting which – while planned weeks in advance – couldn’t have fallen at a more hectic time, amidst RFPs, preparing for Edelman’s annual Trust event, getting industry award entries written and submitted, and the always important client deliverables. Did any of us really have the time – or energy – to take a day out of the office?

We did.

The theme of our offsite was bringing our full selves to work. It was a working session where we were focused not only on developing together as a team professionally, but also on our unique individual personalities and how we could continue to bring this authenticity to our jobs every day. To get us in the right mindset, our VP Dana Singleton had the idea for a fun group exercise: getting our auras photographed and read (stay with me). According to Evelyn Salvarinas, the founder of Rose Aura, an aura photo shows your energy visually. As Evelyn says, “A photo isn’t telling you anything you don’t already know but being able to attach colour to feeling allows you to understand your own energy in a different way.”

As promised, it was a unique and informative experience; we were challenged to gain a deeper understanding of our energy and ourselves – and the energy of our colleagues. Putting the skeptic in me aside (and the voice of my colleague Peter Pan in my ear questioning my healthcare roots and belief in scientific, evidence-based models), I fully embraced the reading and enjoyed hearing about each team member.

When it came to my own aura, it showed a very busy past two weeks (no surprise there) and an energy that went “off the charts” – it went beyond the physical boundaries of the film. I was told that no matter how busy things get, I always have energy to give. And while I know everyone is different, here are a few things I do on a daily basis at Edelman to make sure I have energy to spare.

• I surround myself with smart and creative people. Edelman calls it “the pursuit of excellence.” For me it means colleagues who inspire, motivate, challenge, create, and celebrate. Clients who believe in their mission and encourage us to do better and do more.
• I find joy in my job. I am not embarrassed to show great enthusiasm for ideas or wins that others may think of as “small.” I get excited by new thinking, laugh a lot, and look for ways to do things differently. I show gratitude for others and the skills they bring to work each day. I am focused on team results, yet attentive to the needs of individual contributors. And I treat setbacks as an opportunity to learn.
• Speaking of learning, I embrace it. It’s part of Edelman’s DNA to be constantly curious; I make an effort to learn something new every day. It could be listening to a podcast (I highly recommend “Dolly Parton’s America” – who knew Nelson Mandela’s favourite Dolly song was Jolene?), or finding out something interesting about a colleague. It might be a piece of research our I&A team has uncovered, hearing about a cool campaign from another practice, or digging into a client’s business.
• I look for ways to shift the conversation when faced with energy zappers. It’s true – these days, everyone seems overwhelmed and way too busy. I am challenging myself and others to instead be invigorated with the pace that agency offers: In what ways did I turn to others to help get me through the week? Did I use the “buzz” of the open concept office to look for ways to collaborate? How did I get myself out of my comfort zone this week? What’s got me excited?
• I practice positivity. It is a purposeful choice I make every day, one that motivates and energizes me to achieve my goals.

And finally, with a nod to the mixing of art (aura reading) and science, I look to Newton’s first law: an object in motion stays in motion. To quote Break My Stride, a pop song I remember well from 1983 that’s suddenly a big deal on TikTok, “I’ve got to keep on moving.” Keeping in motion gives me energy – which for me presently translates into volunteering on two boards, judging the IABC Gold Quill Awards again this year, and hosting a series of presentation skills workshops for my colleagues. Luckily for me, my workplace very much supports a commitment to giving back to the community as well as professional development and going beyond the job. 

Do I get tired? Sure I do. Do I perfectly keep my commitment at all times, to all of the above at once? I don’t, but I try. What saves me when I may see myself falling short are the wonderful people with whom I’ve surrounded myself and whom I’m proud to call my colleagues. They help me conserve and build my personal power, while I do my best to do the same for them. And then we work together to fiercely protect it.