A 23-Year-Old's Advice on Running a Better Company

Yesterday, my company held a agency-wide meeting to kick off the year. The idea was simple: get our two East Coast offices together to meet each other and discuss our brand and future. We spent all afternoon in the Brewhouse discussing who we are, what we do, and how we can do it better. Plus, everyone loves lunch on the boss.

At the end of the presentations, each employee gave a way we could improve as a company. Many were predictable (raises, beer cart), and some of the insights from people who have been working far longer than I got me thinking about best practices in running a business. I’m not exactly a savvy businesswoman (yet), but let’s see if I can outline a few of my own.

1. Less hierarchy

While structure is vital to efficient company management, the more rigid it is, the more employees are confined to their roles. This means that if someone is sick or otherwise unexpectedly out of commission, fewer people are able to fill in. A project comes to a standstill. Or worse, it falls apart.

I think a company is most secure when multiple people can wear multiple hats. In my experience, it also improves creativity. People thinking outside of their roles approach projects and problems differently than those trained in the subject. It’s forced “thinking outside the box.”

2. Let us do what we want

We understand ourselves better than we’re credited. We know our strengths and our passions. If we’re not given adequate opportunity to pursue them on a professional level, we’re going to be less motivated and less efficient, which produces a negative work environment overall. And there will be no black clouds in my office!

For example, I was hired as a strategist, but I come from an editorial background. I work with words. I love them. So I am allocated sixteen hours a week to work with the editorial department: I contribute to the company blog, copy edit, write short articles, and get pulled in on creative brainstorming sessions. This side of things invigorates my other work. This is the difference between "job" and "career."

3. Tear down boundaries

People separated physically are separated emotionally. Creatively. Professionally. I am a firm believer in the idea that low cubicle walls lowers inhibitions—in terms of befriending your colleagues. You should form the kind of relationships where you want to grab a beer together after work, not get the hell out as soon as the clock ticks five. Or six. Or nine.

Which leads me to my fourth point…

4. Let there be…noise

I once read an article about surrounding yourself with inspiring people as the best way to improve creativity and increase your productivity. Lively banter around the office turns into a healthy exchange of ideas, which turns into action. Colleagues should be conspirators and collaborators, too.

Because we’re always conspiring. We want to create the next new thing. We want to get famous.

Surrendering

I lied. I'm surrendering to the Blogspot world. I've tried many times to establish a blog unsuccessfully of course, mainly because I have a tendency to reveal too much on the internet. Basically, who cares? However, after reading Chris Brogan's recent post about diving into social media, I realize that it's important to contribute to the dialogue more than microblogging nonsense and Facebook updates. As the future of PostAdvertising.com and my role there are uncertain, I want to keep creating some "noise" in the digital world. Let's see if anyone will listen.

While I haven't given much thought to the direction this blog will take, expect me to talk about music, advertising, social media, art, fashion, drinking, love, and trying to make it in this big, bad city. And, of course, random "webcomics" I create. I expect the purpose and personality will become clearer the more engaged I am.

Welcome

Blogspot isn't really my thing, but here's where you can find me:

In the post-advertising world, I am sleeping in my party dress.
The world around me Flickrs.
Hello, Internet. It's all Tumblrrrrring down.
This is MySpace. Where is yours?
Tweet, tweet! Twitterific, Twittertastic!

Love, Andrea