Stepping into Confidence
Our team recently committed to stepping into the spotlight with confidence, and boy has this mantra been hard to live out without a dose of imposter syndrome. After attempting a PR blog mediocre Instagram takeover (realizing I have no future as an influencer), a public announcement about our acceptance into the PRGN global network, and a request from our industry peers to talk best practices in culture building, we have been pushed outside our comfort zone more than ever lately.
When Alabama PRSA asked us to talk during its Women in PR Series, our team was hesitant. Peritus has traditionally flown under the radar, and although we have contemplated sharing how we built our firm many times, the timing never seemed right. In some ways, I think our first chapters were still being written.
But after the year of challenges our industry has faced, many of our peers (myself included) are longing for genuine connection where we can take off our armor and talk real. In the spirit of confidence, I do think we have an inspiring story that can encourage our peers, so we agreed to the first of (hopefully) many refreshing conversations about the role communicators play in authentic culture building.
We know Peritus doesn’t have all the answers when it comes to best practices and are constantly looking for ways to walk the talk with diversity & inclusion, time management and advocating for equal pay. We also continue to be inspired by many of our competitors’ cultures and other visionary companies who are doing great things to keep their teams motivated and shake things up.
Our hope is that in getting vulnerable and sharing what we learned while building Peritus’ culture with limited resources, we create a healthy dialogue about how communicators can move their organizations forward.
Chances are that, like us, there are things you notice that need to be strengthened within your own workplace. Like I challenged my industry colleagues during the Women in PR Series, I now encourage you to take an active leadership role in improving your workplace culture.
Whether you are the youngest team member or have been around the block a few times, whether you work for a large corporation with unlimited resources or a startup in early growth stages, whether you are on a PR island or work with solid bench of practitioners, the most effective cultures are cultivated by communicators.
Sure, there are responsibilities that come within a PR job that impact our ability to fully focus on serving as the team’s “camp counselor:” the 24/7 demands, getting pulled in a million directions, and constantly putting out fires as unofficial chief problem solver. But we have a superpower in culture building that goes beyond our communications job role. We are natural connectors who can strengthen our workplace from within.
Since Peritus began in 2014, each member of our team has used their unique gifts to bring us where we are today. Whether they have stayed here a season of their career or plan to retire here, I am forever grateful for how they have brought different perspectives to shape our culture and help us get behind a cause. They are sounding boards, life-long learners, side hustlers, motivators, creators, advocates and friends.
Although it hasn’t been an easy journey building Peritus and navigating lessons learned that shifted our cultural DNA along the way, I recognize the immense amount of privilege we have that others aren’t afforded. We hope to continue inspiring others to create a culture worth working for. Because life is too short to not enjoy our careers.
Through the ups and downs of starting a company, we are sharing our gifts to create a positive workplace that is playing a central role in connecting our state. And that makes the extra effort worth it.
My PUBLISHED by PERITUS takeaway is this:
What’s that whisper telling you to make changes to your workplace structure? Read an op-ed like this – Her-Turn Skimm Op-ed – to light a fire within you and join me in stepping into the spotlight to own our strengths and make real change from within.
Hear that whisper getting louder? Go use your gifts to make every office day a good day!
Feeling fired up but not sure where to begin? Stay tuned. We are excited to share Part Two of how we have built a culture our team feels is worth working for in our next blog post.