How to Make Your Employees Smile

Don't mean to be sentimental for Turkey Day, but I am certainly thankful for everyone in our studio and the culture they help create. I came across this article in Inc. magazine today. 
Paul Spiegelman suggests 10 tips to make your employees smile.  I like them all:
1. Give People a Voice
2. Pay Workers Fairly
3. Recognize and Reward 
4. Create a Career Path 
5. Create Playful Titles 
6. Make Room for Fun 
7. Walk the Talk 
8. Send Hand-written notes 
9. Creat Traditions 
10. Manage from the Heart
Read more: http://tiny.cc/ti8ty



Zappos- Commit to Core Values

I had the jingle from his introduction in my head for a week... Zappos deliving happiness to the world.

By coincedence,Tony Hsieh was one of the keynote speakers at the IHG conference we attended in Las Vegas.  Having read his book Delivering Happiness and passed it around the office, I was energized all over again when the entire room of 5,000+ people gave him a standing ovation. 

I have the Zappos 2009 edition of their Culture Book.  I sent Tony an email that I'd like a copy, and their incredible customer service prevailed as it arrived in days.  The book explains their 10 core values, and in the words of their employees/clients, what Zappos means to them. 

We hung out in the kitchen last Friday to discuss, "What do we want ai3 to be about?"

Brands evolve over time, even great ones.  We believe in our culture and know ai3's core values will always remain a priority. As we are in growth mode, it will remain important to stay motivated to our larger vision and where our story will end.

Reading:  Delivering Happiness, Tony Hsieh; Good to Great, Jim Collins; Tribal Leadership