How Our Unwavering Company Culture Defines Our Core Values
by Brooke Dynes
In the ever-changing landscape of the past year, MESH has undergone a significant transformation. We’ve embraced new visual elements, from a fresh logo to an updated website, adopted new technologies, and even donned new branded t-shirts. Amidst all these changes, there has been one constant that has served as the driving force behind our success: our unwavering culture.
A Culture That Stands the Test of Time
With the distinction of being the third longest-serving employee at MESH, I’ve witnessed the evolution of our culture firsthand. Rather than measuring my tenure by a mere number, I reflect on the fact that my son, now completing his first year in college, was starting kindergarten when I joined this remarkable organization. MESH’s company culture has served as our defining feature, revealing to the world who we truly are. Countless individuals, including the participants on our LSU intern program, consistently echo the sentiment, “I love working here—the people really make it a great place to be.”
Throughout my years at MESH, I’ve learned that culture cannot be imposed from the top down. While the leader sets the initial tone, it is the entire team’s daily commitment to open collaboration and showcasing their unique talents that breathes life into our company culture.
The Significance of Company Culture
Why does company culture hold such importance? A strong culture provides guide rails that eliminate the guesswork in daily decision-making.
Q: Should we research this new technology just hitting the market? A: Of course, because we always work to incite growth in our agency and for our clients.
Q: Should I send a birthday note? A: Absolutely, because I deeply care about the people around me.
Our company culture shapes our interactions with colleagues and clients alike. It motivates us to go the extra mile, driven by our deep-seated care and unwavering commitment.
For smaller companies like ours, culture is not just important, it’s vital. When it comes to bringing on new hires and forming teams to collaborate on new client work, it is paramount for us to mesh (pun intended) with one another and our clients. For example, during interviews with potential MESHites, we ask questions like, “What does company culture mean to you?” and “How do you interpret our mission to listen, be authentic and go beyond?”
Company Culture Shapes MESH’s Core Values
Over our 20 years in operation, MESH’s culture has played a pivotal role in defining our core values as a company. It is our unwavering commitment to authenticity, transparency, and collaboration that has shaped these values into the guiding principles that adorn every MESHite’s desk, grace postcards, and dominate the walls of our break room.
When we set out to officially define our company’s core values, we strove to include every single voice in the agency. A volunteer team of MESHites conducted an agency-wide survey and held cross-team focus groups. They gathered a wide range of perspectives on who the agency is and worked to find common ground among these varying points of view. The end result? Six value statements, each beginning with the word “we,” that are now instilled in every aspect of our organization.
- We Go All In, having a growth mindset and a high drive for excellence.
- We Tell the Truth, by working with integrity and authenticity.
- We Care Deeply, about the consistency and quality of our work, our clients, and each other.
- We Have Fun, by finding joy in our work and meshing with our clients to discover amazing and creative ways to grow brands.
- We Dream Big, because the future doesn’t fit in the containers of the past.
These core values serve as the foundation upon which our onboarding process for new employees is built and the framework that shapes our annual performance reviews. Each month, we honor those who embody our values to the highest degree through the “Yeti of the Month” recognition, and we regularly exchange “core value postcards” with our colleagues, acknowledging when they have recently exhibited one or more of our values.
It comes as no surprise that these core values have become as ubiquitous as our brand-new logo. As a true reflection of our company culture, these values have profoundly influenced our daily actions and become an integral part of our identity. As we continue to grow, our unwavering company culture will be the driving force behind our success and the guiding light of our daily operations, ensuring fruitful and enduring relationships with our agency team and clients alike.
