Learning How To Play Big

How would I summarize my first Eastwick kickoff? Free swag, fighting sumobots and two days of nonstop learning. All of Eastwick gathered together in San Francisco to celebrate our 2015 successes and hear about our three-year plan from senior leadership.

Eastwick’s President, Heather Kernahan, welcomed everyone by introducing this year’s theme: playing big. Kernahan shared,

“Playing big is about knowing when to voice your opinion and creating what you want in the most authentic way possible.”

After reviewing my notes from kickoff, I realized that we can all play big this year by:

1. Finding Our Strengths and Developing Them

Prior to kickoff, we were each asked to take a StandOut assessment. Ever since I took a career test in 3rd grade that told me I would grow up to be a Fish and Game Warden at the Department of Wildlife, I have always questioned the validity of such tests. However, this time, it was incredibly accurate. As a teacher and a connector, I am thrilled by the potential in every person and I enjoy putting two things together to make something bigger than it is now.

To further develop my strengths, some suggestions were:

• Keep learning
• Become an overt champion of others
• Stay attentive

Takeaway: Whether you take a StandOut assessment or do some personal reflecting, be sure to spend some time early this year to find out what your strengths are. Once you have identified those, be sure to set specific, time bound goals on how you can develop them.

2. Steering Our Own Career Path

“You own your career development — we are here to support you,” Founder and CEO, Barbara Bates

It isn’t enough for us to just find out our strengths — we have to put them to use. One of the main reasons I decided to join #TeamEastwick was because of the emphasis it places on professional development. Throughout the month, Eastwick employees host several professional development sessions. Topics include, but are not limited to: account management best practices, how to improve our writing and learning the basics of design. Regardless of whether or not our companies provide these informative sessions, it is still up to us to proactively seek out additional opportunities to help us grow.

Takeaway: I really like how Barb said, “You own your career development.” That statement is so true. As someone who is interested in graphic design, I have recently been looking for ways to expand my creative skills. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 5 years? 6 months? Once you have spent some time thinking of the answers to those questions, start setting specific goals in order to make it happen.

3. Realizing That Discomfort Is Ok

“Get out of your comfort zone — when you feel discomfort, you are growing,” Senior Vice President, Digital and Content Marketing, Sahana Jayaraman

As with any position, it is easy to get in a routine. There will be the occasional client crisis, but for the most part responsibilities remain constant every week. Anytime where we may “break” our routine by doing something new, we may start to feel a little discomfort.

Pitching can be a scary thing. I mean think about it. You may be fairly new
to an account, not a 100 percent sure what your client does, and yet, you have to convince a stranger to tell your story. I have felt this way before, but with the help of my colleagues, I have been able to successfully create several cross team pitches.

Takeaway: Take risks. Try something new. You may feel uncomfortable, but that is the only way that you’ll be able to grow and have new experiences.

Playing big cannot be accomplished over night. However, I know that by focusing on finding and developing our strengths, steering our own career path and constantly reminding myself that discomfort will help us grow, are the right first steps to help us get there.

Looking for an agency with employees that understand and drive themselves on strengths? Reach out to info@eastwick.com for more info on our work.