Laughter & Longevity

By: Peter Madden

During an introductory call with a prospective client the other day, he asked an interesting question I hadn’t been asked before.

“How long do your employees typically stay around for?”

I sat back and thought about it. Then I started listing different tenures to him, from our longest running Cat at 23 years to our newest at 3 years, with everyone else over 10 years.

He couldn’t believe it and noted that our industry is known for serious leapfrogging. When I think about the reasons why, look out, humble brag coming, we have a particularly “sticky” place, I think it comes back to candor, culture, variety of clients and projects, and physical environment. But the big one is this. As the Top Cat, I don’t dictate how things should “be.” I may set a vision and, in my mind, set the bar high, but it’s the collective team who stretches it, and me, further. No bruised egos here, trust me.

Though I won’t go into more detail regarding the above, one new thought hit me particularly hard. When you have this kind of foundation, with long tenured people who know each other so well, regardless of industry, I think it makes the end product that much better. We know each other very well. Perspectives and positions, work habits and voices. Those who may be a bit more introspective and listening intently in a meeting, and those who may be a bit more vocal. One who may fight like hell for an idea but know when it’s time to give up the ship to a better one, raising my paw here.

And the candor we have with each other, and about each other, is a real cornerstone. Our senses of humor are firmly intact, from our Chief Creative Officer who only wears black, to our Art Director known for his frenetic pacing that practically wears a stripe in the carpet when he’s coming up with a new design idea, to some of my ridiculous outfits. When it comes to these peculiarities, we know how to give it and take it. Kind of a Golden Rule here.
Ultimately, when a group knows each other so well, debates are robust but don’t lead to a falling out. And as Chief Culture Cat, I know after a particularly grinding day, week, or month, when it’s time to keep it loose. Whether that’s a fun happy hour or an outing so we can reconnect as people, not coworkers. And it doesn’t hurt to wrap up a long day with some billiards in the office to give our brains, and pool balls, a break.

A client of mine years ago told me a great quote she heard about culture. “Laughter is the sound of innovation.”
I couldn’t agree more. And for those who stick with me and stand shoulder to shoulder to take things on, day in and day out, I’m as humbled as I am grateful.

Cheers to longevity and laughter.