GET GREAT IN 8 DO GOOD ALL AROUND.

Get your DNA in 8 hours. 

Give the same to an entrepreneur who’s faced hardship.

We’re excited to officially launch GREAT IN 8, our newest Honor Code Offering.
The collaborative, complete DNA in a day that gives back. 

An HCC Treat: Your Dream Zoom

Sure your trip was canceled. And you're feeling stuck. And your house looks like a typhoon just ripped through. Nothing that can't be fixed with a delightful Zoom screen from HCC.

Right click on each photo to download! Once Zoom video is open, go to Zoom.us in top left corner, then preferences, then change video background! Just don't go to crazy in pretend Chanel.

If want a little video tutorial “how-to”? Click here.

Staying in touch during Coronavirus

The author (our CD Rachel's son) stays connected with friends.

Tips for older people, from a teen.

[Ed. Note: If you know older individuals, Honor Code hopes you’ll circulate these tips from a pro for staying connected while social distancing.]

In the wake of coronavirus shutting everything down, you may feel out of touch. You might not know what you can do to stay tuned in with the media and your family. There are many things you can do to stay in the know. Here are my tips:

• Download Instagram - Go to Instagram.com on a phone and sign up for an account if you don’t have one already. Ask your family what their usernames are and follow them to see what’s going on. If you like sports, you can follow accounts like SportsCenter or ESPN. If you like politics, you can follow accounts like CNN or foxnews. If you like fashion you can follow brands you like to see what’s new. 

• Use Facebook to chat with your friends and family. Sign up for a facebook account. Find your friends and family by entering names into the search area. Message them, respond to their posts, talk with your friends using facebook messenger, which lets you go back and forth with short messages quickly, almost mimicking conversation.

• FaceTime your family - it’s a good way to see your family without being with them. If you have an IPhone, all you have to do is go to your family member’s contact, and click the middle blue circle under their name. It should look like a little camera with the words “FaceTime” under it. Just click that and wait for them to pick up. During the Facetime call, you can flip the camera to show your face or the environment around you. The way you do this is by tapping on the screen until a pop-up menu shows up. Once that meu pops up, click the button second from the right to flip the camera back and forth. This way you can show off something behind the camera!

• If you don’t happen to have an iphone, or a family member doesn’t have one, skype is an alternate option. All you have to do to make a skype account is go to their website (www.skype.com) and click sign in in the top right and then click sign-up in the drop down menu. After that it’s just about putting information and finishing signing up. There is no need to download anything if you are on a computer. There is an online version. If you’re on a phone go to your app store and download skype. After that just sign up and add your family. If you know anyone who knows a particular skill or knows something you want to learn, this is a great way to learn that skill and keep yourself occupied. My grandmother studies French this way.

• If you find yourself feeling bored, Youtube is a great way to keep yourself occupied. All you  need to do is download the youtube app from your app store, or go to Youtube.com on your browser if you’re on the computer. Enter anything that interests you in the search box. Then you can watch almost anything! You can watch news clips, animal videos, listen to music, or even catch up on some 1980s SNL skits!

Time to Lift the Lid

Retailers, use this as your chance to break out of business as usual

By Sally Marrer & Rachel Solomon

There is no Corona silver lining. But if you’re searching for bright spots to get you through, consider that this plague has stopped the crazy train that was business as usual for most of us.

Stuck in the box

As consultants, one of the biggest things we bring to the table is the vision that comes from being off the hamster wheel. So much happens with politics inside a business, the pace inside of business, the sameness of the subject matter and with really living inside the walls of a business that makes it incredibly hard for full-time employees to think outside the box. You stop presenting new ideas when you’ve experienced too much red tape around moving an idea forward. You lose some of that realness, that ability to be authentic and say what needs to be said when you’ve been very careful about stepping on toes and navigating insider rules. You also lose some of the customer perspective and an understanding of how the real world reacts. When you’re inside it’s hard to maintain the freshness and awareness of the outside world, even what other businesses are doing across different verticals that’s required to come up with big new ideas. Tailored to reach big goals.

Flex time

Internally, big thinking often falls by the wayside as a luxury retailers can’t afford. Too much is happening in the day to day. Too many KPIs that are immediate, with pressure trickling down from the top. Everything becomes “do right now.” Too often we race from reacting to reacting again. Leaving the little window for acting, thinking it through, iterating, leveraging what we learned the last time, thoughtfulness. But that breakthrough and big picture thinking is a muscle that has to be exercised. All the time. Otherwise we lose it and it can be very hard to exercise it again. Never has there been a better time to flex that muscle. Corona has hit a restart button. There’s a chance right now to do the big picture thinking leaders have put off.

Santa. Baby.

If you are more comfortable starting with something very tangible, how about thinking bigger for holiday? Generally when retailers are fully in the swing of a standard day to day, holiday gets pushed off later than we’d like and the result is that it’s less impactful than it could be. There’s no excuse for not thinking about it earlier this year. And this year it will be weightier than ever with pressure make up for Corona-losses.

What should holiday look like for you?  How can you think big picture, with powerful initiatives like partnerships and custom items you couldn’t activate before because you waited too long?  What can you lock and load early so when the pace picks back up, you’ll have given yourself a breather?

Help others, help yourself

Another good way to start is to think about finding and leveraging any business-unique advantages right now. How about being helpful? We see things like LVDH using its perfume resources to make hand sanitizer and Christian Siriano sewing surgical masks. These acts of kindness are heroic and the right thing to do. After the smoke clears, the public will remember the brands that cared, building the kind of closeness and goodwill we all dream of. Who can forget Dawn donating its product to clean up animals after Exxon Valdez in 1989? We saw the brand (not exactly eco friendly with its high petroleum percentage) in a completely different light. Is there a way you can help small businesses right now?

Get organized

It’s also a good time to do big picture thinking around your organization and how you run it, all the things you haven’t had time to think about when you’ve just been stuck on the wheel. Are leaders in the right positions? Are there strategic moves to be made? It’s also time to think about training. Is there training you’ve never had time to put in place but should? We do a lot of remote training, running through scenarios and more. Is your sales team adept on how to navigate this tricky time and say the right things? Do you have creative leads you believe in but who struggle with their people skills? It's a unique opportunity to provide the kind of training that employees see as a real benefit and that benefits you by stemming churn and making the most of existing staff when hiring may be on hold. Also, are your values clear as a business? Do you have a North Star that everyone’s aware of and rallies around, or have you never quite gotten there? Take a moment to do some virtual sessions on messaging/values/DNA while key stakeholders are available. These sessions are easily done virtually.

Hit restart

And then there is the even bigger picture question: What happens when this is all over? Consider this a massive restart button. What kind of business do you want to be when the rubble has cleared? 

For example, there’s a greater sense of community and camaraderie in the world right now. How can you maintain that after the threat is gone? We’re seeing greater authenticity and transparency among businesses when they message consumers. That honesty deepens the relationship and builds the kind of trust and loyalty every retailer wants. How can we use this time to build greater transparency into ourselves as a business and brand beyond just what’s called for in the present moment?

These are some of the things that we are thinking through with brands in our three-hour “Lift the Lid” strategy sessions. We really relish the chance to help businesses use this time to lift the lid on the box that is “business as usual” and in a targeted, directive brainstorm with a creative/marketing and a business/retail expert, fire up the big picture thinking that’s required right now.

One thing we know is that the landscape will be forever changed. Attempting merely to survive this time and return to business as usual just won’t work. Already we are not the same, and when this is over we will be dramatically different. We’ve both seen that the businesses that will make it into the next phase of where we’re going will be those that look ahead now. 

Want to Lift the Lid with us? In three (virtual) hours we’ll have a strategic, directive session and you’ll walk away with clear right-now moves and big picture projects to survive the new normal and come out changed in meaningful ways. For every one we do, we will donate another to a struggling small business. Email susanne@honorcodecreative.com to set up your session. 

Rachel and Sally met while working at Rue La La. Rachel has been a creative leader inside brands like M.Gemi and Follain. Today she is the CD and founder of Honor Code Creative, working with brands like Asics, Spyce and Tripadvisor. Sally is the owner/founder of Sally Marrer Consulting, which offers businesses strategic advice around business development and coaching on retail expertise and fundamentals to brands like The Company Store and Burlington. Previously, she’s been a trail blazer inside brands like TJMaxx, Marshalls, TKMaxx Europe and Homegoods.

THE HONOR ROLL

Corona Virus Edition

These are scary times. Like you, we have all kinds of emotions. What generally makes us feel better is trying to help. So here’s what we know, think and can do.

1. I own a small business, and I feel actual panic.
Please email us:
rachel@honorcodecreative.com. We are donating services, such as writing copy to take you digital. 

2. Shopping used to be my escape, but why bother?
If you have the means, please support the retailers you love and help boost the economy. If you don’t want to buy anything for spring, stock a gift closet. 

3. I could use a quarantini.
We found this formula for whatever-you-have-in-the-pantry cocktails.

4. Speaking of drinking, I actually need some support.
AA and NA are having virtual meetings if you need one. 

5. And speaking of AA,
The Serenity Prayer is helpful to all of us right now. Try repeating this (with or without the G-d part) if you start to feel overwhelmed: G-d, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

6. My elderly parents need groceries.
Rachel’s son is volunteering to do no-contact food shopping for elders in the Brookline/Boston and surrounding areas. Email us for help rachel@honorcodecreative.com.

7. Things have slowed down. But I still have a staff.
We suggest planning for holiday. No matter what, holiday will come for retailers, and chances are there will be a lot of pressure to make up sales. (At HCC, we just planned our own holiday gifts, which allowed us to source something custom from an artisan maker.)

8. I’ve never meditated before, but maybe I need … something.

Same. We’ve started looking at @broganartofmeditation daily. It’s simple images, not weird or pushy, just accessible ways to be mindful.

9. When I do video calls I look like I’m in witness protection.

Get dressed. Also, pay attention to lighting. Key: Do not sit in front of Venetian blinds.

10. I can’t sleep.
We’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating: Farmaesthetics Dreaming Oil. Believe it. 

11. I need a laugh.
Try Nora from Queens (Comedy Central).

12. I need an escape.
Rectify (Netflix) will make this all seem less horrible. City of Girls(Elizabeth Gilbert, book or audio book) will take you away to another place in time. Dries (Amazon Prime) will give you unprecedented beauty to look at. 

13. My children are driving me insane.
If they’re old enough, make them a to-do list in the morning. It might include chores and fun things, like coloring in these shoes. Make yourself one too. 

14. It would be a good time to think about the big stuff I’ve been putting off.
We are finding lots of clients who want to do that. We’re doing Great in 8 virtually, where we create or evolve your DNA in a day. We’re also continuing to donate Great in 8 to someone who needs one for every one we do for a client. If you need one and can’t afford it, reach out: susanne@honorcodecreative.com

15. We’re paused on marketing, but there are still things I want to tackle.
Talk to us about deferring payment. We want to support marketing efforts and be true partners. 

16. I want real food. That I don’t have to make.
Yes, you can order takeout. Here’s a nice summary of what the CDC has to say. We all know what a good cappuccino can do to boost morale. Make it count more by supporting a local business, like Broadsheet in Cambridge or Rifrullo in Brookline, which is delivering meals via Uber Eats. 

17. I’m feeling down.
Even if you’re self quarantined and social distancing, you can hold the ones you love + live with a little tighter. All your uninfected humans and animals. Try it. Also, try a walk to boost endorphins and be in nature. 

18. I know someone who needs a boost.
Send them one of these little guys. How can they not smile? And shipping is free.

19. Also … this. (It just helps.)
"I am paying attention to small beauties,
whatever I have – as if it were our duty to
find things to love, to bind ourselves to this world."
-Sharon Olds

Stay safe. If there’s any way we can be helpful to you or to someone you know, please get in touch by email or DM us @honorcodecreative.com

XO

If you wanna be starting something …

We’ve got pro tips.

It’s #StartSomething month at HCC, but we want to get concrete up in here. It’s one thing to talk about it. But how do you turn “talk about it” into (to quote the great Busta Rhymes) be about it? We’ve asked to a few favorite experts for help.

So, you wanna be starting ...

A fitness routine.

Join an expensive gym. Go three times. Pay indefinitely. It’s a (sad) old tune. I asked my own trainer, Jason Sarbacker, who is amazing (my hiney hurts glutes are sore as I type this) for help.

1. “Start by using your own body weight at home each morning or night,” he suggests. Queue up your best spotify mix (I’m partial to the ones from @theversemedia).

2. “Do simple moves you already know, like alternating squats,  jumping jacks, and push ups.” Add reps as you get comfortable. 

3. And instead of joining a gym, if you feel ready for something more, I suggest you contact Jason or someone you like who will actually ring your doorbell, customize your program, and hold you accountable. 

A garden. Or a window box. Or something green!

It’s getting warmer and every time you see a home you love, it’s got some kind of green ... something. But maybe the only thing you haven’t killed so far is a wired palm leaf you got at IKEA. “There are so many beautiful plants and for sure you will fall in love with the look of some more than others, but they all have different care needs,” says Orly Khon of the award-winning Orly Khon Floral. 

1. Go to an expert, and come prepared. Orly suggests you bring notes on how much you work and travel, any pets, and what light you have. Have a photo and measurements for any planters you want to fill. 

2. “Start with one or two plants,” she says. “And start with something easy.”

3. Go easy on yourself, too. “Some plants might not work at first,” says Orly. “That doesn’t mean you don’t have a ‘green thumb.’ You just need to get to know them. I bet you’ll fall in love with the idea of having some green living friends at home.”

Eating healthfully. 

It’s laden with emotion (just think of the words we use, like “I was *bad* when I overate). Start by removing some of the emotions that get in the way with small, concrete steps, says Melissa Akopiantz, founder of Nourishing Lab. 

1. “Set a goal for what you want to achieve, like more energy, reduce brain fog,” she says. This helps make eating healthy something you’re doing for yourself. Not a punishment.

2. Call up a friend, someone who wants to eat healthy or who you can recruit to join you. Hold each other accountable. It can be as simple as an email or text in the morning.

3. Set small weekly goals, and keep them realistic, like “I want to crowd a healthy green into my plate that I’ve never tried.”

4. Pack “bridge” snacks such as nuts and seeds, and keep them in your car, bag and at work so that when your blood sugar levels drop during peak times 4 or 5 pm you can grab a protein/fat healthy snack instead of ransacking whatever's closest and feeling lousy about it. 

5. And “honor your limitations,” says Melissa. We’re human, and we screw up. Expect that it’ll happen. Forgive yourself quickly and move on.

A business.

You have to be brave to even say it out loud. We know! But once you’ve made the call to do it, it can seem even scarier considering your first step. One of the things that makes us most successful in an HCC engagement is a client who really knows their business, has a buttoned up understanding of how they’ll make revenue, what success looks like, and what their true budget is from the get-go.

1. Start with an action plan. “The biggest piece of advice I give people as they take the leap to start a business, is to spend the time defining their go to market strategy,” says Michelle Heath, CEO of Growth Street.

2. Wait, what the heck does that mean?  “At the simplest level, a GTM strategy is an action plan and keeps you focused on your north star and clearly articulates: Who, What, How, and Where.”

3. Don’t strive for perfection, just get it down on paper, Michelle suggests. Share it with smart people you trust to get feedback, pressure test it, and make it better.

A brand.

Or a rebrand. Or a brand evolution. Or a Bar Mitzvah theme. Whatever it is you’re thinking about, don’t start with a name or a logo. 

1. Start with your DNA. What should this brand or event or whatever feel like? Optimistic and bright? Serious and editorial? Brand pillars, personality, DNA (everyone calls it something different) is the foundation for every other decision. (It’s what we help clients with in Great in 8.)

2. Swipe away. What’s swipe? The creative term for pulling together visual examples.  On Pinterest, instagram, in your own inbox, start screenshotting examples of brands, ads, emails, signs that you respond to. Organize them into buckets based on the brand pillars you chose.

3. Now you’re ready to start naming. Take all of the above to a writer, or branding expert as a guide for their work. After you have a name, you’ll be able to use the same pillars to explore a logo. 

A new wardrobe.

“I hate everything in my closet.” Sound familiar? Thanks to Marie Kondo, we’re asking for more from our clothes - we’re asking them to “spark joy.” But you can’t (nor should you) just chuck it all and start over. So you stare into the abyss and put it off. But spring is coming, so how about using the new season as a way into making closet progress? Think about “adding a few key pieces to inject a new energy” and also “replacing any of those foundational items that may be looking a little tired,” suggests our HCC stylist, Sam Dowson. 

1. Purge: Bring out your spring stuff, but don’t just accept it and move on. Look at (and try on!) each piece.

2. Sam suggests you ask yourself:

   • Did I wear this often last year? If not, why? Does it need to be altered/is the fit off, or is it just not my style, or is it something I don’t need altogether?

   • If I did wear it and love it, is it still in good shape? Should I replace it with a new version this year since I got so much use out of it?

   • Do I love it but don’t have the right pieces to pair it with?

   • Is it something I look at now and feel like I’ve moved past in terms of my own personal style?

   • Does it feel like it was a trend that’s now over (not a core foundational wardrobe piece that never will go out of style)? And if so, why did I buy it? 

3. Move on to tailoring anything you still love as needed. And excising what you don’t. Hand them down, or up (my mom gets some of my things). Donate them to Dress for Success or your favorite charity. Or make some money for new things by selling them a local consignment shop (our favorite is Castanet) or The Real Real.

4. Now think about a few (maybe 3!) selective purchases that will fill gaps, keeping in mind what you just learned in your audit about yourself and your purchasing habits. Invest in non-trendy pieces you love and that you’ll be able to easily wear in multiple ways. I always look at a piece and say: Is this an answer? Or does it just raise more questions?

Do what you love. Outsource the rest. (Now that’s romantic.)

It’s become the month of love – romantic love according to the chocolate and roses (and chocolate roses) people, and #selflove according to influencers. We took it in a different direction. We’re making this month all about doing what you love.

It can take different forms. And it’s the foundation of our business. We wanted to do what we love, which is to focus on our highest and best work, that hinge point where we’re really good and really effective. And we wanted to do it in an environment that meshes with our big-picture beliefs: politics no, truthfulness, yes, always. Fun whenever possible. We also wanted to help others do the same.

Individual Joy

For some of our freelance team, it’s a side hustle. For some it’s a full-time gig. And then sometimes, while we’re working together, a team member comes to us for a point of view on whether they could quit their day-job and freelance full-time. The question is always this: Are you still learning where you are? Do you have an awesome role model there?  Do you love what you do? 

Like most things in our world, it all can be tied back to Sex & the City. To wit:

Samantha:
Relationships aren't just about being happy. I mean, how often are you happy in your relationship?

Charlotte:
Every day.

Samantha:
Every day?

Charlotte:
Well, not all day every day but yes, every day.

It’s a job, you get paid for work, so no, you won’t be happy every day all day. But it’s not unreasonable to expect some joy at work every day. If not, chances are your work and your attitude at work (which affects everyone; it’s like dominoes) aren’t all that they could be and should be.

Which brings us to …

Team Joy

Maybe you’re a leader who’s found that their team’s kind of  … joyless. People can be joyless when they’re doing things that aren’t at that hinge point of their highest and best use. 

That can be where we come in. As consultants, we get a unique window into a business and often see the repercussions of a staff not doing what they love. We sometimes get invited in specifically to look at a creative team and structure and help assess where inefficiencies lie or morale is failing. Other times it’s just something that we observe and look for windows to suggest solves to the management team.

A Tall Order. Or a Venti.

It can be very simple. At one large retailer, where we were brought in to help out and look at the creative department structure, we found talented team members checked out. Turns out, there were senior writers who’d been hired to lead and drive voice but were taxed with a lot of data entry and product writing. That was a simple solve. We brought in an entry-level writer who saw this kind of work as a great career steppingstone. Taking this work off the senior writers’ plates made an instant impact on morale and freed them to work faster and contribute more because their focus was sharper and more strategic. And they felt more appreciated.

In another instance, there was an interest in testing creative, but the team was overwhelmed with day-to-day needs. We learned the brand quickly and earned the trust of existing creatives so they could focus on what they had to do and take a deep breath. This became something they were grateful to leadership for, a powerful benefit rather than a new team on their turf. Having someone on the outside also freed up the exploration; we came in as people who hadn’t heard “no” and who had a fresh perspective as consumers rather than insiders. Eventually we became a resource that team members asked to use on a variety of copy/design/brand needs whenever they felt overwhelmed. 

This became something they were grateful to leadership for, a powerful benefit rather than a new team on their turf. 

Sometimes it’s more like the customary campaign, like holiday. But in a completely different (more collaborative) way. We’ve come in with multiple creative concepts. Presented them first to the existing creative team (no brand “client” in the room) so that they’re truly part of the process. Hear their ideas and 86 anything that doesn’t get them excited. And only then return to present to the business owners as a single, unified team. This is a completely different way of working that gives the team the relief of a fresh perspective when they are heads down without worrying about a brand 180 or a competition. It gives leadership the out-of-the-box thinking of an outside agency while ensuring that what comes back is brand-right and usable. And it allows creatives to focus on what they often love most: beautiful executions.

And for some businesses, having all or part of a creative team isn’t their highest best use at all. Leaders want to manage less and build more. Sometimes we’re the whole creative team, with our own project management. So overhead, creative HR, reviews, all get to vanish. Leaders can work on growth, staff up and down and exchange individual talent as needed. The team is always fresh and raring to go. Think about that feeling of empowerment and delight and inspiredness you have during the infatuation stage of love. It’s like that, only as long as you want it.

Read to me, please.

I was the last Apple Books holdout. Not for me, I said. I need to touch paper. To smell bindings. And libraries.

But then … Michelle Obama. 

I had the hardbound Becoming, of course, but the promise of *actual Michelle* reading aloud to me (eeeek, fantasy!) proved a siren call impossible not to answer. I dove in. Not just into Apple Books, but into -gasp- audio books.

Now, on walks, en route to client meetings, and in the tub, I allow authors to read to me. I don’t know if the payoff is exactly the same, if I get the exact brain fitness of reading the words myself. But I do get the sense of achievement, the lyric inspiration, the boost of learning or thinking about something new. And in a form that feels like the most indulgent escape. 

Want someone to read to you?

My suggestions from the past year:

*Becoming, Michelle Obama. On top of everything else you’ve heard, a love story of equals who discover how to make it last. Oh, and it feels like Michelle is your new BFF.

*Olive, Again, Elizabeth Strout. The latest (last?) installment of an addictively authentic human. 

*Such a Fun Age, Kiley Reid. Race and privilege movingly explored in a sticky-as-candy story with my favorite reader/voice since I’ve begun audio books. 

*Three Women, Lisa Thaddeo. Three women’s lives and sexuality documented in unforgettable (and surprisingly lyricial) style.

*Ask Again,Yes, Mary Beth Keane. An epic story that crosses generations, weaves families together, and surprises at every turn. For every time you’ve driven along a crowded street and marveled that every little light in every little house has a story. 

*Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber, Mike Isaac. Stephanie Carter of @theversemedia called it the year’s Theranos. I made any excuse to drive (or stay sitting in the driveway) when this was my car-read.

*An American Marriage, Tayari Jones. An epic and unforgettable story of race and love that plays out like one of the horrifying (real) cases in the soon-to-be-a-movie Just Mercy. 

Would love more audio recommendations; please share here in the comments or on insta @honorcodecreative

p.s. I still read (usually used) books.  On summer porches. In a cozy chair with the snow swirling outside. And any time I’m reading poetry. How about you?

The Honor Roll: Blank Notebook Edition

There’s something about a blank notebook. Actual paper is a rare thing these days. And it’s very powerful. I still remember my first day at Rue La La (before the ubiquitous prelaptop era) walking around all day scribbling away, and that feeling that there was so much potential and possibility, that my ideas wouldn’t stop flowing. Whenever I get stuck on anything, I still go to paper. It has the magic to get you out of the screen routine and out of yourself. It makes things seem simpler, stops you from getting hung up, and with every page somehow greenlights fresh ideas. (Fun fact: Susanne and I often gift each other blank notebooks.)

Here, my personal notebook favorites. 

Wit and Delight: Really simple, top-bound notebooks with a painterly feel. Susanne gave me a set of several sizes, and my favorite is the biggest one, which I recently used for visualizing a digital newsletter. 

Archie Grand: These are cheery, funny, hardbound books. I don’t know if Archie Grand went out of business or what, but they’re harder to get than they used to be. Although Amazon still has a selection of new and used (but still unwritten) options. They used to make a MASSIVE one; if you see it, buy it! This is the version I used to write out long lists of potential names for M.Gemi. 

Present & Correct: From the name to the deliciously artful insta feed (@presentandcorrect), I couldn’t be more obsessed with this British stationier. I’ve bought “ephemera” here just to inspire myself visually. And I’ve gifted their yummy little “monogram” journals to both of my sisters in law and to Susanne. 

Smythson: I love Smythson’s luxurious textured leather Panama notebooks. They’re super sophisticated and sized to fit in virtually any bag or pouch. Great for things you might want to keep for a long time -- they look amazing lined up on a shelf. And I love the inspiring little sayings on the covers, like “No such thing as a bad idea.” These are an amazing gift, and you can add a pen from Art Snacks. I once gave one to my stylist at Saks; it said “Superhero.”

Brahmin is local (Fairhaven, MA) and known for its textured leathers. Susanne and I both have this croc print journal in a glossy green.

Montblanc. The company mostly known for pens has beautiful notebooks in a variety of colors and sizes. They feel weighty, important, and respectful. We gave one to our CD/AD last year. I’ve also given a bright blue one to a friend who started a big new job. I thought it would kick things off in the right way and make an impression, like “I’m here. I’m ready. Let’s go. Sh*t’s about to get good.”

Pearl River Mart: The fun find has gotten more and more buttoned up over the years, but it’s still a good place for discoveries, including a selection of super inexpensive notebooks like these silk covered beauties. I got a notebook for Susanne at the Chelsea Market location the last time I was in NYC.

Hermѐs. If you want to really splash out on luxury, clearly the orange box is the way to go. Hermѐs has refillable notebooks with leather covers, and you can easily find the covers used at sites like fashionfile. But they also have beautiful hardbound notebooks. Suanne gave this one to me with a set of pencils when we first started working together. The note said “for all your brilliant thoughts.” It gave me something to want to live up to!

We have no beef.

With Callie DePina, Head of ButcherBox Member Experience

(Here, she shares her take on #takecare)

We worked with Callie for many many years (at Rue La La and then Follain and on a ButcherBox project, too). We happen to adore her. But we also adore her super thorough, super holistic approach to caring about customers. She’s always been ahead of her time on that. 

HCC: So what’s your personal mission at BB?

CD: I was hired to represent the voice of the member and help the company understand who our members are and what they are looking for in our service so that we can constantly and relentlessly improve the experience. I am looking after the end to end experience - from the website to the box that the meat arrives in. I work cross functionally to help the people who do own each piece do their job better and do better by our members!

HCC: How did the Rue La La and Follain roles prepare you for this?

CD: I always say that Rue was my crash course in E-Commerce. We were launching a brand new website every single day. I got exposure to pretty much every department and a true understanding of how Ecommerce works. It was super-stressful at times - in the beginning with that 10am daily boutique launch I had that feeling like I was about to walk into a major exam. Every. Single. Day. - but it was an amazing experience. 

Follain was also a great experience - what an amazing mission to be a part of! I think this is where I really gained a true understanding of the importance and the complexity of building a cohesive brand. This has helped me a ton in my role at ButcherBox as we have also started to really focus on defining who we want to be - our members think of us as so much more than a meat company. We are at their dinner tables, we are feeding their loved ones - we are playing a really important role in their lives and we are just beginning to try to articulate this and create a voice to represent who we are.

HCC: What are some “misses” in member experience?

CD: We have made a lot of progress over the past year in our delivery experience. Delivering frozen meat is not a simple task logistically, but our team has really begun to optimize the entire process. That said, we still do have some misses in communication to our members when something goes wrong. We will never be perfect (and our shipping partners will never be perfect) but our members are very understanding if we provide clear, authentic communication around anything unexpected. We don’t provide this 100% of the time, but we are getting better!

HCC: How much does voice matter in what you do?

CD: Voice is really important, and also NOT an easy thing to get right. We are still working on the balance between direct response, and more brand personality. There is a time and a place for different tones, but it’s important that the underlying voice is cohesive. I think about it like this: I talk to my husband differently than I talk to my boss - but I’m still me in both situations. I can know my audience and adjust my tone while remaining authentic to who I am. We are still working (actively) to define our voice as a brand, and once we are solid on that, the next steps will be to work through different tones in different scenarios. We internally are all really aligned on who we want to be and we just need to refine how we present that to the world!

HCC: What’s a recent win for you?

CD: There are some wins we’ve had from a conversion rate perspective that are cool, but It always feels great to actually hear from a member that work that we did made their experience better. We recently redesigned our account page and heard via our support team that members were mentioning how much easier it was to use...that felt great!

HCC: What makes a great member experience hire? What do you look for?

CD: Empathy. Authenticity. Ability to work cross-functionally. In that order.

HCC: If a business wanted to make some immediate wins in member experience, what are some low hanging fruit you’d suggest off the bat?

CD: The specific issues are so different for every business, but the low-hanging fruit is always there. The best way to make immediate wins is to get feedback. Pick up the phone and talk to your customers. Send out surveys. Analyze reviews. However you can, GET FEEDBACK. Your customers will have the answers for you.

Your Brand Is Served. #TakeCare

These creatives care about Customer Service. (That’s weird, right?)

Your brand is served. #TakeCare

When you think about being a creative in ad and marketing world, most of us think about “making cool stuff.”

Even to this day, where most of life happens digitally and organically and on a smaller scale, creatives are still obsessed with making cool stuff that they can see and show off. We Netflix and we fast forward through TV ads, but people are still obsessed with producing them. Print magazines are getting smaller and smaller as media goes online, but we’re still jonesing to shoot full-bleed ads with killer photographers. We’re mostly staring at our phones in a Lyft, but everyone wants to do a billboard.

And for most creatives, nothing is as unsexy as customer service. 

But we are very, very into it. Because it’s the voice of a brand. And it’s where conversion happens. And it’s often where evangelism is born. 

All Voice Is Brand Voice 

I learned the value of customer service at Rue La La, working with Cheryl Kaplan, who is now the president of M.Gemi (and I still get to work with her today). She cares deeply in every fiber of her being about the customer experience. And she made Rue La La into a transformative brand in part through this dedication. By writing personal notes, by putting ourselves in the customer’s shoes, by empowering team members to surprise and delight, Rue created client service that everyone talked about on social, that became a linchpin of the brand. As the then leader of the voice and a steward of the brand, client service -- how it sounded, felt, what it encompassed -- was considered part of my world, not just the customer service team’s world, and I am so grateful for that.

It always mystifies me that brands will pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to create guidelines for a voice and visual, but then they don’t care about the disconnect that’s happening when your voice is represented through customer service. Customer service representatives are often paid on an hourly basis, separated from corporate (even in another state), working for multiple brands at once, and not honored or briefed or directed or nurtured on how to speak for a brand.

And yet every day they make a brand impression. Often times they’re using that form letter language, like: “We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.” Your online customer likely won’t see your billboard. But they’ll  see that -- the stiff lack of caring, the robotic aloofness -- as your brand. 

Authenticity 101

At Rue La La, one of the things I did as the leader of  voice (and one of the offerings we do now at Honor Code Creative) was go out and visit with Customer Service, and I did it as often as possible. I created a training guide to teach reps how to speak and the brand voice. I rewrote every form letter. And taught reps how to customize each one. I also asked reps for the form letters they needed and didn’t have. They know best! 

Yes empathy and authenticity can be trained. We analogize the situations encountered with clients to things in reps’ own lives and help them understand what customers feel. After a group session, we sit side-by-side with reps and show them how to respond in real time, drafting the actual letters together. We break down what’s been ingrained by other brands, the stiffness, formality, syrupy-ness, etc. (And we learn from them and carry the insights back, too.) We get feedback that they feel empowered and enjoy every moment of training, sharing their joy (really) to be part of the brand and understand the bigger picture. 

And the results are huge. More passionate, engaged reps stay working for the brand longer and develop expertise. They actually make sales in real time. And care about it. And your brand can have that Norstrom level (but on brand for you) service, with the kind of stories that get passed around on social and lead people to want to refer friends.

#TakeCare

There’s more at stake here, ultimately, than an annoyed customer or two. A mistake can turn into an opportunity when it’s handled in a genuine way. We’ve seen it happen time and again. When it’s tossed aside with a cold form letter, it inevitably leads to a customer who never comes back. We’ve all been there as consumers ourselves. And it’s incredibly easy to click over to a competitor, pay with PayPal and poof, move on for good. It also just leaves a bad taste in our mouths. We’re all human beings, and these small moments of community, even around something that in itself can feel inconsequential, have the power to make us feel good or bad. We want to work with brands who care about that. We care about that.

#AshCarterLessons

We heard the Secretary of Defense speak. And found resounding takeaways. Even outside the five-sided box.

Last night we went to hear Secretary of Defense Ash Carter (and book author, physicist and Director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard Ash Carter) speak at the JFK LIbrary. Full disclosure, we expected this to be sort of … wonky and unrelated to our own lives. But we found ourselves inspired. Here are our 5 aha moments. (#6: We’re buying the book.)

1. Find the best person for the job. Ash Carter was the person who made it possible for women to perform in all combat roles. (Woot!) When asked about that decision, he said he reached out to the leaders of every form of battle in the US (Air Force, Navy Seals, you name it) before making the call, and that mostly it was about access to the best people for an important job. About not unnecessarily narrowing the field when it’s so hard to find someone qualified and the work itself is so critical. I want to be the same way when I look for talent. To look at who might be, say, the best headline writer (not that I equate that with going to war, but still...), who might best push the work in unexpected ways, who might best grab a reader’s attention. Not who is the most familiar to me in that role for whatever reason (age, sex, exact experience).

2. Keep your hands on the table. One thing Secretary Carter said he did in meetings with the President was to keep his hands visible, above the table. It was a way to show he wasn’t keeping notes, wasn’t writing things down for some personal memoir, but was giving the full force of his attention to the matter at hand. Sometimes in meetings I’m in, people have open screens and could be looking at anything. I like this idea of not only focusing on the moment, but also showing the person speaking you’re focused on the moment. I also like the metaphor of showing-your-hand straightforwardness.

3. Give complete solutions. Secretary Carter said he tried to come to a situation with a complete, thoughtful solution, addressing the multiple threads of an issue. He got to this because it’s what he always wanted when he was at the head of the table, not just a solve for one slice of the problem. I like both the notion of offering your client or boss or partner a complete solution, but also the idea of approaching it with empathy, putting yourself in their shoes.

4. Put your best foot forward. Not in your mouth. In the calmest, most genteel, most matter-of-fact way, Secretary Carter said, “Most of the time President Obama took my advice. Sometimes he didn’t.” This balance of calm and passion is inspiring. It’s an example of something I’ve talked about before, approaching your work as if you were a consultant. You say exactly what you believe and provide the most complete thinking possible. But if it still doesn’t go your way, I’ve learned to let it go, knowing that I made my recommendation clear. Make your case and get on with it. Even the smartest people can reasonably disagree. 

5. Take your values to the battlefield. “The United States takes its values to the battlefield,” Secretary Carter said. He was talking about the US accidentally hitting Doctors Without Borders in Afghanistan in 2015. In other countries, they’d use some subterfuge to hide something like that. But we exposed even a painful misstep. They took the heat and disciplined those involved. At work, your values must stay with you through every up and down. Be honest when you screw up. Don’t run. Throw light on it. Learn from it. Even when the lessons are painful. Don’t compromise your essential self. That’s not who we are. And no accolade or consequence is as important.

Ash Carter’s book Inside the Five-Sided Box: Lessons from a Lifetime of Leadership in the Pentagon is out now. At a time when integrity feels in short supply, we could probably all use 480 pages of it.

Your mission. Choose to accept it.

Your mission. Choose to accept it.

Do you have a personal mission statement? You might have one without even realizing it. What’s your North Star? Right before something big happens in your life, are there words you whisper to yourself? 

To get down to business, get personal

If you lead a business, crystallizing your personal mission statement is an amazing exercise. Because it’s personal, it feels easier than a business mission statement that involves other stakeholders. At the same time, once you have yours, you’ll have a better sense of whether the business mission works. Also - your personal mission is entirely relevant to your work. It guides how you conduct yourself everywhere. And work is a big part of a leader’s everywhere. 

On a recent business trip with my partner Susanne I was thinking about this blog and I asked her if she had a person mission statement. She didn’t think so. Full disclosure: She said “thinking about this is making my head hurt.” But I didn’t leave it there, obviously. (#partnerlife.) 

Add some sea salt

Susanne’s big thing is her calm sameness. No matter what happens, up or down, she answers the phone for our daily check-ins with the same upbeat voice. Unlike me (whose highs are high and lows are low, according to my ex husband) she’s more constant. Before we were partners, I referred to her as salt of the earth. No bullshit. No games. What you see is what you get. And what you get is essential, accountable character. 

It’s fitting that Susanne is obsessed with the beach. What could be more (literally) salt of the earth than that? She will have a beach day in any weather, squeezing one in wherever she can. She loves days at her mom’s summer cottage and trips to the Florida coast. She’s forever looking at waterfront properties and thinking about how she can get more of her life to dovetail with the beach. The beach has so much to do with her life philosophy. It hides nothing. It is what it is. You wake up, look outside and it’s there. There’s no point in fighting it. When it challenges you, you can’t do anything but wait it out. And get back out there when it’s ready for you. 

Susanne’s personal mission: Get to the beach. Get to the beach literally, for sure, as much as possible. But also get to the beach state of mind. To know and accept that we can only do so much with forces bigger than we are. To respect the ebbs and flows of work and life. And to enjoy it — to keep her eyes open for the beauty of it. Knowing that any storm will pass. To be as sure as the tides, calming for clients, certain as a wave comes back to shore. 

To thine own self be true

My personal mission statement is also very simple: the truth can’t lose. As I think is often the case with the founder of a business, it’s very tied to our HCC mission statement as a business because this is a business that I founded with my whole heart and soul. This mission statement guides my decisions and is something I strive for in my relationships too. 

The way it’s written (or spoken)  matters. It’s not “authenticity wins” though that’s something I believe. That’s actually our business mission statement. Authentic work is disruptive. It connects. And so it wins in the fight for mindshare. But my personal version — the truth can’t lose — is calming. It says no matter what, Rach, as long as you tell the truth, try and get at essential truths in your work, and live your truth (spend time with people who you genuinely enjoy, honor what’s important to you, don’t waste time on what’s not ) everything will work itself out and there’s nothing you can’t handle. 

This is something I think about when I’m faced with any decision. The hardest part sometimes is admitting the truth even to myself. It’s an exercise I keep practicing. To be true to my gut when I look at work. To seek out only with people I genuinely like and respect (not people I think I should meet). To admit when I did something wrong in my relationships (possibly the hardest one of all for this only child). 

Having this North Star challenges me and clarifies my decisions. On days when I feel I’ve stumbled, my personal mission gets me back up. So tell me — what’s yours?

Person of Honor (Veterans Day, Ed.)

Regina B. Jackson, Veterans Service Director for the Town of Chelmsford

Veterans Day is incredibly meaningful to us, because veterans do something we never could. We have so much respect for bravery in all forms, and it’s hard to imagine anything braver than serving our country in this way. In honor of Veteran’s Day, we thought we’d talk with someone who is both a veteran and doing something incredibly honorable for our veterans as well. 

Honor Code (HCC): Tell us a little about what you do.

Regina Jackson (RJ): I am the Veterans Service Director for the Town of Chelmsford. I administer a State/Town public assistance program for Veterans and eligible family members. I am the POC (point of contact) for Federal VA claims (compensation & pension), help veterans enroll in VA healthcare, VA education programs, housing grants, appeal denied VA claims, etc. Basically, if you are a veteran in Chelmsford - I can help you access veteran benefits. In Massachusetts, every city/town is supposed to have a Veterans Agent in their community. I have been in this job for 24 years.

HCC: And you are a veteran yourself.

RJ: I served in the Air Force for 61/2 years. I was a captain when I separated. My job was a Missile Combat Crew Commander for Minuteman II missiles at Whitman AFB, Missouri. I was one of those people stationed underground controlling our nukes! Very interesting and stressful job. I learned a lot and met all kinds of folks not like me - it was a real lifelong education. My husband Mike was also in the Air Force. He served for 12 years. We met at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. His job was a Navigator for AWACS - so he did a lot of travel out of CONUS.

HCC: How do you think about Veterans Day? We sometimes feel overwhelmed by the idea of not knowing what to say, how to do the right thing.

RJ: Pretty much every community has some observance for Veterans Day - which is always on November 11 - regardless of the day it falls on. So in Chelmsford I always plan our Observance for 11/11 at 11:00 - easy to remember and hard to forget! This year it falls on a Monday. It is a day to honor and celebrate Veterans in the community. Recognize that there are thousands of veterans in your city/towns who served in the military and continue to serve their communities in many different ways. Each one has a unique military experience, but the thread that holds all Veterans together is willingness to serve our Country. I think of it like - Veterans Day is the day to honor and thank all Veterans in your Community. Memorial Day is the day we honor and pay respect to all the fallen, all the service members who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our Country.

HCC: What is the right thing to say? There’s no way to repay this sacrifice in our minds.

RJ: Saying “thanks for your service” is always nice - in my opinion. Also, greeting active duty members in uniform with some type of acknowledgment is usually welcome - especially because most are so young and probably far away from their home.

HCC: Can you describe your typical day?

RJ: Every day is different. I have worked with hundreds of different veterans through the years. Each has a different story; some need no help and some are really struggling. I literally have so many stories -  the worst is the two veterans I knew who committed suicide. But - I also have many stories of veterans doing wonderful things; being wildly successful and giving back to the community.

HCC: Thank you. We feel honored to talk with you. Hope you have a good weekend.

RJ: I am off to Washington DC tomorrow for the weekend to run in the Marine Corps Marathon. I only run one a year and I do this in honor of three young Chelmsford soldiers who died in service in Iraq/Afghanistan. it will be my 11th. I am slow. But I always finish.

What's Your Mission?

Does anyone know WTF our mission is?

(No really, leaders. Ask.)

Mission problems lead to business problems. When people don’t know what the point is, how can they do work that serves it? Or be excited to get out of bed in the morning? Some of the best intended businesses founded by some of the smartest people lose the mission along the way. We’ve seen it. And we’re digging into why.

Mission Stress: 2 Kinds

There are two main kinds of founding-a-business situations we’ve encountered: sweaty-massive-rush, and thinking-and-thinking-and-bottlenecking. Both result in mission problems.

Let’s start with sweaty-massive-rush. These are the businesses we’ve worked in or with that are racing against time. The money’s running out and they need to sell something. Or they’ve gotten wind that a competitor’s about to launch and they want to be first. Or there’s an unfair advantage but it’s time sensitive and the clock’s ticking. They launch without thinking through their mission. (It’s ok; we can work backwards.)

Then there are the thinking-and-thinking-and-bottlenecking ones. It’s often the first time launching or being involved in the launch of a new business, and every decision feels magnified and hard. The result: a bottleneck. Sometimes one that loses you that advantage. Strong leaders have the confidence to push through. 

Bottlenecking often happens at the messaging stage. Laboring over the mission. Taking what should be a concise statement and making it long. And watered down. Adding other statements (values, positioning, and, and …). Bottlenecked businesses often have trouble getting a handle on their brand without constantly turning it upside down and backtracking. They are waylaid by internal conflict around whether this is “us” or not.  And there are so many “things” flying around and changing that no one knows what the mission is. (If you let us, we can help here, too. But it takes some discipline to let go and trust.)

Operation Rallying Cry

If you’re running a business, anyone you ask, anywhere in the org should know your mission. Why? Because a mission statement isn’t an empty pre-launch exercise. It’s the rallying cry across the entire org that gives an answer at every fork in the road long after launch. Whether that product is right. Whether that hire is right. Whether you should have open offices or flex time. All of it. 

If done right, a mission statement is important because it inspires, rallies people together toward a common purpose and serves as the organization's ‘north star’.

Just ask some of the experts we love to work with most. “The mission statement is the brand's driving force. It flows from the vision and guides the brand's decisions every day,” says Michelle Heath, founder & CEO of Growth Street.

“If done right, a mission statement is important because it inspires, rallies people together toward a common purpose and serves as the organization's ‘north star,’” says Zamawa Arenas, founder & CEO of Flowetik.

Epic to Haiku

One of the main reasons people don’t know your mission statement is that there are too many brand “things” in general, and the statement itself is too long. We see this a lot at HCC. In the discovery phase of an engagement, we ask that brands share anything brand related they’ve already done. And there’s either nothing or SO.MUCH.STUFF. Matrixes. Different adjective lists for voice, visuals, values. Long mission statement. Positioning statement. Etc. You get our drift. 

“A mission statement should be a statement of purpose. ‘The Why’ your organization exists stated in a very succinct sentence. I find mission statements that are long paragraphs about ‘The What’ the organization does lack focus and end up being just a laundry list of activities,” Zamawa adds. Same.

A while back, we launched Great in 8, where, after being in so many DNA exercises in past lives on the brand side, we distilled all things DNA into 8 sleek hours with two founders, with the deliverable being 3--5 adjectives plus a paragraph and mood board on each. These are THE adjectives. One set. Visual. Voice. And values. These are your brand’s essence - how you speak, look and operate.

We’ve also figured out how to get a tight mission statement that everyone in the organization can remember, something with enough oomph to get people out of bed in the morning and ready to go. 

We call this hIQ. It’s about distilling all (ALL) the stuff into a single, memorable statement that often can be internal or external and that is toothsome enough to drive any decision. It’s incredibly freeing to know what’s you (or not). And it’s incredibly inspiring to know why.

New (Grownup) School Supplies

The kids are locked and loaded. How about you?

If you’re with us vowing to #GetEducated this month, longing to open your mind and learn new things, you’re going to need supplies. There’s nothing like a fresh new notebook, a blank page, literally, to make you feel ready for bold new ideas. And when it comes to your business, today’s offerings are way better than the Trapper Keepers of our youth. Technology problems? People problems? These suggestions will help your business and life easier.

1. iPad and Apple Pencil. So many of us haul computers around all day when we use them for internet searches and email. Reconsider the iPad (but update it). It’s the tech version of a new spiral notebook, especially when you add the Apple Pencil, a nice addition for those who like to write directly on their tablet.

2. Video camera and microphone. Are long voice/Skype calls part of your day? These tools take the stress of faulty connections. It makes the other person’s life easier when your audio is nice and clear, too.

3. Headphones and earbuds. If you’re in an office with a lot of people, headphones, especially noise canceling ones, can be extremely helpful. Earbuds are great for listening to a book while commuting on the train. A go-to song can help you clear your head at work, too. Get an earbud case that attaches to your keys so they’re with you at all times.

4. Snacks. Whoever devised snack time at school was onto something. The last thing you want during the work day is to become hangry. Snacks are essential not only for yourself but clients/partners too. They help keep people focused on ideas, not weird stomach noises. Keep almond packs, granola bars, etc. on hand.

5. Apps. Download Voicea to take notes via the microphone on your phone. And the Post-it App to capture and organize Post-It brainstorm sessions.

6. A new case. People do judge a book by its cover. You walk into meetings and put your computer down. Is that a cat sticker? A piece of … spinach? A bashed up case doesn’t exactly fill you with confidence either. Upgrade phone and computer cases this month so you feel good when you throw down. We get lots of compliments on this one.

7. Notebook. Don’t forget actual notebooks. We are partial to this Feminist one, which features blank and lined pages, as well as killer quotes. We also bought some of these alphabet notebooks from the UK’s Present and Correct, where we’d like to own the entire site, honestly.

Are You Faking It At Work?

To really advance, ditch the mask. #NoDisguises

About that old “fake-it-til-you-make-it” chestnut: no bueno.

Sure, powering through a meeting by pretending you’re not getting the flu may help you win a pitch. But faking the bigger stuff at work — pretending you can handle what you can’t, pretending something didn’t affect you when it did, pretending you agree when you don’t, worst of all, pretending you’re happy — these can really, really take their toll.

Just to give you an example. My time as a lawyer went something like this. Wake up, put on lawyer costume. Go to New York when I hate to travel, especially alone. Sit in a room full of boxes looking for a smoking gun until it gets cold and dark. Buy a green juice. Return to hotel. Assume fetal position. Cry. Never, ever complain. Oh, and then get this in my review: “Of all the junior litigators, Rachel is the most naturally suited to litigation.” Uh huh. Cry some more.

Once I took the big leap of quitting the law, an entire profession I’d trained for, and years later left a vertical I loved with leaders I personally care for, I became a lot more clear and vocal about who I am, what I want, what I do well, and what treatment I’m ok and not ok with. I stopped faking it. Honor Code was built around that idea, and it was the door to my being really happy in my career.

With this month at Honor Code focused on #NoDisguises, I wondered why it took me so damn long to be myself professionally, and so I asked an expert: Why do we fake it?

Maria Luisa Victoria is a clinical psychologist who often advises professionals at all levels. “I think people often fake it because they may be disconnected from their own experience or because they think that adapting to the situation, even when it does not fit, is what is expected of them or will make them a valuable employee,” she says.

Sound familiar? Many of us grow up with the “suck it up” mentality. You know, grab some sac, be a ballplayer, etc. Compound that with the fact that we don’t always realize what our true value is because it’s not necessarily recognized within our company. It may be that a business in fact doesn’t value that skill set — or it may be that they just aren’t aware of it.

Regarding the second part of that thought, I go back to when I was in PR. The agency had never employed anyone with a background or skill package quite like mine. Its leaders were smart and saw that I brought value to the table, but it was up to me to carve out my role. I started out as an account person — total misfit — and lobbied to be a writer and idea specialist. Neither were openings they’d ever had. By the time I left I was Creative Director (their first), and my work included creating a speaking panel for the agency, crafting RFP responses, conceiving campaigns, strategizing new coverage avenues, and crafting bylines. Every year I’d say, “This is where I think I can bring value. This is what I think the right title should be.” And they listened. (I’ll never forget that.)

If you’re not clear about who you are and what you want, you don’t give a workplace a chance to value what you naturally love and excel in. “Being authentic makes it more likely that employees will find a match between their strengths and interests and the tasks they engage in,” says Maria. “For example, pretending to be an extrovert when one is not makes it more likely that the person will be given tasks that require interacting with others.”

Then there’s the Sunday Scaries problem. When you get more and more detached from the role you’re playing at work, you become less and less seen, and the ground beneath you feels shaky. “Being inauthentic can lead to symptoms like anxiety and unhealthy behaviors,” Maria explains, “since the person’s underlying feelings and values may be overlooked in order to fit into the situation or work demand.”

You can start to feel really alone. And you can distance others who eventually see that something feels not quite right, that you’re not confident or not real. Says Maria, “It is harder to connect to someone who is inauthentic since, by definition, they are not forthcoming with who they really are — making it harder for people to collaborate with them effectively, and less likely that they will be leaders and influence colleagues.”

So what can you do about it? Apart from, say, going full on Tom Cruise Jerry Maguire manifesto up in the place, there are small, meaningful inroads you can start immeditely.

1. Take inventory. Make an honest list of all the things you like to do in your role and do well. And also make an honest list of all the things you don’t like to do, things that give you angst, and things you just don’t think you’re any good at.

2. Ask yourself whether the things you’re good at are valuable at your company. Financially valuable. If they are, you have leverage. They want you to keep doing them. Work from a realization that doing what you love and are good at has value.

3. Speak up. When given a project you dread, Maria suggests trying an honest statement like this one: “I know you really want me to do X, and that it’s important for our project. But I was thinking it would make sense for me to focus on Y, since I do my best work when Z.” Badass! Straightforward!

4. Use a #NoDisguises starter: Sometimes just starting a sentence by being honest about your fears can be helpful — and actually establish a bond that makes you more, not less valued and likable. Try “Just to be completely transparent, I’m going to take this on because I know it’s important, but this isn’t where I think my value lies.” Or, “I want to be totally honest, I worry a little about XX. It’s not my strongest suit. There are so many areas where I add more value.”

5. Outsource your fears. You can’t decide not to do the things you hate without a plan to get them done. Come up with solutions. Find out who wants to do those things. Find and cost freelance help. Ask to set a timeline for when these things can come off your list.

6. Write your own aspirational positioning statement. Imagine you’re a business, and write your positioning statement. The 3 elements are the for (who you do it for), the what (what exactly you do) and the why, not necessarily in that order. For example “I boost the bottom line for retail innovators by finding creative approaches to merchandising.” Use it to remind yourself where your focus and value lie, moving closer to doing exactly that with every move you make inside and outside the company where you are now.

7. Do one thing. Instead of dropping the mask in one big flameout moment, just do one thing every day to be more authentic. One moment of saying how you really feel (or even saying nothing) rather than automatically agreeing, for example. Just one thing, daily, will build some momentum. And the payback, even in the smallest true statement, is instant.

Person of Honor: Tom Weisend

The Director of Creative Strategy & Account Management, Philanthropy at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, in honor of #worldcomingoutday

We first met Tom at Rue La La where he helmed UX and became one of the most loved and respected leaders in the place. Not to mention a friend for life. He also happens to be our marriage role model (he’s been married to couturier Danny Faucher for about three decades). Anytime he’s willing to share a story, he has our ear. And we thought #worldcomingoutday and #NoDisguises month at Honor Code would be the perfect time to ask. You’re welcome.

Honor Code Creative: Will you tell us about your current role? Seems like you’re loving it.

Tom: I’m the Director of Creative Strategy for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Division of Philanthropy. This encompasses work for the team that raises in excess of $300 million a year. My work is managing the team that creates all assets for major donors, the Jimmy Fund, and Annual and Planned Giving. I love the mission. I’ve never had that before. What we’re doing directly effects the groundbreaking work that doctors and researchers are undertaking at the Institute. That feeling renews itself every day.

HCC: What was your first creative job?

TW: I was a writer and editor for Adweek magazine in Boston. While it was a journalism job for a trade publication, it taught me how to tell stories and write to engage readers. I use that every day.

HCC: You live in the South End, one of the first neighborhoods to create a community of acceptance. Has it changed?

TW: We’ve been here since 1993. When we moved in, it was the tail end of the gay gentrification and before it became lousy with good restaurants and prices went haywire on real estate. I love it here, and have never lived any one place for so long. I think the most striking change in the South End is the absence of gay residents. Our tiny street was mostly gay people when we moved in. I can now count on two hands the number of gay families and people. Maybe it’s the prices, maybe it’s all the societal changes that make it more comfortable for gays to live outside their self-imposed ghettos, or maybe it’s a sense of adventure in striking out for other neighborhoods and towns.

HCC: Will you share your coming out story?

TW: I came out because I wanted to control the narrative. In the late ’70s, being gay was generally not ok, and people gossiped about you either like you were sick in the soul or you had an actual disease. I wanted to take control and turn that around to make it clear I was not only fine with it, but happy about it. That threw a lot of people off. I came out to my closest friends in my college apartment, which felt like I lost 25 pounds while riding a roller coaster. Their reaction was fabulous. Then I told my older sister. In a letter. That I mailed. With a stamp. I held my breath for almost a week until I heard from her. My pitch was, “I’m the exact same person you knew before you got this letter. Just you know something else about me now.” She bought it. I knew then I was destined to be in marketing.

I came out to my closest friends in my college apartment, which felt like I lost 25 pounds while riding a roller coaster.

HCC: What would you tell someone struggling with coming out today?

TW: That’s a big responsibility, everyone’s journey is their own and no one piece of advice is necessarily right for everyone. But I will say it’s really hard. Yes, it gets better, but it’s really hard. I have never looked back. I never regretted it. And I never thought about lying about myself once I staked that claim.

HCC: You are very well traveled both in your career and as part of the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus. Are there places you’ve encountered that feel more or less inclusive when it comes to sexuality?

TW: In 2005, I traveled to Eastern Europe with the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus. We sang at Gay Pride in Berlin for countless thousands of people. It was mind-blowing. Then we were headed to Prague, but we had a stop in Wroclaw, Poland, the third-largest city. We were told we were the first openly gay performing arts group ever in Poland. We got to Wroclaw, spread out in its 11th-century square, and returned to the hotel after dinner.

The next morning, we were told to stay close to the hotel and only travel in groups. When we returned to the hotel after lunch to go the rehearsal at the hall that was just a few block’s walk away, we were told that we’d be going by police-escorted bus. When we arrived, there was a large protest by the Catholic League of Families that tried to stop the show. They flat-out hated us for who we were. There were vile signs and angry people. We were taken into the hall by armed officers, where CNN Europe and a bank of other cameras awaited.

We rehearsed, but we had no idea if the concert would happen, if anyone would show up, if we were safe. We had dinner brought into the hall, changed into our tuxedos, and lined up to go on stage.

We rehearsed, but we had no idea if the concert would happen, if anyone would show up, if we were safe.

As we came through the doors, the ovation was thunderous. It was sold out. There were families, older couples who subscribed to the music season, and in the front row, two gay men with their child. In Poland. Ringing the entire hall were armed policemen. It was kind of like when the Von Trapp Family in The sound of Music sang at the festival when the Nazis were waiting to take Captain Von Trapp away. These were real police with real rifles.

We were floored by all of it. We sang our first song. For our next song, we’d learned Gaude Mater Polonia, the unofficial national anthem. It was intended as a surprise, so it wasn’t on the program. As we launched into it, the audience rose to its feet as we might for the Star Spangled Banner. As they stood, their seats retracted and made a light popping noise. We could see what was happening but our conductor, who had his back to them, thought shooting had begun. In a supreme show of professionalism, he didn’t even let the tempo drop. The rest of the concert was a blur, with several of our members breaking down on stage at the joy and intensity of emotion and much of the audience in tears as well.

Poland is still hostage to the religious right wing. I hope that we brought lightness and enlightenment to those that heard us. We were the lead story on CNN and on the front page of just about every newspaper in the country. One headline was translated for us as, “Music Conquers Hate.” It can. It does.

HCC: How do you feel being yourself affects a person’s ability to be creative?

Authenticity is the essence of creativity.

TW: I’d turn that around and say not being yourself blocks the ability to be creative. Authenticity is the essence of creativity. Stifling who you are stifles so many things: Personal relationships, inner growth, and expression which is the basis of creativity.

HCC: What do you love most about your life at this very moment?

TW: The freedom to say no. When you approach 60, you’re more in touch with yourself, you recognize that time is shorter and doing things you don’t want to do with people that aren’t important to you is a waste.