Annual Theme
It’s only September, but I’m already working with clients to design their key themes for 2025.
A “theme” is an internal mantra, essentially, a benchmark by which to measure approach, process and results. One of my central observations, after working with leadership of varying team sizes, is that whether your organization is staffed in six offices around the world, or just one with 15 employees, when everyone has a shared vision, everyone has a shared standard.
Unifying themes have been around as long as leaders have realized that how teams work is directly tied to how businesses perform. Quite literally, the energy people bring to their role is critical to the end result.
One of my clients is considering two ideas for her internal company theme in 2025. She manufactures and distributes a consumer product with in-person teams headquartered in two cities, with another several dispersed freelancers. She craves the cohesion and energy that fed her when they were still a small crew, huddled around laptops at a coworking space. She recognizes that this is the energy of innovation; the familial culture that is required to make obstacles mere speed bumps.
There were many ideas proposed by her leadership team, but these are the two (shared with permission) she liked best:
One is, “Integrity through Process.”
The other is, “Results through Service.”
Both of these ideas speak to a particular outcome through a way of working. “Integrity through Process” is the notion that by doing things thoughtfully and systematically, outcomes (product, marketing, messaging, talent acquisition) can’t help but hold integrity. The other possible theme, “Results through Service,” relies on an orientation toward being helpful as a key strategy, with sales as a resulting byproduct of this intentional “caring.”
It doesn’t really matter which idea she chooses. The important part is that her team will unify behind one of them and almost unilaterally perform better because of a shared sense of “great.” No matter their relative location, they have a common philosophical HQ.
Just like a memorable tagline tells the public what they can expect, ie, “The ultimate driving machine,” (BMW), an internal message serves a similar purpose.
This is a powerful exercise, whether you’re independent or part of a wider team.
But before you get philosophical, remember this:
An important but quickly forgotten element is to make the theme a periodic topic of discussion. Consistency of communication and benchmarking of the “mantra” is as important as the mantra itself. Purposeful phrasing becomes a platitude without measurement and accountability.
Where can we see this theme in practice?
What has improved?
Where are we falling short?
Make it a working mission for the year. And report back!
Teams rise to the level of expectation. So what is expected? Build the culture and systems required to achieve what you want, even if you’re a party of one.
Now is a good time to set this ideation in motion for yourself, or for your people - with tangible checkpoints to make the theme a reality. And no need to share this with clients or customers. That would be marketing, which this is definitely not.
As for me, 2025 will be about “Consistent Action.” When you travel 2+ weeks out of the month as I do, it’s very easy to fall out of the simplest practices; a daily walk, sleep rituals, meditation, conscious food choices, etc. It’s easy to fulfill these routines at home, but harder in various time zones, hotel rooms and up against demanding schedules. Being committed to these internal strides keeps me healthy and rested -- which is what it takes to make a meaningful impact on my clients’ businesses. It’s sort of the opposite of “go big or go home,” because the actions are relatively small and, ideally, daily.
__
Let me know where you land on this. I’d love to hear.
Signing off from Paris where I am catching my breath before a productive fourth quarter!
Amitiés…BG