Reid Carr, the President of Red Door Interactive (RDI) told me in a recent interview that,“Some companies set values that are a barrier for where they want to be.”

Take the following, for example. 

In many companies, a hands-on managerial approach is highly valued.  However,“If you’re a boss and you want to touch every project and be involved with every decision, then that can also lead to a conflict if you want to be a large, multi-location company.”

Read on to find out how RDI has developed a decision making process that has allowed them to stay true to who they are, even as they embrace change, positioned themselves as a company that can do big things for its clients and become known as San Diego’s “Best place to work” for 7 years running.

 What will the workplace of the future look like?

The world that our children will inherit will be vastly different from the one that we have today.  With things changing faster and faster every year, it’s important for companies to look to their futures and decide on the type of organization that they’ll need in order to get there.  “The first step,” Mr. Carr tells me, “Is to understand who you want to be.  “That might sound simple…“Unfortunately, a lot of companies postpone building the value systems that they really need for their success…”  And without this, there can be a lot of inconsistencies in a company’s direction.  “They haven’t given their employees the trust, autonomy and respect that is needed to develop a strong decision making framework.”  And it shows.

The standard management model

I know we’ve all been there…  It’s that dead end job where your ideas don’t really count for much… It’s when your boss only cares about two things, cutting costs and maintaining the status quo…  It’s also not the kind of job that I want for my son…  I want his work to have purpose.  I want him to be recognized for his contribution and to grow as a person because of it.  And that’s exactly what was so refreshing about speaking with Mr. Carr last Thursday.  You see, even though his company is enjoying success as the 8^th largest advertisement agency in San Diego, he made sure that I understood that it was about something bigger than profits.

It’s about the big picture “I always admired those companies that’ve been around for 100 years or more.  The kind of organizations who start grooming the next president even 10 years before the current one is even planning on retiring.”However in this day and age, that type of longevity takes something different.”  I knew that I had to take the leap and put the process of evolution into place… and that meant building values that reflect the trust, autonomy and respect that people need to make the right decisions.”

But how can you make sure that you’re growing in the right direction?  Mr. Carr answers, “When you first start out, you’re doing the work for yourself. 

And so it’s easy to be consistent. 

But as the company grows, you’re managing others… and then you’re managing the managers… and so as you get farther away from the work, you need values that will re-connect who you are with the managers so they know how you’re going to make decisions.”

This means creating a fluid working environment.  This is a place where people are responsible for themselves because they fully understand the core values of the company, and therefore the expectations of management.

They know what it means to:

• Inspire.  Because when you can inspire others, you can also become inspired.

• Share.  Sharing your inspiration is the only way that a business can create a new perspective.

• Evolve.  By embracing the idea of change as growth, evolution is also a sign of true success.

• Exceed.  Success needs to exceed one’s expectations in order to create a path for the future.

• And to be, “100% jerk-free“.  Well, that’s something we can all appreciate nobody likes working with a jerk.

These values help to nurture and guide employees so that they can avoid the kind of inconsistencies that can hurt work outcomes or client relationships.

What do these values communicate to clients? 

“People like to work with companies that they like and that are trustworthy.”

“They want someone looking out for them, with expertise… someone who can provide recommendations, be proactive and really care about their work.”  RDI shows their clients that they are committed to exceeding expectations at every turn.

It’s not just about evolving as a company; it’s about creating a new way to connect with everything that they do.”  Just like our clients, we show them that we have a relentless determination to succeed. 

We want to continue to improve, evolve, inspire and celebrate. 

We know where we’re headed.  And when those things are in alignment, it’s good for everyone all around.”

And that means success all aroundOver their 11 years in business, RDI has been named among Ad Agency Post’s 100 fastest growing advertising companies in the U.S.

They were recognized nationally by AD AGE as being the best place to work in 2010 and 2013.

And locally, they’ve held the honor of “The best place to work” in the San Diego Business Journal for the past 7 years, among many other awards.

I couldn’t help but become inspired myself

It might sound simplistic when you boil an entire strategy down to 5 core values, but listening to Mr. Carr explain what they really mean in a business setting – I knew that any one of these values could be the key for you or your children’s success as well.

“There are a lot of interpretations to the word, “Inspire”, for example… I don’t mean that we sit employees down and give them training on the meaning of the word in any traditional sense.  But we show them with stories.  We give them a lot of examples that they can follow…  We say, “This is something really cool that you could be doing”, and then we let them become inspired to follow that path.”

“I find that when you inspire people you are actually giving them a certain level of accountability… because the fulfillment of that inspiration is the legacy of the company.”

You can inspire your children to build their own businesses as well

Help them to think about who they want to be.

Show them the resolve it takes to build something that really lasts.

And, together, work to find the values that it will take to get them there.

With the world changing at such a rapid pace, it’s certain that the companies of the future will also have to become masters of adaptation.  Now is the time to show your children how to think like the CEO of “a fluid working environment”.

If you want to see proof of Red Door Interactive’s innovative business culture first-hand, feel free to stop by their offices in downtown San Diego, Carlsbad

or

Denver, Colorado.  

And be sure to stay in touch by following them on Twitter or Facebook.

– Jeremiah Magone

Google