As I occasionally do on Wednesdays in the spring, summer and fall, I crewed on a friend’s J105 last evening for a weekly sailing competition in Boston Harbor. On beautiful evenings like last night, I’m reminded that participating in such an event is truly a luxury. Last night also served as a reminder that teamwork – as well as a good start and an even better spinnaker takedown – is the key to sailing success! While the crew rotates a bit – not every person can make every week – the responsibilities of each assigned position stay consistent. The helmsperson sails the boat, while trimmers adjust and manage the mainsheet and jib. The bowman shoulders the burden of all things happening in and around the bow, including the set of the big and beautiful spinnaker. The speed of the boat and its overall success during each Wednesday excursion is completely dependent on the team’s ability to perform at their respective position. (I long for the day when the spinnaker takedown will contribute less to our performance, but I digress…)
Similarly, the success of every account team here at Matter is reliant on the contributions of each and every team member. It’s the ability of each individual to accomplish their respective tasks that directly contributes to the team and client success. Titles or even depth of experience don’t make the difference in a lot of cases, but rather each individuals response to the many responsibilities placed on his or her shoulders. In our agency’s case, it may be creating an engaging Facebook calendar, leveraging a media relationship for a significant piece of coverage, or maintaining a keen eye on competitor news. Every client team member has a role that needs to be played – and a team full of eager-to-please professionals relying on them to come through. I can honestly look at every person on our current roster at Matter and feel confident that no matter the PR challenge, they can and will do their part to steer our clients swiftly to the finish line.