Behaviours in the Workplace Guidelines

BINEHTAHVEIOURSWORKPLACEA practical guide to creating a positive culture

A POSITIVE CULTUREAt Weber Shandwick, our success is defined by our ability to deliver a positive experiencefor our clients and employees. That’s why we’ve invested so much effort, energy andresource into our CX (Client Experience) and EX (Employee Experience) programs.The EX program is made up of a series of global, regional and local initiatives, eachgravitating around four pillars of focus. The way that each of us responds to, andparticipates in, those initiatives plays a fundamental part in the development of a culturethat helps us attract and retain the very best people.But a positive and vibrant culture is reliant on more than a series of positive and vibrantinitiatives, no matter how good they are. It is our approach to everything we do thatunderpins our true cultural strength. Our individual and collective behaviours are thefoundation of the client and employee experiences we create.

WORKPLACE BEHAVIOURSOur Little Book of Big Behaviours outlines the eight behaviours that have helped usbecome the agency we are today. They are:Be Curious: because knowledge is nothing without insightBe Collegial: because better things happen when “I” becomes “We”Own It: because individual accountability drives collective ownershipGo Beyond: because great things happen when we take the initiativeBe Passionate: because it makes you breathe faster, you’ll do it betterFight for It: because nothing of any real value came from others’ generosityCelebrate Diversity: because the best ideas come from the least expected placesBe Wonder-full: because the pursuit of happiness amplifies the best in lifeThis Practical Guide translates each behaviour into a series of expectations, prioritiesand indicative actions that ensure you are better equipped to model and map your owndecision-making, contribution and interpersonal interactions against them.

ADOPTION OF BEHAVIORSBehaviours are adopted through imitation because people learn by experience and theirobservation of those around them.In other words, actions will always speak louder than words.That means that every one of us, regardless of seniority, has a responsibility to activelybring the agency’s workplace behaviours to life. There are a thousand reasons why – itpromotes better creativity; better ideas; a better support network; better work ethic; betterproductivity; better talent acquisition opportunities, and so on.But perhaps the most important reason to embrace these behaviours is the simple fact thatit makes the workplace a more inspiring, happier and better place to be.

MANAGEMENT OF BEHAVIOURSAt Weber Shandwick we assess an employee’s performance against their culturalcontribution as much as we do their client and commercial impact.That assessment is daily, too.Line managers are expected to provide regular feedback beyond the formal review cycle;employees whose actions and successes reflect workplace behaviours are recognisedand/or rewarded both locally and regionally; and people who bring those behavioursto life are more likely to be hired into the agency, thus deepening the integrity of ourorganisational culture.Communication is a key part of effective organisational management. Constructivediscussion that supports the adoption of behaviours is supplemented by learningexperiences that bring them to life. Communication, in all its forms, helps to model andconsolidate behaviour and establish cultural norms.



BRINGING OUR 8 AGENCY BEHAVIOURS TO LIFE



SIGNIFICANCECuriosity helps us deliver greater value to our clients. It promotes a better understandingof context and it motivates us to go beyond what we think we know about an issue or anindividual – and that includes the people we work with.MINDSETPositive; investigative; and unafraid to ask “why”ACTION• Set a goal to learn how to do one thing you don’t know how to do, each month. Get others to do the same and then share as a group• Listen without judgment. Go into ever meeting wanting to hear what others think• People It, don’t Google It. People are the best search engines. Find out what they think first• Ask open-ended questions that can’t be answered with a “Yes” or “No”



SIGNIFICANCEA willingness to work with and support others helps to establish trust, understanding andempathy. It actively encourages the development of a fresh perspective too, promotingbetter problem solving outcomes and productivity.MINDSETSupportive; proactive; engaging; empathetic; genuineACTION• Find a way to be more open about things. If something is not working out for you, or someone in your team, do something about it• Celebrate the work of others. Take the time to share the success of those in your team with others in the agency. But be selective. Too much, and it becomes disingenuous• Invite others from outside your core team to participate in a meeting or social event. Inclusiveness breeds collegiality.• Send a hand-written card to someone who has helped you.



SIGNIFICANCETaking responsibility for something shows leadership and is often the catalyst for others’action. More than simply establishing accountability for an outcome, it promotes initiative,collegiality and team focus.MINDSETPrincipled; focused; clear-headed; outcome-orientatedACTION• Encourage your line manager to give you a task that maybe outside of your current scope of work.• Be disciplined. Set expectations at the outset of a task and ensure your team understands what’s required of them. Actively encourage different thinking.• Look outside. Examine how other businesses have addressed similar issues and draw from their own experiences to deliver a better outcome



SIGNIFICANCEThe agency and our clients need people who don’t feel obliged to ask for direction at everyturn. Without such initiative, productivity slows and opportunities are missed. More oftenthan not, the best creative thinking demands a leap of faith.MINDSETConfident; decisive; imaginative; responsive; respectfulACTION• Set and agree goals with your team leader and then find a way to do more than is expected of you• At the outset of a task, write down the one thing that challenges you and the agency most about it. And then talk to sister agencies about how they might approach the task• Find a mentor. They should spend as much time fuelling your imagination as they should helping you overcome problems



SIGNIFICANCEEnthusiasm is contagious. It inspires others to act and it promotes their own sense ofpurpose and well-being. If we truly believe in something, we will always do it better.MINDSETConfident; determined; enthusiastic; animated; fervidACTION• Articulate your own values. Write down the five things that you stand for and apply them to what you do every day.• Find a way to hone your presentation skills. It will help you bring your passions to life and inspire others• Find a community cause that you truly believe in and invite others to join you to do one thing for that cause. And then tell everyone about it



SIGNIFICANCEIt’s a fighting spirit that makes such a powerful statement to our clients, colleagues andcompetitors. It says we believe in something and it frames our hunger for success. Thatmakes us a formidable advocate, collaborator and competitor. The more we fight forsomething in which we believe, the easier it will become when we have to fight again.MINDSETSpirited; dynamic; purposeful; persistent; patientACTION• Simplify your argument. Define the three things that make your position irrefutable and stay the course until a decision is made• Establish a debating group in your office and encourage others to participate in a monthly/quarterly debate with other teams/ sister agencies• Write an opinion piece for your local or regional agency website• Don’t just say “No”. Say, “What if..”. Ask your line manager for a task that others have failed to deliver against



SIGNIFICANCEEmbracing others’ differences opens up a whole new world of opportunity and understanding.It exposes us to untapped experiences and insights; it promotes better and more imaginativethinking; and it encourages others to express their own point of view as part of a moreinclusive environment.MINDSETInquisitive; open-minded; inclusive; complimentaryACTION• Identify a (un-briefed) client challenge and bring colleagues from different practices/ sister agencies around a table to address that problem. Then go to the client with some of those colleagues and share your point of view• Encourage your line manger to hire an unconventional candidate – e.g. vets, engineers or architects. And if you can’t hire them, look for ways to establish a better partnership with them• Encourage reverse mentoring of your team to get a new perspective• Acknowledge different religious or cultural holidays and organize team catering that reflects the tastes of that particular cultural group



SIGNIFICANCETo be full of wonder is to bring all of your excitement, happiness and unbridled enthusiasmtogether at any one time. It’s magnetic too. Clients and colleagues feed off it and futureemployees are attracted by its overwhelming appeal. Being wonder-full inspires thecollective social smile.MINDSETFresh; spirited; energetic; inspired; expectantACTION• Say “Good Morning!” to people. It really is the best way to start your day and, usually, the best way to start others’ too• Work from a different location. Routine can quell our enthusiasm so leave your desk for an hour and find somewhere else to work• Don’t just organize something. Lead it too! It doesn’t matter what it is, but give yourself the opportunity to inspire others• Exercise, even if it only means taking the stairs. Your emotional and physical well-being are connected.

WHAT IT ALL COMES DOWN TOCollectively, our behaviours are designed to foster an innovative, creative, productive,energetic, positive and happy workplace environment.They are the foundation of a better client and employee experience too; and they helpensure we build an agency that the very best people want to be a part of.Our cultural strength and our commercial success are grounded in the behaviours we bringto life every single day. That’s why we cherish them as we do.They are the ties that bind us.

BE CURIOUS BE COLLEGIAL OWN IT GO BEYOND BE PASSIONATE FIGHT FOR ITCELEBRATE DIVERSITY BE WONDER-FULL