I looked out at an empty parking lot at Martin Waymire recently, and smiled.
It wasn’t the nice gardening or blooming mums (thanks Stacy Anderson) or the American flag whipping in the breeze that brought that smile. It was the knowledge that the lot was empty because so many of our staff were out learning, adding to their storehouse of knowhow so they can grow and help our clients more.
Kathy Hoffman and Jessica Tramontana were off to Indianapolis for the Public Relations Society of America’s 2016 International Conference, attending educational sessions and making new contacts.
Andrea Kerbuski’s car was parked somewhere on Michigan State University’s campus, where she is working and learning for three months helping fill in for one of the university’s top communications professionals who is on maternity leave. She’ll be bringing back a behind-the-scenes understanding of how one of the largest universities in the nation manages its communications.
Earlier in October, Andie Poole spent two days in New York City at a Poynter Institute conference learning about new visual models for digital news publications. This will help us guide and implement cutting edge web designs for our clients.
This summer, Roger Martin took training in Excel, the vital and often complex spreadsheet program. Stacy Anderson attended Michigan Chamber of Commerce seminars on health care contracts and options. Both make our company work more efficiently.
Natalie Kozma and I have been part of a “reading club” of sorts with the staff of Michigan Future, meeting monthly to discuss books that are explaining recent research into education, the economy and how science is explaining how brains work, aimed at developing policies that can help restore our state to its lofty status as a leader in middle class prosperity (without building a wall or ending international trade, I might add).
It all adds up to a Martin Waymire team dedicated to learning, to being ready to meet the changing needs of our clients, and offering cutting edge solutions that are based on the latest research. One of the core competencies any Martin Waymire staffer must agree to before being hired is a willingness and desire to keep learning – always.
Our empty parking lot reflected our continual drive to implement that commitment.
