Don’t Be Afraid to Create Your Own Role
Everyone who works at WritersBlok is handpicked.
And most have been with me for quite some time.
From their work ethic to their respective skills to their agency-wide creative collaboration, each member of my team understands my company vision, and works alongside me to bring it to life. Our stellar success rate is a clear reflection of the diversity they offer—in background and pov—and it’s why I’m super intentional about who I bring on to my team.
Some time last year, I got a rather generic LinkedIn message from a young woman inquiring about any open positions at my company. This wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, as I get messages like this often, and since there were none, I politely informed her of such.
When her name reappeared in my inbox earlier this year, at first, I thought nothing of it. I assumed it was a follow-up question or a reply to something I’d recently shared. What I saw, however, was nothing short of extraordinary, and I never use that word lightly.
Quick formalities aside, her message provided a comprehensive breakdown of my agency’s best (and shall I say worst) practices, and a rather impressive strategic approach to filling the gaps she recognized.
The message literally stopped me in my tracks. Not because of what she’d identified, but due to the very clear intentional thought, effort, and research she’d poured into the work I do, and the company I’ve very deliberately built over the last ten years.
Unlike her initial message, I quickly replied, first with thanks, then immediately with praise for the dedication she’d shown. As a researcher at heart, it left me with a feeling of nostalgia. Seeing her hunger reminded me of my own; of 24 hour trips to New York in the onset of my career just to have a single conversation with a potential client I didn’t know would materialize. They say, “Fortune favors the brave,” and this was one of the best examples I’ve seen in quite some time.
The last time something like this happened to me was when I hired my current Chief Growth Officer. We’d known each other for years before she joined the WritersBlok team. To be honest, I wasn’t even hiring the day she reached out to catch up after some time. During a call later that week, she displayed such a depth of knowledge that I knew she was exactly what my team needed.
I hired her on the spot for a role that didn’t exist prior to our call.
And she’s not the only one. While it’s not something I do often, I know a gem when I see one. Though I don’t currently have a position available for the young woman who inspired this post, I will definitely keep an eye on her. I have no doubt that there’s a very bright future ahead of her.
Sometimes, that’s how greatness happens. When you least expect it, there will be moments where exactly what you’re looking for will come to you. You just have to be willing to see the value in it before it’s entirely clear.
So, let me ask you. Has anyone impressed you lately? If so, drop me a line and tell me about it. Beyond posts like this, I’m always trying to ensure we’re all collectively creating spaces for brilliant minds like that young woman to shine, and most of all, grow.