Every family has its own way of doing Christmas

The company that made the Microsoft TV commercial about YO! Sushi that went all over the world was Wieden & Kennedy.

I found out they are one of the world’s most successful agencies; for example they were behind all the great Nike advertising. But instead of being located on Madison Avenue they chose Portland, Oregon where they have built a groundbreaking building.

Their culture allows individuals to be themselves and flourish and the people who work there are often best friends.

So they are all doing what they love with people they like and they are very, very successful and make lots of money too.

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I think customers recognise their integrity and like them for it, as well as the creative flair it encourages. One of their traditions is “Founders Day” when Dan Wieden and Dave Kennedy host a day of celebration for everyone.

I visited them on that day and it felt like the last day of term at school and Christmas and Thanksgiving all rolled into one.

Everybody had been anticipating it for weeks and the power of this family coming together felt enormous, and glued them together during the next year.

I did it my way.

Frank Sinatra and Sid Vicious

So you get married and the first Christmas comes around and how do you do it? Is Christmas dinner in the middle of the day or the evening? Do you have presents before or after the meal?

We all have different backgrounds and perceptions about how things should be done. Building up traditions of how your group or family or company does things is enormously powerful, and people love the feeling of belonging that this brings.

  • Take Away

    Ritual power

  • Research what traditions other companies or groups have – the more whacky the better.

  • Try changing a routine.

  • Ask the questions, “Am I doing this because I always have? Is there another way to do this?”

  • Get out of your comfort zone and take a leap of faith to do something someone else’s way.

  • A tradition is just a good idea that sticks. Find some.

  • Look at how somebody else does what you do, and what they do better. (Be honest.)

  • Set your workforce free. (Dress-down Friday is just parole.)