BY ALANA CAPORALE

Earlier this month we gathered for our annual team retreat, which consisted of professional development opportunities, guest speakers, and collaborative exercises. This year’s retreat also had a significant meaning: commemorating 10 years of Hencove, which we dubbed “TenCove.” What’s a milestone celebration without a marketing spin!?

Our team used this special anniversary to reflect on our accomplishments over the years and look ahead at what the next decade could hold. To do this, we gathered in person and centered our two days together on the theme of building connections. After all, creating and building connections with colleagues, clients, and communities is what Hencove was built on. Through team-building activities and thought-provoking discussions, we explored the many facets of connectedness as well as the “why” and “how” behind its importance. While there were countless moments of reflection and highlights, I want to take the opportunity to outline my three key takeaways from our event.

1. Embrace your strengths

When I was little, adults would often ask me, “Alana, what do you want to be when you grow up?” My answers ranged from “a fashion designer” to “an astronaut,” because those were my areas of interest. As I moved from childhood to adulthood, societal norms pressured me to pump the brakes on those dreams and create more realistic career aspirations. Eventually, I became a frontend web developer, which, in a way, allowed me to explore and implement the infinitesimal possibilities (astronaut) of designing and developing digital solutions (fashion designer).

Personal anecdote aside, it’s crucial to recognize what you’re great at—your strengths—and use that to your advantage. At Hencove, within our first few weeks of joining the team, each member of the ‘Cove Crew is prompted to complete a questionnaire called the Clifton Strengths Assessment. This assessment identifies your strengths, categorizes them across 34 themes, and highlights your top five. The intention of identifying these strengths isn’t to boost your ego, but to provide a baseline of where you excel and how you can leverage that in your day-to-day life. To give you some additional context, here are my top five strengths and what they mean:

• Analytical: You search for reasons and causes. You have the ability to think about all of the factors that might affect a situation.

• Restorative: You are adept at dealing with problems. You are good at figuring out what is wrong and resolving it.

• Discipline: You enjoy routine and structure. Your world is best described by the order you create.

• Futuristic: You are inspired by the future and what could be. You energize others with your visions of the future.

• Individualization: You are intrigued by the unique qualities of each person. You have a gift for figuring out how different people can work together productively.

As B2B marketers, being confident in the work we do and in our recommendations is key. With confidence there is trust, and with trust we can build impactful relationships. So, from one passionate problem solver to another, how do we simulate this?

In one of our workshops, led by educator Drake Douglas, we gathered in a circle to “pass a clap.” The game (when we played it correctly) was to turn to our neighbor one at a time and nonverbally synchronize a clap until we reached the end of the circle. Sounds simple, right? As we got started, one of the main roadblocks we encountered was confidence. We had to get the timing right! And there was all this pressure to get it perfect.

So, what was the trick? After a couple of failed attempts and intense retrospection, we realized that eye contact and body language directly impacted our success rate. If you aren’t aligned and providing nonverbal cues to your partner, it’s extremely challenging to be in sync. Something as simple as eye contact built several layers of confidence and trust, which, low and behold, gave us success.

2. Recognize the power of diverse opinions

Having confidence and trust among colleagues is important, but equally essential is the ability to voice your opinions. During one of our sessions, we held a skunkworks exercise—an ad hoc discussion focused on brainstorming ways in which we can grow individually and as a team.

This exercise took place in two parts over two days. The first day, we focused on the “bigger picture.” We brainstormed common themes and ideas that we wanted to explore to improve the agency, such as enhancing client engagement, leveraging new technologies, dedicating time for creative exploration, and improving internal and external communication. After about an hour, we had a comprehensive list to run with! I know, I know, it’s hard to believe we’re not perfect.

The next day, we consolidated these ideas and prioritized the most exciting and impactful ones. This collaborative process underscored the value of diverse opinions. We aren’t going to give away all our secret sauce, but this resulted in the development of some innovative methods and groundbreaking ideas to refine our strategies and streamline our workflows. These improvements will empower us to break new ground, elevate our performance, and surpass our goals.

The key takeaway from this exercise was the importance of diverse opinions in driving innovation and growth. By encouraging everyone to share their unique perspectives, we were able to uncover a wealth of ideas that might not have surfaced otherwise. This not only enriched our brainstorming sessions, but also highlighted how diverse viewpoints can lead to more robust and effective solutions.

How do you encourage the sharing of diverse opinions in your team? What brainstorming techniques have worked for you?

3. Establish an open feedback culture

At Hencove, we believe that two-way feedback with our colleagues and clients is crucial to our professional growth as individuals and as an agency. During our retreat, professor, author, and thought leader, Andy Molinsky, PhD, spoke to us about the importance of creating a culture where feedback is not only accepted but encouraged.

Andy shared practical tips on how to give and receive feedback constructively, some of which we already implement within our teams. One of the most important points he made was that it can be psychologically challenging to give and receive feedback. Confronting these situations can bring up concerns for authenticity, likeability, competence, resentment, and morality. In a healthy feedback culture, team members feel safe to share their thoughts and suggestions without fear of negative repercussions. This openness leads to continuous improvement, innovation, and a better company culture. At Hencove, we aim to foster an environment where open communication thrives.

Ten Years Down, Decades More to Go!

Celebrating TenCove has given us another opportunity to reflect on our growth as an agency and our achievements. We go through a similar process after any win, big or small. As a team, we assess what we’ve done well and identify how we can do better next time. This exponential drive for success fuels us to keep pushing forward, aiming for even greater heights in the projects and years to come.

But as I noted above, our definition of success isn’t possible without establishing and maintaining connections. As the old saying goes, “There’s no ‘I’ in team.” At Hencove, there is no starting lineup. What powers the agency is our ability to collaborate, share diverse opinions, and support one another both on and off the field (and Zoom).