ROCKS AND STONES - Part One

We decided to call our blog "the rock" because it's easy to remember, and  it's also a shortened version of our corporate name.

But, "the rock" symbolizes more than just a name. When I hold a rock in my hand, I see something that will last a long time, and I imagine where it's been -- its history --  and I wonder how it was formed through years of chaos, stress, and growth. That small rock reminds me of Shamrock;  how we've survived storms and upheavals. And I have to believe that we've succeeded because of our core values, which help us remain solid, even through difficult times. And, let's face it, the last couple of years have been hard on even the most resilient companies in this country.

Much of our core values, based, in part on the Gung Ho! philosophy, are part of a management theory called Gong He, a Chinese way of thinking that means work together. Gung Ho! is about good practices that  empower employees to work together, yet function as independent thinkers who are able to take initiatives that benefit them and the organization. Big words. Big thoughts. But, I'll explain how this helped forge Shamrock's strength, even during difficult economic times.

Another important part of Shamrock's work ethic is based on Fish, a philosophy that encourage fun at work and choosing to be present with a positive attitude. Gung Ho! and Fish are twin philosophies Shamrock lives by, and they helped us grow stronger as we, like many of you, muddled through the biggest challenges of the greatest economic recession this country experienced in decades. When you have some spare time, check out the award-winning, funny, and uplifting Fish video here: http://www.charthouse.com/productdetail.aspx?nodeid=24103

Here's a small sample of how these two philosophies helped us through the past couple of years: It hurt me, but in order to preserve jobs, we had to initiate furloughs a couple years ago. This put a dent in the budget of many families. We all made some sacrifices so that we could emerge stronger, with fewer layoffs. Now, we're back full time. If not for our inclusive philosophy that springs from Gung Ho! and Fish, we could easily have lost some of our best people. But, we survived intact -- and stronger than before.

ONE LAST THOUGHT

I believe if you make work about fun, family and community, and treat people with respect, your company will survive almost anything.  As part of our family, when new members  are hired, they receive a piece of "the rock". Walk through our offices and on each desk you may find a polished stone, engraved with a mindful message of our sense of community. The stone may have the phrase "Be Present, or "Make Someone's Day." Every stone is a simple reminder of a each person's unique differences and strengths, which make "the rock"  a force of nature that can withstand almost anything.