One of the things that attracted me to Firehouse was its ethos and the values that appeared to govern the way the agency operated. Even then, more than 15 years ago, there seemed to be a clear sense of what was and was not Firehouse.
But, it took the pandemic and some time spent focusing inwardly to prompt us to formally articulate our values. Then, the actual act of putting them into words was easy and inspired very little debate - because, for anyone here for any length of time, the unwritten code was already pretty clear. We captured it in six words.
Transparency and Accountability
We say, make sure your mouth matches your motives and you own your actions. As individuals and as an agency, it's about owning your shit and never shirking.
Humility
This is a biggie around here. In a business that can host some large egos, we want to be sure that us always comes before me. We are also strong believers that unchecked ego can blind folks to a better answer and better ways, and nobody has time for that.
Empathy
As a group, we care about each other. Lots of companies do, even if I'd argue that caring is deeper here than at most places I've worked. But, caring for each other is not enough, we want to use empathy to help us shape smart, meaningful actions.
Hard Work
This value celebrates the whatever-it-takes attitude that has always been part of Firehouse's DNA.
Camaraderie
Finally, this value is all about joy. This business can be too tough, but the joy that comes from working together and trusting one another is an offset to the hardest of days.
Values were not our only area of focus as we looked inward over the past year. We've also reshaped our agency positioning, introduced a new parental leave policy, and launched a new mental health benefit to help people navigate these trying times. But, codifying our values and aligning our behaviors even more strongly is an investment that will pay dividends long into our future.
