Together Is Better: The Undeniable Magic of In-Person Work

**This piece was originally published by The Portland Business Journal on December 6, 2023.

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Put this on blast: in-person work is an X-factor and a huge competitive advantage – today more than ever.

While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for every individual, team and organization, I’ve come to terms with the fact that some form of in-person connection (ie: people working in the same room together), whenever feasible, offers a huge advantage for individuals, teams, and organizations of all shapes and sizes. It’s an absolute x-factor. Perhaps it’s kind of like broccoli: you may not always like it, but it’s hard to deny broccoli is good for you.

To be clear, I’m not here to debate remote work versus in-person, versus hybrid or anything like that. All options are reasonable to explore and try, depending on the role, function, core values, workplace culture, etc. I’m simply making a case for the tremendous upside in-person connection has on teams and organizations.

We’re one year into our latest evolution of a hybrid work concept at my company and I’ve learned a ton. While 30% of our staff work remotely spread across the country, 70% of our staff are based in Portland, Oregon where our HQ is located. These folks work in-office, in-sync with their respective team one day a week, while some choose to come in more frequently, and leaders work in-office 3-4 days a week. Teams sync-up for weekly meetings and other internal rhythms, while our distributed (aka remote) team members Zoom-in regularly.   

What I’ve observed over the past year has been nothing short of mind blowing. Every day, without exception, I witness some kind of “magic moment” – and it’s the kind of stuff that can’t easily happen working remote through screens. I observe people going out for coffee, taking walks and having lunch together. I witness teammates tackling challenges in an organic, impromptu manner – whether in passing, in a conference room or in the kitchen. Perhaps the best part – there’s unexpected social, creative and intellectual “collisions” regularly happening before and after meetings, or while making coffee – magic moments that aren’t possible working remote through glowing screens. Once you see it in action, you can’t unsee it. It’s pure magic. It’s special. It’s a clear competitive advantage. And as a leader/nerd, it’s super cool to witness.

Apparently I’m not the only one feeling the impact of this “together is better” phenomenon. A recent MIT research study found that social bonds between co-workers is critical for innovation, creativity and team chemistry — and is best cultivated by some measure of IRL, in-the-same-room connection. Whether working in-office once a week, once a month, or even once a year, in-person connection creates powerful opportunities to deepen chemistry, build trust among teammates, boost creativity and innovation, and create a special kind of magic that simply isn't possible working through glowing screens and messaging apps. 

Marmoset HQ // November 2023

An organization's purpose and values can be a helpful compass for finding the best approach. My company is a Certified B Corp and our stated purpose is to “Be Community.”  In 2023 alone, our people got on airplanes every month, taking more than 30 in-person trips across the globe, traveling far and wide, to build authentic face-to-face connections, including more than 300 in-person client meetings. Throughout the year we threw parties, hosted learning events, community and industry mixers, plus all of the typical kinds of internal happy hours, quarterly All Hands, and annual retreats you can imagine.

Real human connection is the center of who we are. And objectively speaking, we’ve experienced healthy year-over-year growth in 2023. The impact is real.

Remember that old saying, “there's no i in team”? Contemporary business genius Reid Hoffman once quipped, “No matter how brilliant your mind or strategy, if you’re playing a solo game, you’ll always lose out to a team."   If one’s primary case for remote work is all about you – your individual comfort, your commute, your preferences or personality type, your productivity, your boundaries, and all of your personal needs – I would encourage you to take a beat to reflect.

Sure, you’ve eliminated your commute and can work in sweatpants, run errands and take personal appointments with less hassle. But what kind of chemistry and energy are you building with your team? How many unexpected creative and intellectual collisions are happening before and after meetings, or perhaps in the kitchen? Are you able to have passionate conversations and share new ideas on the fly? Are your new hires learning by osmosis – by just being in the same room and overhearing conversations? Are you satisfied living within the limits of a glowing screen, supported by digital calendar reminders telling you when to talk, who to talk to, and what to talk about?

If you truly believe in the impact derived from building strong teams and culture, consider the possibility that what's best for someone individually might not always be what’s best for the team. The world’s highest performing teams always have a “team first” mindset.  "Talent wins games, but teamwork wins championships." - Michael Jordan

There's also something to be said about growing a career through in-person connection. Whether we're talking about co-workers, clients, bosses, industry networking, future opportunities or the broader community, there're so many advantages to getting into the same room with people. Yes, especially early in one’s career – but IRL connection is equally impactful for seasoned professionals too.

As teams and companies emerge from a long season of a pandemic-induced remote work world, perhaps the most important concept that needs to be put on blast is the tremendous advantage of getting into the same room with other humans. While there’s no prescriptive, right or wrong way to do it, it’s a clear competitive advantage, today more than ever. 

So simple, yet so easy to miss in a modern world.

- RW

**This piece was originally published by The Portland Business Journal on December 6, 2023.

Marmoset HQ // November 2023

Culture is a Magnet

When considering the concept of culture, I like to think of it as a powerful magnet. For a teams, workplaces and companies, one designs a magnet by establishing strong values, aligning around a common purpose, and driving toward a compelling long term vision and goals. A strong brand powers the magnet too. When these things stir and resonate within someone, whether a customer or a prospective employee, it’s a powerful thing. It’s an x-factor. The best teams and strongest brands have it.

Magnets have a backside too — with an equally powerful repulsion effect. When values, purpose, goals and brand don’t connect, it can push people away — clients, staff, community and others. The push of a magnet can be equally as impactful as it’s pull.

How have companies and brands magnets pulled you in or perhaps pushed you away?

It’s important to design a magnet to cut through the noise of a homogenous industry or marketplace. It’s easy for folks to get lost or feel apathetic when everyone is positioned similarly, sending similar messaging (ie: high quality, strong relationships, fast, flexible) — especially in a competitive marketplace. Culture as a magnet is a wonderful opportunity to create contrast and broadcast a distinctly unique signal — one that cuts through the noise and pulls-in those with shared values and beliefs.

At my company, Marmoset, our magnet is best expressed in how we live our purpose and values. We’re the first in the industry to invest 10% of profits into community partners… more than half a million dollars and counting supporting social justice, access to education, houselessness, music and arts advocacy, equity and inclusion, civil rights and more. We’re the only Certified B Corp in our space and also the only one to issue an Annual Transparency Report. Since our inception, we’ve paid more than $25 million in royalties to hard working, blue collar artists — and Marmoset offers the best, most supportive employee benefits package available in our industry (see inside the Transparency Report).

Do you feel the push or pull of the magnet? Does something stir inside of you?

Marmoset’s purpose is to Be Community and the long term vision is to be THE positive disruptor in our space, in terms of equity and access to opportunities — similarly to how Patagonia disrupted their industry for the environment and social justice. If you chat up our team at Marmoset, or the artists we partner with, and many of the clients we serve — they’ll all tell you the same thing. They’re here because they feel the undeniable pull of the magnet.

What’s your magnet?

To my fellow leaders, culture keepers and thinkers out there: What’s your magnet? How is your magnet different from others? What are you inviting people to connect with and feel part of? How can you be methodical and strategic in designing your magnet? Are you comfortable with your magnet pushing some folks away?

We borrowed a tool from Netflix’s “culture deck” concept for prospective new hires to deep dive our magnet before taking the plunge with us. It’s a no frills, exhaustive 92-slide powerpoint deck that goes down all of the rabbit holes about who we are, what we believe and why. By the time you’re done reading, it’s nearly impossible to not have a strong reaction to it — that powerful push or pull of the magnet. It’s been a transformational tool in attracting and retaining All-Stars to our team -- where a third of our staff has more than seven years of tenure.

I was once criticized by a former employee for trying to be a cult leader… it’s the downside of anonymous Yelp style reviews for “public figures” and leaders. While I can assure you I’ve never set out to be a cult leader, I do admit to methodically working on our magnet over the the past thirteen years – and that has an impact. In this specific case, I suspect the backside repulsion of the magnet did its job.

Silver lining: there’s tens of thousands of teams, brands, organizations out there in the world, each with its own unique magnet to try on. The goal is to find one that stirs and resonates inside of you.

- RW

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Note: this is essay #1 of a new series I’m writing to gather “50 Things I Didn’t Learn In Business School” (WIP title), which I aim to package and release in some form or fashion in 2024.

Marmoset supports choice.

Marmoset Staff Retreat, June 2022

Friday’s SCOTUS decision struck a heart-wrenching blow for human rights in our country and beyond. An out-of-touch, polarizing court of mostly old white men, are dragging our communities backwards in time, undoing nearly 50 years of progress. It’s truly hard to fathom.

In spite of recent events, Marmoset stands unequivocal in our support of equity at every level, including gender equity. Abortion, an individual’s right to choose and reproductive rights are not simply issues of politics or religion. These are issues of the highest magnitude for humanity — issues with wide-ranging impacts on gender and racial equity, economics, justice and freedom for all.

Marmoset is committed to building a better future — one where our nation’s broken and shameful past can be acknowledged, systemic inequities can be corrected, and where a bright future can be reconstructed, centered in equity.

Today more than ever, it’s critical for employers to recognize we are nothing without our staff. As such, Marmoset takes a holistic approach in supporting the overall health and wellness of our people:

• Marmoset covers 100% of healthcare premiums for all full-time employees, and our health plans include abortion care. Where restrictions may exist, we are committed to covering expenses for travel, lodging, meals and other related expenses. This support includes any partner or dependent covered under our medical plans.

• We provide a “Flexible Paid Time Off” policy, empowering employees to “take what you need.” This means our staff are empowered to plan their time off collaboratively among their team and co-workers, leaning into equity, acknowledging each of us have unique backgrounds and different needs. There is no cap. Marmoset staff average 8 weeks of paid-time-off annually, per person.

• We provide 3 months of fully paid parental leave, and paid sabbaticals at 4 years, 7 years, 10 years and beyond. Further, we offer a wide spectrum of holistic benefits — outlined in Marmoset’s Annual Transparency Report.

In response to many tragedies experienced across our communities in recent years, Marmoset is hereby doubling down by covering 100% of co-pays for mental health care. We’re also adding child-care coverage for parents on work trips, and we’re following the lead of Patagonia, by adding paid training and bail for those who choose to peacefully protest for civil justice, including reproductive justice.

To our staff: if there’s any point of failure along the way, whether by laws, politicians or healthcare providers — we’ve got your back. We are committed to supporting you and walking with you, no matter what curveballs (or systemic inequities) life may throw at you.

- Ryan

Ryan Wines, Founder & CEO, Marmoset // Track Club

How To Wake-up From The Matrix

As I type this, I’m on a three-day solo retreat in the Columbia River Gorge. It’s an annual ritual I’ve developed over the years to find some space, reflect, reset and redefine my habits, goals and intentions for the year ahead. 

In other words, it’s how I wake-up from The Matrix – the mindless trance most of us are trapped inside of, due to a constant deluge of inputs, feeds, streams and the nonstop stimulus to our souls. Thanks to works like Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport, I’ve become acutely aware of how humans aren’t good at slowing down, being quiet and embracing the wonders of solitude. Some have even argued solitude is becoming extinct. 

To be clear, taking long walks with your earbuds in isn’t solitude. Long drives while listening to music, podcasts or audiobooks isn’t solitude either. Spending a lazy Saturday afternoon alone on the couch while binge-watching Friends or soccer isn’t solitude. Enjoyable? Sure. Solitude? No way. 

Solitude is best defined as “freedom from inputs from other minds.” Props to Georgetown University Professor and leading thinker on minimalism, Cal Newport, for distilling it. In his research, Newport discovered regular doses of solitude are crucial for the effective and resilient functioning of your brain. 

During my annual retreat ritual, I block out all possible distractions and inputs, reflecting and thinking deeply about who I am, who I want to be, and getting clear about what really matters. I do some pen-to-paper exercises around what worked and what didn’t work during the past year. Perhaps you’ve heard of the “Start/Stop/Continue” framework? Just as important as finding some big, game-changing ideas, it’s equally important to look for opportunities to say no and simply create more open space…to think. 

While on retreats I prioritize sleep, I run and hike and soak or perhaps get a massage. It’s quiet time. Alone time. Solitude. It’s a rare opportunity to slow down, look out at the horizon and think deeply. 

I also try to build-in smaller, abbreviated versions of this practice during my regular days and weeks – and that’s helpful too. But it’s not the same. Three solid days away provides the ideal situation for me to go deep. Perhaps it’s not too different from Bill Gates “Think Weeks.” 

We aren’t really using our brains while we’re receiving all those inputs – and we’re practically getting them 24/7. Believe it or not, you’re not getting that much smarter while doing all that reading, podcasting, and binge-watching, either. Sure, you’re learning a few things. And perhaps it’s enjoyable. But be honest with yourself – you’re not exactly thinking deeply or wrestling with any of it. 

The real question to ask is, what are you doing with all of the information you’re taking in? What are all of these inputs and information doing for your life? What’s the tangible impact?  Stop lying to yourself. Show me. 

Furthering this modern mental epidemic is what we’re doing in the margins – those little blips of time in between things. I’m talking about virtually anytime we're waiting, in the bathroom, before and after meetings and calls, or perhaps whenever we feel that little buzz in the pocket. Our “margin time” is being mindlessly co-opted by our devices, feeds, news and social media trash. If you feel me, you’re in the matrix. 

To truly flex that supercomputer between your ears, you need solitude. There’s no way around it. 

Quiet. Stillness. No inputs. And most importantly, you need the quiet time and space to consider, contemplate, try-on, and wrestle with ideas, dreams, beliefs, conflicts, and those big, important life questions like “who am I?” and “what do I want to accomplish this year?”

The only way to truly experience real, deep thinking is to turn off all inputs. Period. 

Franciscan monk and author, Richard Rohr, said it best, “In our busy, frenetic world, it’s easy to slip into a mode of living that looks and feels a lot like autopilot. We go through the motions, move through our calendars, and rinse and repeat each day.”

Now stop for a moment and imagine what life could look like if you actually had a plan. Consider what you could achieve if you set clear goals for your year. Think about the impact of having every hour of every day planned and accounted for, as a result of deep thought and intention. 

This doesn’t mean you can’t have a lazy Saturday afternoon binge-watching Friends or watching soccer. Everyone needs a few days like that, no doubt. It just means you’re doing that with intention and it’s part of your plan, not because you mindlessly ended up on the couch because you were feeling burnt-out and saw a meme on Instagram about self care.

A famous person once told me that every day when he wakes up, he sits on the edge of his bed for a minute and contemplates “who am I and what will I accomplish today?” I have to admit, I rolled my eyes when I heard that for the first time.

Then I got a little older and a little grayer.  And now I’ve more or less adopted that daily practice for myself, along with magic mornings. And guess what? It works. It all really works.

There’s many ways to do this kind of work. My mentor, Mario Schulzke, has a 600 square-foot log cabin in deep, rural Montana. Nothing fancy. No electricity. No running water.  The only possible distractions are weather and bears. That’s solitude. Another mentor of mine, Chris Corbin, has an old Toyota pickup truck and pulls a simple fiberglass row boat behind it. Nothing fancy. And wherever he floats, he finds solitude, and thinks deeply about life, love, work… and bull trout.

Solitude provides the opportunity for deep thought, critical thinking and resilient brain function. Which allows for the forging of one’s own beliefs, intentions and specific plans. Followed by healthy habits and steady practice, leads to action. Which leads to impact. Which leads to meaning and feelings of joy and gratitude. Which wakes you up from the matrix. 

RW