Culture Matters: Building the Wise Firm

In September 2018, my husband, Kevin, was diagnosed with Stage 3 Cancer. The doctors told us that the cancer was aggressive and so was the treatment. They explained to us the treatment would be long and it would be hard. My husband, who is a classically trained Chef, would have to eat through a feeding tube surgically inserted directly into his stomach to stay alive. Because of this, he would go on to lose 90 pounds. The doctors instructed us to pray. We were already putting that recommendation in practice and would surely continue.

“We and Service.” Here at HORNE, this is what our culture is founded on. For our team members, a big part of living this out is through our annual Summer of Service program, which honors our commitment to our communities.

I recently shared my belief that “balance” (as in “work-life balance”) was a lie. It is obviously a lie many still believe, so let me offer you my argument against balance and see what you think.

Balance gives the false sense that all things can get equal playing time, at the same time, and that there’s a magic formula you’ve just got to persevere to find. I’ve found this to be impossible. Whether it’s hobbies, career, family, volunteering, traveling or anything else you have passion around, prioritizing one area will result in de-prioritizing another.  If I am striving for balance, I’d need to find an exact point of equality among all the things I find important. And every time I chose one over the other, I’d throw off that balance. And, for me, feel like I was failing.

For many people, the phrase “More Than Teeth” does not immediately bring much to mind. This could be due to an intense fear that represses all memories associated with your dentist, but most likely it is because you have not had the pleasure of meeting my dentist. Various members of my family have been practicing dentistry for over 50 years, and that phrase is one of my father’s favorite ways to describe his vision for service.

Does collaboration really make a difference in the workplace? Does it make a difference for our clients? Does it make a difference in how everyone feels about their work family? Does it make a difference in how well they do their jobs?

What is your job? Have you ever really considered that? I don’t mean the tasks you do every day, but something larger. Solving problems, sharing insights, helping others see the possibilities… Those are all acts of service and the very things that keep me coming back day after day. It’s so much more than a job. As each day unfolds and you go about your tasks, how would it change if you simply stopped for a minute and considered the acts of service you are providing your clients? 

When I think of service, my earliest memories go back to childhood. As a child, my parents encouraged me and my brother to sort through our toys to identify things we no longer played with so we could donate to other children in the community. Now as an adult, I’m often reminded of service through Gary Chapman’s The Five Love Languages. My husband’s love language happens to be “Acts of Service.” I’m reminded weekly about acts of service as I perform the undesirable job of cleaning the bathrooms or making the dreaded trip to the grocery store.