by Dom Loffredo, Director of Operations at MDS

Recently my wife and I spent a week exploring the beautiful state of Vermont, but expectedly so, we made our eight hour trip home asking “do we really have to leave?” If you have ever gone on vacation, then I am confident you can relate to that last sentence. Although my beautiful state of Pennsylvania has a lot of similarities –trees, mountains, farms, and lots of places to eat; something about the Vermont hospitality we experienced made me realize that our office culture should resemble our end of vacation experience mentioned above. Below are my 5 key takeaways on how this approach can prove valuable to increasing your office dynamic.

1. Make it hard to leave

The overall kindness and generosity we experienced in Vermont was overwhelming. On multiple occasions I was given bags of ice, coffee, and or food for free because we were from out of town!Takeaway: you always have the ability to make staff & clients want to stay because of your compassion and generosity –sometimes it only takes a 99cent cup of coffee!

2. Communication = Caring

We hiked and or walked about 40 miles while in Vermont –almost every trail we hiked a local would talk to us! I have hiked my entire life throughout PA and this rarely happens.Takeaway: A small conversation pays dividends to your staff –it shows that you generally care about them.

3. Recycling is not an option

Recycling is integrated throughout their entire culture without reminding people or labeling it –they just do it out of commitment to this unwritten value.Takeaway: If something is a core value of your firm, your staff should see it occur daily without it being pointed out!

4. Word of Mouth is still King

Through conversations with locals, we learned of the best “dives, overlooks and tours” throughout the state –the only place we were disappointed with came from Google.Takeaway: people still talk –make sure your brand is easily recognizable/searchable & viewable!

5. Take a Deep Breath!

Given the large mountains, we often did not have cell service and had to “wing it” since we did not have a physical map. Regardless of a few detours, I was determined to not let a lack of cell service ruin our vacation!

Takeaway: A deep breath in times of challenge or confusion can reset your perspective on how to handle the challenge –when something is out of our control we need to let it go and focus on the next best option!