My Manifesto as Marketing Manager
New head shot. November 2021
If you’ve been keeping up with me on social media, you’ll know that I recently took a job as Marketing Manager for Boshart Industries.
Because I was wrapping up my last major season with Hush Hush Photography & Film, I wasn’t able to start full time at the job until November 1st, despite having signed my contract and made it official in August. This gave me a lot of time to reflect on who I wanted to be as a manager, and read through a handful of books on business and leadership.
As a quick aside, the best book I’ve ever read on leadership is Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull by a mile. Absolutely phenomenal and I will do an entire blogpost about how this book has changed me someday in the future, but in the meantime, do yourself a favour and buy that book, no matter your industry.
Anyways, reading through these various books on leadership, I began writing what morphed into a manifesto. Taking inventory of what values and principles I hold dear as a leader caused me to write a somewhat lengthy reflection.
Today, I took the time to read that manifesto to my team so they could know who I am going to be. Because I put a lot of thought into writing it, I figured it made sense I share it here as well. It is an open letter of sorts, and covers much more than just my role at work.
Is it a little intense for just a regular old job? Sure. But I’m not just a regular old guy. So here it is: my managerial manifesto.
Marketing Manager Manifesto
November 1st, 2021
Marketing Department,
This document is a manifesto that I, Aidan Hennebry, have personally developed and instituted as I step into the role as Marketing Manager at Boshart Industries effective today.
It's important to me that I articulate the philosophies and principles in which I intend to lead our department. I want to make definitive commitments to you, as the department entrusted to me, in how I will practically follow through on my intention to lead our department to unimaginable long term successes.
What many view as a job, I view as much greater, and I refuse to give anything less than 110% of myself to anything I do; especially as outlined below. While I am relaxed and easygoing in many ways, it is my hope that my dedication to my job and my fervor for it would be contagious to everyone around me.
It is my personal goal that, through leading by example of the mantras below, we may all desire to adopt similar principles in our conduct in order to constantly redefine what our team is capable of.
It is my professional goal that, through implementing these mantras below, we will—together—develop a department that is unmatched in cohesion, work ethic, delegation, execution, innovation, leadership, passion, and fun.
I will lead by example in everything I do; particularly as it comes to our personal attitudes, our beliefs, and the way we approach a problem in our heads before we approach it in reality. I will not ask anyone to do something I would not be willing to do myself.
I will lead by serving; making myself available to each one of my staff to defend you, to argue on your behalf, to guard your work, to put in place practices that will make your life easier and your ability to execute quicker, and to be a resource as you seek to carry out your job. I will aim to lead from the bottom-up as much as I aim to lead from the top-down.
I will lead by educating; taking any reasonable opportunity to impart my wisdom, personal experience, and technical knowledge so that any member of our department can grow in their own abilities and knowledge. I firmly believe the hunger to learn and the ability to teach oneself are two of the most valuable assets in all of business.
I will create a safe environment where it is ok, and at times encouraged, to fail. I will work to ensure our department remains a safe space to suck at something on our path to becoming better. I will enforce our collective grace, understanding, and assistance when a member makes a mistake, drops the ball, or produces work that is not at the level it may one day be. I will ensure we can poke fun, but we never ridicule or dismiss anyone for their work.
I will create an atmosphere of candour in all of our communications. I will teach us to disassociate our ideas from our identities, and that (similar to #4) it is ok to have an idea that is subpar or silly, because we recognize that many of the greatest ideas first seemed absurd or impossible.
I will push each one of you—lovingly, gently, but firmly—to the maximum potential I see in you. I will be incessant on seemingly-unimportant details in our constant pursuit of excellence.
I will delegate and I will trust. While I will serve you and educate you, I will also give you responsibility and be unconcerned with your ability to execute on it until there is objective reason to believe otherwise. I will entrust to you an ownership over your own work and duties, an integrity in the work you complete, and trust that you will seek out help when you need it; not that you expect others to notice you first.
I will push our department to regularly exceed expectations; especially when working inter-departmentally and with customers. While there is room to fail within our department, we recognize that there is rarely room to fail outside of it. I will lead us to be as good as anyone needs us to be, and in every possible way, better than they'd hoped.
I recognize that I am a flawed human being with faults and blind spots of my own. I acknowledge and embrace that I do not always know best. I will always wear an air of humility as I work, but I will also lead with confidence; both of myself and of the individuals in our team.
I will be calculated yet decisive; recognizing that much time is wasted in deliberations when it would be faster to try something, fail, and correct course, than it would be to sit on the fence for too long and fail to do anything at all. I will push us to constantly take action.
I will be quick to ask for forgiveness when I have wronged anyone, and I will be quick to forgive when I have been wronged. When corrections must be made, I will first privately address you and only make public acknowledgements when necessary for the better of the department or anyone else involved. I expect to see a responsive, repentant, determined spirit from anyone of us as we approach relationship with each other.
I will treat every person—in our department, in our company, in my life—with respect and dignity. I do not have to always agree, or like, the conduct others employ, but I will demonstrate a consistent and reliable character both inside of work and outside of it.
I will impart a spirit of passion for our work. While the plumbing and water well industries may not be what any of us have dreamt of doing as children, I will show us that anything can be made fun with the right attitude and focus in our work.
I will respect your non-work time as much—if not more—than your work hours. I will not contact you outside of your regular work hours for things related to work unless it is an emergency or we have arranged so prior. In tandem with this, I expect consistent dedication during work hours from every member of our team. While the amount of hours your butt is in a chair is not the sole measure of your success or efficiency, it is, indeed, a metric to utilize.
I will never stop growing, never stop learning, never stop seeking to be a better manager, coworker, and friend. I will never stop seeking to be a better human being.
I will always remember that marketing is fun; and will never let a setback, dull project, or monotonous task have any long term affects on my enthusiasm to execute on my job. I will remember that every day I am given—both at this job and in life—is a gift that is worthy of celebration.
It is my belief that none of these mantras are exaggerations or lofty, utopian dreams incapable of becoming reality. I dedicate myself to their realization within each person that makes up the Marketing Department.
It is my invitation—my insistence—that this manifesto be utilized as a measure of my performance and success in an ongoing manner. The manifestation of these beliefs within the individuals in my department, and their visible execution, should also be indicators of my success as manager.
In every way, during every day, I will seek to bring this manifesto to life by example.
It is an honour and privilege to work alongside you. I hope, in every way, my life proves this.
To the future,
Aidan J. Hennebry
