As we celebrate 15 years of DHC, we asked our team members to reflect on the most valuable thing they’ve learned in their time here. No surprise, we heard everything from “take the high road” to “be a pro golfer instead” (three guesses who that was). The following five lessons distill what we heard from everyone which has served us in the office and beyond.

Lesson 1: Work (and life) is a team sport.

The constantly recurring answer gets the top spot. As one DHCer put it “Good people – that’s the most valuable thing. No matter where you’re at or what you’re doing, good people and good teams make life.” We witness just how amazingly powerful a cohesive team working together toward one goal can be every day at DHC, and our clients tell us they notice too. “When everyone comes together, that’s when the magic happens,” summarized another DHCer.

Take Away: Surround yourself with people who push you, make you smile and collaborate well.

Like a family!

Lesson 2: Behold the power of communication!

All right, we might be a touch biased on this one, but even a team that does this for a living is routinely struck by just how powerful targeted, effective communication can be. It’s often the deciding factor in everything from selling a product to winning a war of ideas. One DHCer put it like this: “Whether dealing with hardships or celebrating successes, the way that you tell that story is what makes it mean something.”

Take Away: Take every chance you get to express your ideas, talk something through, be thoughtful about the words you choose, and how you deliver those words.

Our friends at CHAS telling their powerful story.

Lesson 3: Don’t hesitate to pull a Darwin.

Look no further than our awesome list of clients 15 years in the making to observe how we’re constantly adapting and growing. We do so as a firm and as individuals. “I think I’ve grown a lot through this talented team. It’s humbling.” That’s how one DHCer articulated the personal growth she’s experienced here. Another said, “I’m capable of so much more than I thought I was.” From humble beginnings in a basement to serving national and international clients, DHC knows change is inevitable, and that to thrive as a small business and as go-getters, we have to adapt to shape our own destiny. Sometimes that means taking calculated risks.

Take Away: Take time to step outside yourself to observe the larger picture. The next opportunity is there, but it might mean stepping outside your comfort zone to grow.

Have you found a way to integrate this into your communcation strategy yet?

Lesson 4: Celllll-a-brate good times, COME ON!

A lyric and a philosophy we make time to implement. Getting out of bed every morning and coming to work isn’t a chore when you know there will be a team of smiling faces there ready to celebrate even the smallest of wins. Seeing our client on the front page of the paper recognized for the work they do, winning an award, or a personal triumph like a new home or baby—they’re all wins and we’ve always taken time to celebrate them. One DHCer said, “Sometimes in the press of business, it can be stressful when you’re trying to meet deadlines, but at the end of the day we’re all working together toward the same goal in helping our clients achieve success.” Once that success happens, you better believe a celebration is soon to follow.

Take Away: There’s always an excuse for a party. If you can’t find one, look again. Wine and chocolate are optional, but highly recommended.

Celebrating... Tuesday.

Lesson 5: Keep learning. Seriously.

The industry is changing fast—think of what the advent of social media has done to the nature of communication over the past decade--no, the past few years alone. To be effective, we’ve got to keep ourselves on the bleeding edge. Not only are DHCers passionate about learning, but we’re actively teaching too. We think it’s a nice balance and we’re committed to being and helping lifelong learners. One DHCer said, “I continue to learn things everyday but a few things that stand out are you should never give up and never take no for an answer.” It may be life lessons like these, or more practical lessons like don’t rely on spell check alone, but the bottom line is we don’t ever plan to stop learning (or teaching for that matter) and we hope you don’t either.

Take Away: Sometimes the lessons come in the funniest of places, but if you’re listening and ready to absorb new ideas you too will never stop learning.

Sara J sharpening her razor's edge leadership skills.

Imagine what answers we’ll get when we ask DHCers this question 15 years from now. We won’t make you wait that long though—keep checking our blog and social media for the lessons we learn from day to day! You can also check out everyone's answers to all the questions we asked around our 15 year anniversary here.