One thing we each learned in 2022

There’s no denying that 2022 has had its ups and downs — with some of our team facing their toughest challenges yet. So, before we head into the season of mulled wine and camembert, we decided to take one last look back at what we’ve learned over the past 11 (and a bit) months — both personally, and professionally.

The power of the telephone

“How much I’ve missed the good old-fashioned telephone! In an era of prolific video calls and instant messaging, one thing I’ve learnt — or rather, happily rediscovered — in 2022 is the power of the telephone. Following the pandemic, I think many of us got into the habit of everything becoming a video call  — even when it didn’t need to be  — and whether it’s to obtain a quickfire brief, liaise with a journalist, or reconnect via a simple ‘hello’, I have to admit, picking up the phone has never felt quite so good.”

Amy Lloyd, senior account manager.

Remember to always reflect

“One thing I’ve learned this year is to be proud of the progress I’ve made. Unless you have a set list of goals or things you want to achieve, it's very easy to forget the milestones that you’ve passed to get to where you currently are — be those big leaps or small shuffles. 

“I’ve gone through a lot of change in the past year, both personally and professionally. Don’t get me wrong, there have been setbacks and bumps in the road, but that’s part of the journey and makes me appreciate just how far I’ve come even more.”

Lauren Boyles, PR executive.

Stop and smell the roses

“Make time to stop and smell the roses — if you’ll excuse the cliché. In our fast-paced industry — and in the aftermath of the pandemic — we can often fall into the trap of keeping our heads down and jumping from one task to another, without pausing for breath or recognition of what we’ve achieved. 

“After each exercise — large or small — have a moment of reflection to celebrate the wins and learn from the faults. You might just find that your whole mindset around your competencies shifts completely.”

Alice Kelly, account manager. 

Flexible working is here to stay

“My dream of travelling the world became a reality this year, and to have the full support of Katie and the team was the best feeling. I’m proud to tell the people I meet that I’m still working whilst I’m away and feel so lucky to have the opportunity to continue doing what I love! 

“So, I’ve learnt to really appreciate this shift to flexible working and the fact that I have a team full of supportive people who have enabled me to become a digital normal this year.”

Ellie Byrne, account manager (and digital nomad). 

Surround yourself with people who are better than you

“Actively surround yourself with people who know more, and are good at different things. It would be easy to go through life doing the same-old, but being around those who are great at other things only means you will learn from them and upskill yourself. Be confident in knowing where your strengths lie, but be in an environment around others who are talented in different areas. It's an opportunity to make sure you're constantly learning, but also gives you the  chance to return the favour and support others too.”

Grace Lenihan, account director.

Get comfortable being uncomfortable

“Everyday, I learn something new. But I'd say one thing I’ve learnt this year is to be kind to yourself — it takes time to learn new things. Starting a  fresh job in an unfamiliar industry means I can’t be perfect at everything straight away and that is okay.”

Jade Parkinson, PR executive.

Consider the bigger picture

“Prioritise what’s important — both in the sense of what work-related task to spend your time on next, and making space for a well-rounded personal life, too. My mum has been very poorly this year, and it’s taught me a lot (too late) about what really matters in life. I’ve been touched by the empathy shown by my colleagues, clients, and our wider Scriba family. 

“Both personally and professionally, there’s little point worrying about what could be deemed insignificant in the grand scheme of things — and that often helps you to come back to ‘the bigger picture’ when assessing what to tackle next!”

Ruth Harrison-Davies, account director.

Collaboration is key

“Not just to invite perspective, but to offer it out too. Driving a successful project forward  — no matter how large or small — comes from developing ideas as a team. Being so early in my career means every day is a school day — so I’m always soaking up inspiration from my peers. But it’s important to remember that, whichever stage you’re at in your role, your ideas can spark equal amounts of creativity too. Collaboration is everything, and it works in so many different directions. Oh, and that working with people that make you laugh everyday is the best remedy for a fast-paced, always-on job.”

Rosie Holt, copywriter.

The smallest things can make the biggest difference

“It’s not so much something I’ve learnt this year, but something I’ve certainly been reminded of — detail matters. Whether it’s slightly misplaced punctuation or the structure of a sentence which has the potential to be misconstrued, the English language is a powerful tool. Read everything you write at least once over, if you can.”

Bev Mallinson, content executive.

Be purposeful in your actions

“OK, this sounds a little cheesy, but to be clear on your own sense of purpose — not just that of the business you’re driving forward. There are times when you must make difficult decisions or you feel wide open when it comes to the gravitas of a tough call you need to make, alone. But there are only so many scenarios you can cater for.

“When you get to the point where you can sleep at night knowing the decision is as informed and/or fair as possible, it’s important to try and be at peace with that. Coming back to a core sense of purpose certainly helps in this respect. There will always be people who would have taken a different route, but often those quickest to offer critique are those who wouldn’t have ever made a decision in the first place. Be true to that sense of purpose.”

Katie Mallinson, managing director.

Create a strong circle around you

“Something that has really enhanced my year is the people around me — I’m grateful to have joined an incredibly talented and lovely team at Scriba. They inspire me daily, I learn a lot, and laugh plenty too. Being in the office, in brainstorms, meetings and social events together has really made me smile — proud to call these girls my friends too. Meeting lots of fascinating clients and partners has been exciting, and opened my eyes to a bunch of new industries and skill sets. Looking forward to even more professional and social events in 2023 and really embracing what feels like the world coming back to life again.“

Kat Plant, client services manager.

Look on the inside

“I’ve taken on a lot in terms of my personal development this year. Taking a look at myself and who I want to be. Progress and growth creates more of the same, and the satisfaction I have found in learning has encouraged me to keep the momentum up.”

Lo Cooper, client relations manager.

There's no such thing as a silly question

“It’s more important than ever to ask for support, when you need it — so don’t be afraid. The one thing I have learnt in 2022 personally is to take more time to reflect on the good things in each day. Some days you have to look a little harder for them, but they are there.”

Kate Woods, account manager.

You’re not alone

“From a personal perspective, this year has had a lot of big life moments for me, including getting married and running a marathon! (Sixth marathon, first marriage.) I’m quite a control freak and wanted to do everything myself – but once I let my guard down and allowed others to help — whether that was with workloads, trusting the professionals, or finding a running buddy — I realised there are people ready and willing to help. And of course, we should return the favour.”

Katie Taylor-Thompson, copywriter.

You can't beat being face to face

“The power of getting back to seeing people face-to-face, whether that means travelling a fair distance for a short client meeting, having a team development day — where everyone is physically in the office — or enjoying drinks with a supplier for their Christmas festivities! 

“You simply cannot beat physical interaction with other people, as opposed to the same old Zoom call. Don’t get me wrong, the technology enabling such video calls has changed our working lives wonderfully, in that we can hold more meetings and encounter less travel — all at the click of a button — but for me, face-to-face is how we create the most meaningful relationships with others. 

“As an aside, I’ve also learnt that life is a rollercoaster — and we just gotta’ ride it! Here’s to 2023!”

Louise Jaggar, operations manager.