Sheep-hating 101

When I first sent my resume to a gal at Sullivan Higdon & Sink whom I had worked with at another ad agency, I really didn't know much at all about the company where I've worked for the last 10 years. So I did what any person who is serious about getting a job does ... I got online and researched SHS and learned everything I could about the agency. There were a lot of things on the company website that intrigued me, not the least of which was the company tag line ... We Hate Sheep. Now before those of you who are animal lovers get all bent out of shape, let me explain. SHS doesn't really hate animals of any kind; in fact, there are a bunch of us who are big on rescuing animals ... you might want to go back and read what my co-workers did to celebrate my 10-year anniversary. The We Hate Sheep mantra refers to the kind of advertising we create ... again, let me explain. Sheep are known for being followers, for all being the same, for not standing out from the flock. A lot of advertising falls into the sheep category ... it follows rather than leads, it's the same as all the other advertising, it blends in rather than stands out. So ... We Hate Sheep means that we at SHS do our best to create advertising that isn't sheeplike in any way.

I remember that I had to go through a couple or three interviews before I was offered my job at SHS, one of them being with a group of 12 or so people. I also remember that one of the guys who was part of that group walked in and said, "This is what we call the posse interview." And I remember thinking ... posse interview??? The only thing I knew about posses was that they generally were not good things for the person they were chasing in the old western movies I had seen ... it seemed to me that the person being pursued by a posse usually ended up dangling at the end of a rope. Obviously since I've been working at my job for 10 years, my posse interview turned out to be a good thing ... a really good thing. I've got so many memories from my 10 years at SHS, and my posse interview memory always brings a smile to my face.

It wasn't long after I started at SHS that I was introduced to something we call The 7 Ways ... seven tenants that we live by, our creed of conduct so to speak. I'm not going to list them ... if you want to know what all of them are, you'll have to come work with us at SHS. I do, however, want to talk about one of them ... one that has always been extra meaningful to me over the last 10 years, one that I've come to appreciate on a whole new level over the last few months. While it's meant to refer to the way we do business, I've come to understand that it's about so much more. It's not just about the way we work for our clients, though that is part of it. It's not just about the way we interface with one another and do our jobs, though that is part of it, too. It's not just about the way we treat each other within the walls of our building, though that is part of it as well. The biggest part ... the biggest part of it is about who we are inside ... the biggest part of it is about who we are as people.

So what is it, this tenant that means so much to me? Be pure of heart. That's it ... four small words ... be pure of heart. Small words with big meaning. Small words that invoke deep emotion. Small words that possess great power. Small words that can forever change a person ... be pure of heart. I'll be honest ... though I've known for years that I work with some amazing people, I didn't understand how truly pure of heart so many of them are until last year. But. I. Do. Now. I've been on the receiving end of some truly compassionate, selfless, loving, giving acts from the sheephaters of SHS over the 10 years I've worked there, but none so true, so deep ... so pure of heart as I've experienced over the last few months. Just today, four different people said things to me like, "Stay strong, girl," and "I just want you to be happy," and "I'm so glad you didn't follow through with your plan last year," and "It's a good day to take a picture of you for our Ellen montage." Yep, that Ellen. Some of the gals are trying to help me get on Ellen's show by taking pictures of my various Ellenesque outfits, and then they're going to put together a collage or montage or some sort of "-age" and send it to Ellen.

So here's the thing, friends ... it's not really about what my fellow haters of sheep said to me today, or what they've said to me in the past ... it's about the pureness of their hearts that I've seen demonstrated time and time again. It's about knowing that they really and truly care about each other ... it's about knowing that they don't just say the words "I care" ... it's about knowing firsthand that they wrap their hearts around those words and then they do something. They understand those four little words in a huge way ... be pure of heart ... be pure of heart ... be pure of heart.

In case I haven't told you lately ... thank you, my fellow sheephaters ... your pure hearts are having a big impact on my weary and aching one ... a great big old impact indeed. 

"The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." 1 Timothy 1:5