by N6A Team6 Insights from N6A Account Manager Paolo Ramos
As we continue our “6 Insights” series we sat down with Account Manager Paolo Ramos as he celebrates his 1 year anniversary and reflects on his unique time with N6A that began at the onset of a global pandemic.
1. You just hit your 1 year anniversary with N6A! You joined right as the pandemic hit. What’s your biggest lesson learned this year?
As someone who had to build new relationships with both teammates and clients, I learned that going beyond the typical co-worker or client-facing dynamics was key to keeping everyone motivated and enthusiastic about the work we’re doing. My philosophy is that you’re more likely to trust your friends over strangers, so it’s important to have a layer of friendliness in your work ethic to build trust and get things done.
2. Despite the challenging year, do you have a favorite N6A memory that sticks out as we navigated the pandemic as a team? What are you most looking forward to this year?
I was lucky to be able to attend the last N6A Happy Hour before we went into lockdown and got a chance to bond with the team over drinks and pizza which made me feel really welcome at the company.
I’m most looking forward to building upon the connections I’ve made online with the team and with clients in-person at some point this year. The N6A team has been awesome virtually so I’m excited to see what it’s actually like being in the office!
3. What advice do you have for managers who need to onboard remote employees right now and for teams to create a semblance of culture despite distance?
I think it’s important to make sure your employees know that they can come to you with any questions and challenges they are facing during this uncertain environment. Also, it’s important to make sure you are kind and personable when interacting online and not afraid to insert your personality into conversations. Also – nothing makes me more nervous than one-word answers!
4. Looking back, what advice would you give February 2020 Paolo?
I would encourage him to do things with more conviction and confidence because he definitely has it in him and knows what he’s doing!
5. Moving to NYC was a personal and professional goal of yours, what would you tell other young professionals who have the same goal?
100%. One of my favorite quotes is from the musical RENT, and it says “Forget regret, or life is yours to miss” and it’s better to do it and see if it works or spend the rest of your life asking “what if.” That being said, make sure you have a gameplan before doing it to be somewhat prepared – NYC can be a confusing place to move to!
6. Do you think the pandemic and remote work will impact the PR industry on an ongoing basis. If so, how?
I think it will offer the industry a new layer of flexibility that will let us focus on the most important things wherever we are instead of having to do certain things in certain places. Work-life balance is hard to come by, and more flexibility will allow the industry to progress towards this much faster.