After a fulfilling career, Allen Scott is stepping into retirement from CMe Media. As he starts this exciting new chapter, Allen has decided to write this blog to look back on his journey and share the valuable lessons he’s learned. His time at CMe Media has been filled with achievements, personal growth, and many insights into the ever-changing digital marketing world. Through this blog, Allen wants to share his experiences, the wisdom he’s gained, and the lasting impact of his last job.
From all of us here at CMe, Allen, you will be greatly missed. Good luck with all your future endeavours!
Allen’s Time at CMe Media
“It’s with mixed emotions that my time at CMe Media and the workplace come to a close. Unquestionably, I am looking forward to retirement, but it’s with affection and fondness that I will look back on my time with Charisse Smith and the team at CMe Media, and CMe Automotive.
My creed has always been to look ahead; but now, ‘the wheel is come full circle’ – to quote The Bard. I find myself, inevitably, reflecting on the past. Life wasn’t simpler, easier, or better; it was different.
1970-2024 Progression
When I joined the workforce in the late 1970s, we were working on an IBM mainframe computer. At the centre of our communications world was the post room. Here is the pigeonhole shelving unit. Woe betides anyone coming into this domain once the end-of-day franking had started, but pride of place was reserved for the shiny new fax machine. Spitting out reams of documents, sending copies and instructions, and connecting people all over the UK and beyond.
Fast forward to CMe Media in the 2020s. The world has changed so much, yet it has changed so little.
Like yesteryear, communication remains at the heart of the business. The method may have changed. It’s now more likely to be undertaken through laptops, emails, mobile phones, and WhatsApp groups. Belinda Thomas is at the heart of our communications network. An unsung hero role keeps the cogs in motion 24/7. Belinda is recognised for her endeavours when something goes wrong, which it rarely does.
In the post-Covid world we now inhabit, the most significant change we have seen in office life is the major shift in the work environment. Remote working is now the norm for many organisations. I believe we here at CMe have taken a more balanced, and appropriate route.
CMe Media’s Collaboration
As a creative business, it’s critical to have both formal and informal face-to-face meetings to discuss thoughts, ideas, and strategies. This collaboration fosters greater involvement, stimulates stronger creativity, and certainly develops stronger teamwork. Research is beginning to show, In the longer term, that there is less workplace connection and greater isolation for remote workers. There is also a temptation to overwork or underwork. Both are equally problematic.
A stand-out feature of my time at CMe has been seeing Charisse actively support and develop teamwork. Back in the day, organisational structures were slavishly hierarchical, as were the flows of command and ideas. Adopting a flatter, more matrix-style structure, allows the business to capitalise on the benefits of specialisation and collaboration. In such a complex and dynamic environment as a digital marketing agency, this allows great and original ideas to emerge from all parts of the business.
Work and Social Benefits
At CMe, a hybrid approach is taken. This allows those living at a distance to take advantage of the benefits, whilst still retaining a very strong connection with the rest of the team. For those with important appointments, it’s a real bonus (for the individual and business alike) to be able to work from home rather than having to book the day off. Likewise, those with a long-term health problem (explain again how you broke your ankle, Marc!) have a route to continue working, which again is beneficial to both the individual and business alike. In addition, regular team meetings and events (both in and out of work hours) are part of the monthly schedule to foster teamwork and encourage socialisation.
My Final Words at CMe Media
Finally, as my wheel comes full circle and I prepare to leave the workplace for the final time, on what, with wonderful synchronicity, will be the tenth anniversary of CMe Media, I ask myself what I have learned at CMe Media. After the best part of fifty years in the workplace, I, to be fair, haven’t come up with any radically new insights. But what my time here has reaffirmed is that ‘cultural fit’ is the biggest contributor to long-term success – for both the employer and employee alike. Where the values, behaviours and attitudes of a company align with those of an employee; it allows the individual to be their ‘full self’, which is the key to personal development. Further, those with a positive mindset go places. These are people who like learning, they like working in a team, they like change, and they’re adaptable. They will be happy, fulfilled and ultimately successful. This is the team being created, shaped, and nurtured at CMe Media.”
― Allen Scott, Client Services Director, CMe Automotive
