Iconosquare: The Values at the Heart of the Mission

Iconosquare’s values… where to start!

In today’s world, most people are putting an emphasis on finding the meaning behind their choices, and making conscious decisions according to their own, personal values. Be it their 9-5, the clothes they wear, the tools they use on a daily basis. And we get that, because we all do it, too!

We often get asked about our values, especially by potential new recruits or prospective clients. And we think it’s great. Here at Iconosquare, we’re lucky to have strong values that we’re proud to share, and we wouldn’t have it any other way!

In putting together the following list of values and their applications within our company, I’ve been reminded of how far we’ve come. I hope you’ll be inspired by the way we work.

Caring

This first value on the list has a double meaning, in that it applies to the people we work with, but also the planet we live on. 

Initiatives are put in place on a regular basis to protect and care for the people and the environment around us, such as NVC (Non-Violent Communication) and CI (Collective Intelligence) meetings within our teams, as a way of respecting each member’s opinion and feelings on the same level. 

Simple gestures such as buying local and organic, recycling and composting food waste within our offices as well as in our individual homes, are just a few of the measures we take on a daily basis to take care of the planet.

Recognition

Recognizing the importance of each team member’s feelings, as mentioned above, is a matter that we hold close to our hearts. And because we know that when working hard ourselves, we can sometimes forget to recognize the hard work our team mates are doing also, we strive to make recognition a part of the everyday workload. 

Recognition and Feedback workshops are a regular thing here at Iconosquare, because learning how to give and receive feedback is essential for growth and development.

Transparency

Trust between team members here at Iconosquare is fundamental to the good functioning of our whole company. And to ensure trust, you have to be transparent. 

We make sure we don’t hold back any information when communication with the team as a whole - meaning that there are no secrets or untold truths to be found here. Every single member of the team has access to the company’s monthly performance reports as well as open discussions about big decisions that are made for the good of Iconosquare.

Positivity (positive impact)

Another double meaning in this value, as positivity can be understood as optimism but also a positive impact that the company has. We have both!

While Iconosquare is a social media analytics platform, we’re much more than that. We work together to positively impact the world whenever we have the opportunity to do so. Whether we’re donating funds to nonprofits, investing in social impact startups and using our skills to help them grow, taking steps to reduce our own carbon footprint, or simply cleaning up litter in our local communities, Iconosquare makes giving back a top priority.

Self-organization

Self-organization is a pretty self-explanatory one. What we mean by this is basically that we allow and encourage all our employees to organize their own work schedules according to their personal responsibilities and lifestyle outside of work.

Parents, for example, will sometimes have to deal with unexpected, last-minute emergencies. The company will not put any pressure on an employee to be at their desk strictly 9-5. Again, this is how we build trust, and it really works.

Empowerment

The meaning behind our definition of empowerment, is that we encourage all of our employees to speak up and not be afraid to give their take on any topic that may be on the table.

Over the years I’ve been on the team, I’ve seen multiple colleagues take initiatives and kickstart internal projects - whether they connect to the product directly, touch on our company life, or go in a totally different direction. All this is allowed and celebrated within Iconosquare. Being listened to and taken seriously on a project or idea, when you’re usually a shy and discreet person, is a huge stepping stone to becoming confident within the workplace and empowering yourself and others.

Distributed authority

Iconosquare has never been and never will be a pyramid. Even before we officially became a mission-driven company in 2020, the big decisions were always made by the collective.

Within the teams, we have team leaders who are there to guide their teams to succeed and do the best job they can do. Team leaders aren’t managers in the typical sense of the term, and no one refers to any other team member as their “boss” or their “superior” - this is simply not terminology that we use within the company.

Since Iconosquare shifted to a mission-driven organization in the year 2020, a shared governance has been put in place, enabling a committee comprised of employees of all levels and seniority to address issues and challenges as a group. Decisions are then made through Collective Intelligence meetings, where a structure is upheld in order for everyone to voice their opinions and be heard.

Inclusion and diversity

No fewer than fourteen different nationalities make up our team of 50+ here at Iconosquare. And to be honest, we’re not doing it on purpose! It just so happens that the company attracts people from all over the world.

We currently have 2 offices: one in Limoges, France (our HQ) and one in Berlin, Germany. We’re very proud to have each and every member of our team, and as we continue to grow, we’re seeing more and more diversity - this makes us so happy!

Conclusion

To sum up this long list of values, I guess all I can say is that Iconosquare is more that meets the eye, as you’ve just learnt. Behind the social analytics and management, there’s a heart, and there are people, and there are strong hopes and dreams for our planet and for our future.

To read more about our story, right from the very beginning, head over to our company page.