5 Ways to use The Force at Cisco

You may have heard rumblings throughout the galaxy that Cisconians are pretty big fans of Star Wars. And everything you’ve heard, it’s true. All of it.

Our employees are such huge fans, in fact, that we celebrated #MayThe4th with a contest where we partnered with NASDAQ and employees were encouraged to showcase their Star Wars (and Cisco) geekdom by posting images on Instagram. Some employee’s images were even featured on the NASDAQ Tower in Times Square!

On #MayThe4th Cisco Employees helped celebrate in Times Square with NASDAQ.

Being yourself at Cisco is just part of our culture, and employees know that celebrating who they are and their love of everything from Jedis to Storm Troopers is a year round event. “Be you, with us” is more than just a saying here — it’s a way of life, and if you’re asking me, it’s our “Do or do not, there is no try.”

Whatever you love, and whatever you’re passionate about — Cisco embraces that and believes it’s the true Force for what makes our culture out of this world.

Want to use The Force daily? Here’s a few tips (and quotes) we’ve come by:

1. Innovate – “Close your eyes. Feel it. The light…it’s always been there. It will guide you.” – Maz Kanata

It’s no surprise that Cisco is always innovating, and Star Wars was an innovation in its own right! How do we always keep the creative, forward-thinking juices flowing?  Easy! We just know that it’s all around us, and always within us.

2. Have Goals – “Never tell me the odds.” — Han Solo

It’s important to have goals so you have a direction in your career journey and in life! Just like Luke and Leia (and, heck, even that Vader guy) — everyone in Star Wars has a goal. But, as Han notes — never focus on the odds! Sure, you might fail — but you might also succeed, and success requires an attempt! What’s important is to know the direction you’d like to go in, and then get to work on making that happen!

3. Flexibility – “Impossible to see, the future is.” — Yoda

Yes, Cisco has a flexible work life and our tech enables employees to work from anywhere in the world.  But, THIS flexibility is one we often don’t talk about. The flexibility to fail! Sometimes goals don’t pan out, and that’s okay! At Cisco, we love “failing forward” – so much so that we don’t really consider much a true failure.  If it didn’t work, it’s a learning and a way for us to grow and try a new method to get us to where we want to be with our goals. None of us know the future, but if we keep going — even in the wake of a set back — that’s how we succeed.

4. Team Work – “You will find only what you bring in” – Yoda

Very few successes can be attributed to one lone person, often it takes a village! That’s no different at Cisco. Yoda mentions that you’ll find only what you bring in — which is to say that if you’re able to bring your full self to work, and you give it your all on the daily people start to take notice that you’re a dedicated teammate. Your work speaks for itself, so go all in and bring your unique skill-set to the office each day.

Cisco employee Faina Segal won our #MayThe4th contest with this amazing photo!

5. Diversity – “You will find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.” — Obi-Wan Kenobi

We love our diversity at Cisco, from our incredible Employee Resource Organizations (ERO) to amazing #WomenInTech we know that everyone should have an equal opportunity to succeed in the world of tech. Having a diverse team is just part of our strength as it offers unique view points, ideas, and collaboration across the globe.

How do you use The Force daily, Cisconains? Are you excited about Star Wars: The Last Jedi coming to theaters? Let us know in the comments below, but – psst! NO SPOILERS!

Want to work for a company that encourages you to be you, with us? You can! We’re hiring!