Our industry works with two very
different types of creative professionals.
Freelancers have their own protocols
for working with you, but what
about staff creatives? Naturally, you
want to do the best job you can when interviewing
and managing a creative staff, both because it’s your
job and because that’s how the best work gets done.
This topic reminds me of the adage from my
sewing days, “Measure twice and cut once.” Once
you hire someone, they will be there for a while—
unlike freelancers. You want employees to be happy,
productive, and creative. You want to manage them
with the minimum of stress and time on your shoulders.
You want them to work as a team.
All easier said than done. Here are some proven
techniques to review and develop before the next
meeting with your creative staff. Let’s begin with the
hiring process.
It’s the place you pick.
Everyone I talked with for this column agreed on
a few things about the space and time you select
for a job interview. It should be a quiet, neat, and
“uninterrupted” place somewhere in your offices,
preferably a conference room. This is often called a
“neutral zone.” It should be selected and set up to
put both parties as much at ease as possible.
Both parties in the interview should be seated
near each other—not across the “big divide” of a
desk. No interruptions from cell phones or intercoms
should be allowed. Choose the most comfortable
and inviting place at your firm, preferably a place
filled with the firm’s work so the candidate can see
what you do. Prepare to concentrate on the prospect’s
work and not his ability to make small talk. In short,
the place and the environment should be supportive
and encourage open discussion.
It’s the questions you ask.
Petrula Vrontikis, principal of Vrontikis Design
Office, observes, “The interviewer
should be one of the people that the new hire will
be directly working with, as opposed to an administrative
person that may not be part of the creative
team.” Donald Sparkman, president of Sparkman
+ Associates, notes,
“Usually the candidate’s true demeanor will surface
at some point in the interview. I usually invite
promising candidates who need a little work on their
portfolio to return for a critique even if the opening
has been filled.”
Author Paul Falcone, who has written several
books on the subject of interviews and human
resources topics for AMACOM, advises, “Remember not to unilaterally
question candidates about their suitability for the
particular position you have open. With a more
casual and comfortable interviewing style and questions
that help candidates focus on their own career
ambitions, you’ll gain more unique insights into
what’s really driving the candidate’s job change
motives than you would get asking traditional interviewing
questions. More importantly, the individual
will walk away feeling very impressed by your meeting.
After all, how many times do company interviewers
focus on candidates’ needs rather than the
company’s needs?”
It’s getting inside their minds.
Falcone suggests that the interviewer instead engage
the subject by helping her focus on her own career
needs, with open-ended queries like:
• Tell me three criteria you’re using in selecting your
next company or job.
• How would joining our company in this role help
you build your resumé in terms of new skills and
competencies?
• What would be your next logical move in career
progression if you remained with your current
company, and how long would it take to get there?
• Are you sure that changing jobs at this point
makes sense for you, or would you be leaving your
current position prematurely?
Lee Nordling, executive editor of Platinum Studios’
Comic Book department and author of the pioneer book Your
Career in the Comics, stresses getting personal interaction:
“I like conversations where I can hear what
a prospect thinks and believes. I like to figure out
their passions and how their minds work, where
they’re tractable and intractable. And the only way to
accomplish this is by asking questions and probing,
but less like an interview and more by getting them
to talk about themselves and what they’ve done. I’ll
critique the work, often just to find out whether I get
a polite nod or whether they’ll pick up the ball and
discuss what else they might have done, again to test
flexibility. Ultimately, in choosing a creative staffer
I’ve got to parse a combination of the quality of the
work, related experience, temperament, potential for
loyalty, level of self-motivation, work ethic ... and the
personal chemistry I feel with that person.”
Getting creative staff to work as a team
Getting your staff to work as a team is not easy
when the work you all do rewards individual
achievement and creativity. Start with individuals
that can respect each other (i.e., avoid prima donnas)
and share talent and passion for the work.
Everyone I interviewed agreed that team spirit
begins at the front end of each project. For example,
it is typical to have an individual work on a project
independently, then bring the results to a staff meeting
for all to comment on in an open environment of
sharing and communication.
Vanessa Eckstein, principal/creative director
of blok design says, “We try to create an environment
which is similar to school. We have a couple
of designers—myself included—work on the same
project individually, then hang the work on the
wall for all to comment on. These comments guide
the process, modify the outcome, and question the
problem. Collaboration begins here and the success is
shared by all.”
“Understand your role as a leader,” advises
Vrontikis. “If you are tense and bitchy, your staff will
mirror your attitude. If you are constantly complaining
about your job, the clients, or the agreements
you’ve made with them, then the issue to address first
is your lack of self-discipline and ability to handle
stressful situations. Too many times I’ve observed
that the team leader’s personality weakness is the biggest
problem, or that they lack power in the political
structure of their position. Strong teams are supported
and enabled by their leaders. Some leaders are
simply too busy in meetings or handling administrative
issues to properly nurture and inspire a team.”
Off the job
Have recreational activities planned in advance, recommends
Lara J. Kisielewska, founder of Optimum
Design & Consulting.
“We have an annual mandatory retreat for two
to three days that encompasses outdoor activities,
trust-building exercises, brainstorming exercises,
playing
games. We also hold optional quarterly outings
such as ski trips, canoe trips, baseball games, etc.
The company pays for the employees who want to
attend, and they can invite a significant other or
friend to join them. Past employees always join us
for the quarterly outings, so a family-type atmosphere
is preserved as old employees become friends
with new ones.”
On the job
To create cohesiveness and camaraderie, Falcone
recommends allowing each member of the team to
lead work processes at some point. “In any creative
environment, certain employees have stronger,
more developed skills in particular areas. Allow
each person to become a leader, as much as possible,
and share expertise. After all, everyone likes
to teach, and everyone likes to lead in an area where
they’re comfortable. Give them the chance to separate
themselves from the pack in the area of their
strengths, and you’ll find that they’ll more willingly
comply in areas where others have more expertise.”
Nordling is a big believer in maintaining mutual
respect, acknowledging achievements, validating
personal goals, and communicating his intentions
clearly—“I say what I mean and mean what I say”
is his managerial touchstone. “At DC Comics, I had
nearly 30 direct and indirect people reporting to me,
and all but one were creative staff,” he remembers.
“I think everybody who reported to me understood
that I cared about them and their goals. They knew
that whether they worked alone or together, they’d
get credit for their efforts. I constantly praised them
in public so they knew I didn’t feel the need to
take credit for their efforts. They also knew if they
couldn’t get along that I’d step in and figure out a
way to help them get along.”
Motivating people to work as a team is natural
when the environment is comfortable enough to be
open and thus conducive to allow people to never
feel embarrassed or judged when asking for help.
Crispin Porter + Bogusky
senior art producer Jessica Hoffman says, “It’s pretty
simple, but it’s all about helping one another—so if
someone realizes they need something, all they have
to do is say, ‘I need help.’” The message becomes that
it’s not enough to just do your job well—it’s important
to be part of the entire process. Establishing this
environment involves encouraging questions and
supporting one another.
Creation itself is inspiring, and accomplishing
a project is often like birthing a child. Once it’s over
you all marvel together at the accomplishment.
Additional Tips
On interviewing:
“Choose a site at the
work location. See
how they respond—do
they love it and feel
at home, or are they
scared or put off
by it? Allow several
people to interview
them—get multiple
impressions. Find out
where they want to go
and why they are here.
What do they want
accomplish? How can
they contribute? If
they are comfortable
enough with this, their
excitement will show—
not just their nerves.”
—Jessica Hoffman,
senior art producer,
CP + B
On building a team:
“Working as a team
isn’t easy, especially in
an environment that
rewards individual
achievement. Still, you
can create cohesiveness
and camaraderie
by developing a culture
of open communication.
People are
motivated when they
make a difference,
see the big picture in
terms of where their
work is leading, and
feel that all members
are respected equally.
Create an environment
where openness
is rewarded, and
people will naturally
work together.” —Paul
Falcone, author,
AMACOM
On handling a team:
“One of my early roles
at DC Comics was to
create a fl ow chart for
how four departments
would interact from
the inception to the
completion of every
project. The document
noted where and
when everybody got a
vote and, by omission,
where they didn’t.
This came in handy
when more aggressive
players tried to
insinuate themselves
into a part of the process
where they didn’t
belong. Before taking
the job at DC, an old
friend and former VP
told me my job was
to be the Sandbox
Monitor. Truer words
were never spoken.
My job is to make sure
people play nicely
and still enjoy what
they’re doing.” —Lee
Nordling, executive
editor, Platinum
Studios Comic Book
department
