When growth creates friction, examine structure before questioning talent. Structural clarity is one of the most powerful tools leaders have to sustain momentum.
Why Team Structures Break as Organizations Grow
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Insights
Thoughtful insights to support leaders and teams at every stage
Embedded Leadership Without Headcount
Sometimes progress requires outside perspective, not payroll. Leaders who recognize this early gain clarity faster, make smarter hiring decisions and build teams that are ready for what comes next.
Leading Teams Through Change
Change does not have to erode trust. Learn how leaders guide teams through change with clarity, consistency and confidence during periods of uncertainty.
Building Teams That Solve the Right Problems
When leaders build teams reactively, they optimize for speed rather than alignment. The result is a group of capable people working hard on the wrong priorities.
Aligning Marketing Goals with Business Strategy
Struggling with overwhelmed marketing teams and unclear priorities? Learn how leaders align marketing goals with business strategy to reduce burnout and improve results.
Strategic Thinking is a Leadership Skill
If everything feels urgent, leadership has become reactive. Strategic thinking begins when leaders intentionally slow the moment of decision.
Is Your Predecessor Preventing Your Success? 5 Tips For Leaders Starting A New Job.
During your first few days at a new job, you spend plenty of time learning about the business of your new employers, meeting lots of new people, and diving into how things get done currently in your new department. And that’s when you start to learn about how things were before you got there.
How A Consulting Mindset Will Take Your Department From Order-Takers To Creative Problem-Solving Rock-Stars!
Use elements of a consulting mindset to take your department from order-takers to creative problem-solving rock-stars!
Lead with inspiration—A few ideas on inspiring creative teams
The experienced talent should have the next generation do the work, just under their very careful eye.
Plan and run better meetings
Meetings are a necessary evil in our business. Between staff meetings, project planning and review meetings, vendor meetings, and of course client meetings, its any wonder we get real work done at all. But one thing I have learned in almost 25 years in the creative...
Lessons learned working in-house that helped me be a better consultant
By the end of 2015, after being an in-house creative director for nearly 8 years and working in this field for over 20 years, I found myself self-employed for the second time in my career.
2-Minute Tip: Budgeting
I am often surprised to hear that many in-house creative leaders are not running their own budgets for their departments. And because they are not the budget owner, they have very little say into what and how much goes into the budgeting process. We all know running...
New year clean-up!
I can’t see straight when clutter begins to take over. I can’t think clearly and lose focus. I’m sure I’m not the only one but I may be more sensitive to recognizing this issue within myself. Even though I’m a constant purger/straightener/cleaner, my work space still...
The Changing Relationship Between In-House and Outside Agencies
There has been a shift of power – creatively speaking – regarding to who “owns” brand and creative in corporate America. There was a time when anyone but the internal creative teams did new creative work or managed the outside creative agencies. However, for many...
Demonstrating the value of design in business
From messaging to visual identity Design is a unifying factor to support marketing and business development efforts. The best way to demonstrate how design drives value for a brand is to point out how creative work touches virtually every aspect of your organization....
So you got kicked out?
It's ok, you're not the only one. Here's some advice from a woman who was in that very same spot. Let's call it “In hindsight advice”: Day one Drink. Do not pass go! Do nothing but cry in your beer. No phone calls, drunk driving or drunk texting. Tell your spouse and...
Be the best boss, by not being a boss at all
"Don't be a boss, be a coach" is one of the best pieces of advice I ever received about managing people. I took that advice to heart when I was leading in-house teams, and it has always paid off in regards to loyalty, team cohesiveness, and performance. I've got proof...
What’s Next For In-House Leaders? Part two: Influence without management.
In my last piece I discussed the traditional path of a creative career that we learn in school of first being an apprentice to a master to learn your craft, mastering your skills on your own, and finally becoming a master in your own right which often includes taking...
What’s Next For In-House Leaders? Part 1: Post-Mastery
As is my tradition before an InSource event, I like to take the featured speakers out to dinner the evening before as a way of thanking them for their time and insights. I try to find a higher-end restaurant where we can enjoy a great meal (not just a good one) and an...
3 Career Paths (Part 2): Agency, Freelance or In-House?
As I mentioned last month, it’s hard to believe I’ve been at this for 25 years. Few people in my network of friends and colleagues have stuck with the same career for so long. Many of my peers who I graduated with from SVA gave up on design a long time ago for...
3 Career Paths (Part 1): Agency, Freelance or In-House?
It’s hard for me to believe I’ve been at this—being a design professional—for nearly 25 years. I grew up around relatives who worked on Wall Street, in the legal profession, sales or other business pursuits. So I’m fortunate that my parents encouraged my talent and...
“HOW TO” – Exclusive interview with Michael Bierut – Part 3
In our final interview with Michael Beirut he shared some solid advice: “You don’t learn anything by talking; you learn by listening”. Robin: “You’ve been managing design staff for the bulk of your career. Any management advice or tips for the design managers and...
“HOW TO” – Exclusive interview with Michael Bierut – Part 2
Check out part two of our exclusive interview with Michael Beirut and learn what frustrates him most in the design industry. Robin: “One of the things that made me smile at the very end of the book was the statement: ‘And Paula Scher is the person that I’m endlessly...
The Hit List
I can’t think of a better way to sum up an inspirational list than “The Hit List” written by Chase Jarvis, a world-renowned photographer. What I like about it is its brevity, clarity, and boldness. www.Chasejarvis.com So, taking some insight from Jarvis and mixing it...