An In-Depth Look At What It Really Means To Manage A Creative Team
Business owners all have an idea of what a perfect team looks like. Of course, we desire like-minded employees that are driven and motivated, and we want a solid foundation so that everyone can succeed with their individual strengths. Sometimes, however, it’s easy to forget that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all handbook that comes along with management.
For creatives, we often lead with our passion and our emotional attachment that comes along with crafting beautiful, immersive experiences for our clients. So, how can you set your team up for lasting success? Here are some of my top tips.
1. Create a clear list of roles and responsibilities
Before you even begin hiring, you should have a clear picture of what you want the role to entail. And even once you find the perfect candidate, the job description and duties should remain consistent. I find that being clear with these expectations early on eliminates any miscommunication down the road, which can sometimes pop up with staffing changes or other overall shifts as the business grows.
Here comes the not-so-fun part – make sure that you have some sort of protocol in place when your team isn’t performing as expected. Keep special circumstances in mind, but don’t be afraid to step in when it’s needed. Treat each scenario as a learning experience for yourself and the employee.
2. Maintain regular check-ins
In the rush of event season and larger projects, I know that I can be guilty of losing myself in my work. In times like these, your team really needs to know that you’re on their side and supporting them at every turn. Employees should feel as if they can come to you at any time, especially if they have a concern. Creating a comfortable, accessible environment is extremely important.
I suggest creating regular check-ins and sticking to them, even if it’s a quarterly review. This allows everyone to openly discuss strengths and weaknesses, as well as ways to improve moving forward.
3. Communicate during the design process
Delegating can be a scary (although necessary) task at times. Bringing a client’s vision to life is no easy feat, and it can be stressful to ensure that everyone is on the same page when doing so. Therefore, your communication should be seamless and detailed from the minute you receive a new prospective inquiry.
Tuesdays and Thursdays are my consultation days, which means I’m meeting with multiple clients, all with differing views of how they want their big day to look. Keeping your notes organized and collaborative with the rest of the team is the easiest route, that way, anyone can step in and find the details they need. I personally love utilizing EverNote and Google Drive so that anyone I share permission with can access inspiration photos, documents, contracts, and more.
Good, productive management does have a learning curve; unfortunately, it’s not something that can be learned overnight. The important thing is to remember that you make mistakes together as a team and succeed together as a team. It may take some trial and error to get there, but you can figure out what works for you and your huddle of creatives.
Looking for more resources for running your event business? You can read more helpful business blog posts here, and explore all of my courses and tutorials at eddiezaratsian.com/education.
