Scott Belsky of Behance

The Behance Team recently interviewed Ian McCallam, founder and creator of the website This Ain’t No Disco. Whenever we interview especially productive creative people, we always ask for their tips on how to organize, stay productive, and lead others in the pursuit of making ideas happen. Ian has some particularly helpful insights and observations to share on successful creative environments that combine inspiration and execution:

40 second meetings.
“An agency I did some work with had a great system of 40 second meetings. Only those who needed to be present were present. It was their job to ‘gather the facts’ before the meeting. Each person had 40 seconds to get across their point and updates. Members of the meeting had truly learned how to cut to the chase and make their point the most important. This skill followed through into their day-to-day work. They now have a stronger ability to identify the true action points from the clutter. Timelines for jobs have since been dramatically decreased.” read more

In an ongoing effort to interview some of the most productive creative leaders across industries, the Behance team recently had the chance to interview Anne Benedict, Director of Leadership Development for the Interpublic Group. As one of the largest creative agencies in the world, Interpublic experiences many of the challenges that creative teams typically face. Anne sat down with us to share her insights on effective leadership in creative teams.

Give feedback.
“More than just using a thumbs up/thumbs down approach, explain the ‘why’ behind your comments. Also, offer constructive feedback on the way the team is working, such as the processes they are using, as well as the quality of their relationships and behaviors that they are exhibiting.” read more

Creative teams juggle multiple projects at once. The constant streams of ideas lead to more ideas. As energy is spread across projects like peanut butter, prioritization is all but lost. Energy Lines are a simple way to prioritize and use design to guide creative energy.

At any given point in time there are a few projects that are urgent, some that are just important, a few that need to be kept moving, and others that are idle. How much of your time are you spending on what? Are you focused on the right things? Amidst the everyday craziness of a creative enterprise, it is hard to keep energy in perspective.

The Energy Line is a simple mechanism to graphically display energy allocation. A simple line starting at “Idle” and going up to “Extreme” is drawn along a cork or dry erase board. Then write the names of all of your major projects on small cards. Place the cards along the energy line according to how much focus they should get. Be realistic and make the tough decisions on what projects need to live on low energy for a while. read more

We all hate nagging. After all, who wants to be hounded for things they need to do? I have been a bit surprised recently by the number of people I interview who speak positively about the power of nagging.

One recent example is the team at Brooklyn Brothers, an especially productive creative agency in New York City - so productive that they not only service clients but they have also published children’s books and launched a chocolate brand called “Fat Pig.” Guy Barnett and Stephen Rutterford are the partners at the agency. Very early in our interview, it became clear that both Guy and Stephen are obsessed with execution. When it comes to taking action, the team has no faith in hands-off project management. Their secret to actually pushing projects forward can be summed up with one word: “nagging.” Guy explained, “we repeat stuff like robots a thousand times…a best practice for us is to use nagging tempered by humor, we sit around a table and feel responsible to each other.” He even admitted, “if you’re annoying, people will do things because they’ll want you to shut up!” read more

Boxes need to be mailed, errands need to be run, cookies need to be eaten, orders need to be fulfilled, but by whom? Whoever has a chance! The Behance team got tired of limiting our action steps to just an area on paper - why not make “action areas” out of physical space?

One frigid November day, the Behance Team tried a bit of an experiment. We designated two areas of our loft-space office as “Action Areas.” With blue painter’s tape, we isolated both a portion of a counter space and a corner of the floor as areas reserved for items that require action. The concept: When you walk by, everything you see requires action. If you have a minute, take action. Members of our team started placing letters or packages that need to be mailed in the Action Areas. When anyone brings in snacks, they place them in the Action Areas.

Before we launched the Action Areas, packages and letters would sit on various desks and tables around the office. Cookies on one person’s desk might remain unnoticed throughout the day. With the implementation of Action Areas, items that require action were gathering more attention than ever before.

The verdict: Our Action Areas remain sacred spaces today.

Behance articles and tips are adapted from the writing and research of Scott Belsky and the Behance team. Behance runs the Behance Creative Network , the Creative Jobs List, and develops knowledge, products, and services that help creative professionals make ideas happen. All information (c) Scott Belsky, Behance LLC

Consider 5 things that great leaders do - in any industry - and think about how they apply to the way you lead your team.

#1: Acknowledge Incremental Change
People don’t change suddenly, but rather over time through the course of experiences, feedback, and lessons learned. To be credible, successful leaders must know what their people are working on and acknowledge even small steps in the right direction. Make an effort to watch for marginal improvements, and then acknowledge.

#2: Be Attentive & Present
Amidst blackberries, constant calls, and packed schedules, great leaders recognize the value of giving their undivided attention to their people, even if only for short periods of time. Try to restrain yourself from typing or checking email when people come into your office. Look in peoples’ eyes. The ability to focus on people is becoming more scarce in our society.

#3: Acknowledge Your Team’s Challenges
You don’t need a mastery of what people do in order to lead them. Demonstrate an understanding of the barriers and obstacles your people face and the pressures they are under. People can only be led by someone who understands the challenges of the every day.

#4: Aspire to Know Who Knows
Great leaders don’t have all the knowledge, but they are focused on knowing who knows the people they need to get the job done. Think broadly and utilize resources accordingly.

#5: Look at Your Business As a White Canvas
Every now and then, amidst the thick of day-to-day craziness, you need to sit back and look at your business as a clean slate. Extremely difficult to do, but always leads to something. A moment of simplicity and clarity can lead to realizations about the “obvious” opportunities and risks that you overlook out of habit.

The chemistry of a creative team is absolutely critical for making ideas happen. What goes unsaid can erupt into a great fiasco. When a problem is brewing, our tendency is to block it out. After all, who wants to be confrontational or take time out when stress and deadlines are looming? But an “infection” left untreated can become a full-blown disaster. The most effective creative teams are able to detect and address concerns before they evolve into problems.

If a team is like a living body, then person is part of an intricate immune system. Any member of the team should be able to notice and alert the team to a brewing problem, and the entire team should coordinate to address it. A single concern for one is a worthy concern for all. read more

We often assume that the number of hours spent at work are an indication of one’s effort, interest, and accomplishment. However, in reality, the greatest ideas and the execution of these ideas happen in spurts. The best ideas often do not require a lengthy conception, and the most productive days are seldom the longest. But still, managers instinctually measure employees with an eye on the clock. Working hours remain rigid, and morale suffers when the rules fail to support the ultimate goal: a productive creative workplace. What working conditions are ideal for maximum creativity and productivity?

TRUST
It is no secret that a lot of time in the typical corporate job is wasted - look no further than the success of comedy shows like “The Office.” We like to make fun of bureaucracy because we see it around us every day. Managers create rules and norms not in the pursuit of efficiency, but rather out of distrust. According to a recent study by AOL and Salary.com, full-time employees work a total of three days a week, wasting the other two.

A productive creative team must embrace transparency, and there must be a fundamental trust shared between colleagues. Beyond deadlines, expense accounts, and privacy, every employee must trust that their colleagues want the best for the company, care about the product, and aspire to succeed in their role. For this to happen, everyone must have a sense of shared goals, and shared rewards. read more