There is a reason that managing creative people is often described as herding cats. Its a balancing act between a designer's often natural inclination to work in a silo, and being able to hit deadlines and getting stakeholder alignment. I have seen it from both sides - as both an designer/artist and for the last 20 years as a manager. I understand where the creatives are coming from and know how to build a truly collaborative team. One reason I think I have had a lot of success as a leader is that not only do I have a unique creative perspective on things, but I enjoy the analytical business side of things as well.
The Joy Team came up with a system of capturing our everyday "Lil Wins" and displaying them prominently during my time as leader of the team.
Several years ago I was assigned to a management sub-committee in charge of defining Arkadium's company values, culture, and communications ("The Joy Team"). I found thinking about these deeper company issues really suited me. I was the leader of the group for two years and during those two years we defined our company values (full life, fierce drive, positive energy), and solidified processes that improved employee retention and satisfaction. I am very proud that at the end of my tenure we were named one of the best companies to work for in America by Inc. magazine and featured on their cover, were a Cranes best place to work for three straight years, and were named by Digiday to be one of the best technology companies to work for.
Contact me to see how i can help improve your company culture and employee satisfaction.