Don’t shoot! I come in peace! (Or what I’ve learned from the 7th)
One of my favourite things about New York City so far has been my desk. Yes. Aside from the (very convenient) cushion-covered pedestal and generous storage, I’ve had a really great time with my neighbours in the village. From invitations to recommendations to the occasional 6pm shootout (to let off steam — toy guns, obvs) they’ve really involved me and made me feel at home. And that makes a huge difference when you’re a newbie and a little way from home.
It’s also got me thinking about the relationship between our working spaces and, well, relationships. This is the first time I’ve been sitting with creatives (at Havas Village in New York planners, creatives and account people all sit together) and from what I’ve observed it makes things tick along that little bit more smoothly. The trend in the UK is towards more integrated seating plans and that makes a lot of sense to me, especially now I’ve had the chance to experience it first-hand.
Now I get that there’s a time for bouncing around ideas and a time for “everybody LEAVE ME ALONE – I just need a chance to get my head round this” but the great thing about the village is that nooks and crannies are plentiful for when you need a little quiet time. Or one can get out into the real world to have a think. Or if all else fails there’s always Spotify and a decent pair of headphones.
If we’re respectful of each other’s time and space then I think the physical separation can – and needs to — go. It slows us down in getting great work bought and made and it gets in the way of us being the best colleagues and teams we can be.
As a planner, I always (at least try) to tailor my briefings for the creative teams I’m working with. Everyone has varying levels of experience, areas of expertise and amount of knowledge about the brand or the project. The better you know your “customer” the more you can give them what they need to do their best work. No more, no less.
And we all know a good idea can come from anywhere, even if we don’t always readily admit it. Yes we all have our roles and responsibilities and we should all try to get better at those in order to excel. But some of the best creatives I know come up with brilliant strategies and are absolute ninjas when it comes to handling difficult clients. Similarly I’ve seen account people suggest genius fixes on creative work to address thorny feedback and get the work through. Personally I try to add value whenever I see an opportunity, even if it isn’t technically “my place”. Of course we need to be respectful of boundaries and individual craft, but free-flowing conversation and debate can only be a good thing, right?
At the end of the day, we’re all in the same business and we all want to make great work and help clients achieve their goals. When the walls come down, we can all just crack on with what we do best and get to better work faster. And if the debate ends up being a little heated, then I’d highly recommend a casual (toy) shootout to let off steam.
