Creative Teams - A Series

Creative Teams Series Image

Over the years, I have learnt a lot about how best to run teams. Although the job is never ‘done’, the last 12 months’ events have prompted an opportunity to write a blog series exploring the most poignant lessons that have stuck with us at Brightec.

I have a (hopefully) healthy obsession with learning how creative teams can continually refine their culture and grow together. I’m fortunate to work in an environment in which experimentation and change is the norm. Over many years, Andy has done a fantastic job of instilling a continuous improvement culture here at Brightec, allowing us to experiment with plenty of new ideas.

When discussing team development, I refer to our passion for seeing individuals and teams become the best version of themselves. Rather than numerical growth, it is this, which fuels our drive to always look for ways to 'build up the team.'

Our experiences of the years have taught us a lot about how best to run a team. I’ve termed these lessons as ‘principles’; they are terms or descriptions that have helped our team to communicate sometimes complicated subjects.

In this short series, I explore:

1. Developing Empathy

Teams who create products need to know and understand the users of the products they make. Whilst there is a pragmatic approach to building anything, an engaged emotional side is also required to ensure delighting users and fulfil their needs.

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Illustration: Developing Empathy Culture
Developing Empathy

What if I was bold enough to say that developing empathy is the most crucial skill that any creative team can continue to grow. Would you agree?

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2. Candidness

Being able to critique and refine each other's work openly is vital to producing great solutions together. But, that critique nose dives if it isn’t shared (and received) within a relationship of security, mutual respect and understanding.

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Illustration of the word Candidness Culture
Candidness

Openness, honesty and frankness lead us to the most creative and best work.

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3. Getting the Job Done

We can often get a little lost in our art. It is essential to remember that creative work is a job you turn up to, prepare for, train for, and ultimately complete.

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Triangles: getting the job done Culture
Getting the Job Done

A sound understanding of what it is to do creative work and get the job done is vital for team health and long-term client relationships.

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4. Staying Hungry

We have to ensure we can deliver new solutions and products for our clients to see the value in our services and want to keep working with us. Knowing where inspiration comes from means that our 'creating' doesn't become a factory line of churning out the same old thing.

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Illustration behind the words 'Staying Hungry' Culture
Staying Hungry

Knowing where inspiration comes from means that our 'creating' doesn't become a factory line of churning out the same old thing.

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5. Being Considerately Passionate

We could be utterly passionate or utterly considerate, but the middle ground is where we want to be. Brilliant, and great to work with. We aim to be the kind of people who know when to champion our field and when to be a team player.

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Illustration with the words 'Considerately Passionate' Culture
Being Considerately Passionate

We could be utterly passionate or utterly considerate, but the middle ground is where we want to be.

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Future Hope

My predominant hope for this series is to allow our team and new starters a better insight into some of our collective decisions. I have a secondary hope that I have learned enough to help other teams adopt some helpful values within their teams.


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