perspectives
To quote Michael Keaton’s Batman in the scene from Tim Burton’s Batman where he confronts Jack Nicholson’s Joker in Kim Basinger’s apartment while holding a fireplace poker and having just smashed a decorative obelisk (???), “You wanna get nuts? Let’s get nuts.” The Joker immediately shoots him, but Batman, having hidden some sort of metal plate under his shirt, survives. This latter detail is irrelevant to the point I’m trying to make here, but I’m including it for completeness’ sake.
My point is that this section might get a little bit nuts. I’ll probably lose people, and that’s ok. I want to work with teams who share my values, appreciate radical transparency, and appreciate getting a little bit silly. Creative work is supposed to be fun, right?
but … why?
I didn’t get into this career by accident. I’ve always loved storytelling, so no one seemed surprised when I decided to major in English in college. Comedian John Mulaney called his English degree “worst financial decision I ever made in my life,” but it’s worked out OK for me. I don’t know if the twenty-year-old version of myself could have predicted the career I would go on to have, but he would be pleased to know that he did, in fact, end up telling stories for a living.
So, why do I do what I do? The simplest answer is that I love solving problems with creativity. Every project or assignment is unique, yet all are grounded in universal, basic needs. What does the audience want? What do we hope to achieve? Why should the reader care?
Creativity is an exercise in empathy and humanity. I love the challenge of blending all facets of a project together and ensuring the brand, the business, and especially the reader are equally considered. Perhaps more than that, I enjoy mentoring and guiding other creatives as they learn and master their craft. That’s enough to get me out of bed, day after day.
Inclusivity.
I am an unapologetic advocate for inclusivity in the workplace and expect any employer of mine to welcome employees of all backgrounds and identities to the team. I also recognize and support the unique challenges and inequities many individuals face, whether because of their gender, race, or sexual identity, and dedicate myself to helping them grow and advance in their careers.
AI.
As a natural skeptic, I have resisted the hype (and dire warnings) around AI. The human mind is as good as it gets when it comes to creative work. However, I have kept an open mind and found some tools that my current team uses - and likes - that eliminate and streamline non-creative tasks. Like any tool, AI is only as useful, or dangerous, as the person using it.
feedback style.
My goal with all feedback is to be constructive and straightforward while remaining sensitive to the writer or team member’s point of view. With written work, my main consideration is the reader and her/his needs. Therefore, my main concern is whether the content is written and structured to deliver on the reader’s likely expectations. I try not to impose my own style or preferences on the writer’s voice and instead allow the writing team to stretch and play within the brand guidelines.
With professional and performance feedback, I maintain regular 1/1s and ongoing career discussions so team members always know where they stand. If I’ve done my job well, annual reviews should be largely a formality.
Work/Life.
I protect my team’s mental health and quality of life. As a parent, I understand the challenges of balancing one’s work expectations with the realities of home life and the strain that our always-on society can put on our mental health. I strive to cultivate an open and trusting relationship with my team so that everyone feels comfortable advocating for their needs and supporting each other’s well-being.
Our careers are important and we should care about the work we do. But work is not life, so you’d better not be online when you’re supposed to be on vacation. (Seriously.)
Expectations.
My job is to help the team deliver standout content and to ensure everyone has what they need to do their best work. I expect every person on my team, including me, to be reliable, transparent, and unafraid to speak up. If you have a question, ask it. Dealing with an at-risk deadline? Let’s solve it together. Something bothering you? Share it so I can help.
It’s ok to be imperfect. Sometimes projects go off the rails. Challenges are inevitable. I measure success by how we handle these situations and by our capacity to learn from them and apply those lessons to future work.
Identity.
I can’t pretend to be something I’m not, and what I am is a sarcastic punk kid from New Jersey who’s now a 40-something-year-old dad with tattoos. I have tinnitus from too many loud shows in my youth and a slight anti-authoritarian streak. I’ve read a lot of Carl Sagan and think we all need to be reminded of our place in the universe from time to time.
These traits make me a good leader. I’m never afraid to challenge the status quo. I’m fiercely loyal to my team and co-workers because I think there’s more to life than work, but I understand how important work is to a happy life. I value creative integrity and think creatives offer value beyond just copy and design. And I believe in checking one’s ego at the door, getting one’s hands dirty, and a host of other (true) clichés.