I might have been a bit dismissive of watering holes… if they’re like the one above, that is. And I don’t get shot… (Thanks to my father-in-law for providing the photo. I assume he found it online, and isn’t from his past experiences.)
Thinking a bit more about meeting rooms and conference tables, watering holes and campfires, I realized the metaphor extends beyond meetings… an agency has either a watering hole or campfire culture.
Watering hole agencies are the same as watering hole meetings. There’s clear hierarchy from the top down. In these companies, the org chart is simply a document that let everyone know where they are in the food chain. People have clearly defined roles, and there’s no crossover. After all, you can’t be a lion and a gazelle.
Campfire agencies share responsibilities across roles. The designer is also the usability expert and project manager. The account exec is also the brand strategist. But even saying that is limiting… at a campfire, you can contribute to all aspects of the story. The accounting people think of ways to improve client relationships. The designers think of why people would benefit from certain technologies. The programmers think of how interactivity will reflect on a client’s brand. Project managers are thinking of strategic ways to grow a client’s business. They’re sharing in all aspects of the creative experience.
Thanks to the coffee group for reminding us that we should do what we feel represents the Substance experience in our office space…
There’s David sitting behind some rubble…
Next steps are putting some paint on the walls, finishing up the table, adding new light fixtures… should all come together this week, especially since we move in this week.
So I have a honest question about the idea of a campfire agency and since I don’t get the chance to discuss this with the coffee group…
I like the idea. Actually love the idea. My question is about how it works in practice. How does a workforce who has generally very specialized skills and expertise, generate such thought cross pollenation. Who gives the kiebosh to the ideas that don’t hold water or resolve differences of opinion? Collectively sharing responsibility sounds great, but what happens when things go south and what are the ramifications when they do?
While I completely agree that org charts or the hierarchy they represent can be the skeleton of pecking order, I also think they can be the framework for where collaboration is embraced, cultivated and carried out. No one’s voice needs to be left behind. Ideas can still be safe with a clear path to implementation.
I’ve been spending considerable time thinking about organizational structure lately and what I have come to is that your structure needs to fit the group (ie skills, personality, etc) of the people you work with (or plan ot work with). Even with hand picked teammates being organizationally flat may or may not = more creative, and may or may not work like a campfire.
Love to know you thoughts, I’ll bring the s’mores.
9:14 pm / 2 April 2007