Friday, August 08, 2008

How many is too many?

A very smart lady once asked me how I felt when a member of my DT posted cards of other companies who they were DT members of. So, of course, I had to ask another smart lady the same question. She said it was all a matter of balance. A balanced amount of enthusiasm. Ahhhh! That was the answer I was looking for. I like to think of it as balanced love.

But how do the members get that balance? I suppose it's all up to the Designer. Only they know if they can handle being on multiple teams.

I've been asked many a time if, when I am choosing a Design Team member if I consider how many teams they are already on.

And I suppose the answer is yes. When a position does come up on our design team, which is rare, I do look at how many teams a person is on. I also look at if they work full-time. How do they handle that balancing act? Many people can handle being on many teams and giving equal amounts of enthusiam to each company they design for. And I applaud them. I don't know how they do it. I have a hard enough time juggling my own life.

Many companies ask for different things from their members, depending on their needs. One company tends not to know what the other is asking for. Sometimes the companies don't disclose what they expect until the members have accepted and then they are committed. And maybe that one last team was the one that broke the camel's back—upset the balance. Made what was once a wonderful hobby a stressful, whining demand.

I would hate for TCP to be that one that did that.

How many teams do you think is too much?

5 comments:

Unknown said...

It's such an individual thing. For me, I could probably balance three but it would be a struggle because of how young and dependent my boys still are. There are so many variables to conside that it would be difficult to put any number out there.

I do think it is beneficial for DT members to be on multiple teams though if they can handle it because it will help to bring a whole new customer base too each company, kwim?

MacKenzie said...

Good question - I guess it depends on the person and their work ethic.
I'm definitely one of those people who can multi-task. (My seven years as a stay at home mom probably has alot to do with that!)

Stephanie Hargis said...

I think it depends on how much time a person has and how dedicated they can be. Some people can handle multiple DTs while others can not. I have thought about this question a lot because I see all of these women who are on multiple DTs. However, most of these women can handle it and know their limits! That is just my two cents though! :D Thanks for your thoughts! I really appreciated it!

toners said...

This is an issue I have dealt with just this week and have cut down my DT commitments from 4 to 2. It's a very individual decision, though - there are some DT members who can juggle it "all", but I don't do as well if I get too frazzled - and nobody benefits if I'm frazzled - not my family or the stamp companies I'm lucky enough to work for :) So for me right now I'm in the right place.

Great topic!

Julee (Vervegirl) said...

What a sticky question. It really does depend on the designer and the specific teams they are on. Some teams come with a whole lot more expectations and commitments than others. Some designers come with a whole lot more drama in their lives than others. As a designer, I think the key is knowing when something becomes a "job" instead of something fun and not being afraid to discuss possible solutions when this happens. I think personally, if I was just a designer, about 2 companies would be my limit. I'm extremely loyal as well as not much of a "hypey" person, so I'd feel uncomfortable having my hobby and blog overtaken by a constant stream of releases and sales pitches. And my personal rule is, no matter the honor involved, I will only consider a company if I love at least 90% of their images and would buy them anyway. In truth, that really narrows the playing field because I'm a picky stamper, but it's a great way to protect my hobby from my personal overcommitment issues! :) As a company owner, I think the key is having a large enough team that can cover someone if they need to take a break or leave suddenly. And also being organized, assigning tasks early, and doing everything in your power to get new stamps in the designer's hands well in advance of a release so they can plan their busy lives.

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