Article by Jenni Heerink, Creative Director at NewellRubbermaid – DYMO brand
Jenni is managing the internal design team of DYMO within NewellRubbermaid and is responsible for initiating, executing and distributing strategic brand design in the areas of packaging, print, web. As DYMO is a global brand, Jenni deals with global complexity and manages the delivery of designs for all regions. Before Newell Rubbermaid, Jenni spent 16 years with Philips Design, and specialized in Brand Integration Design and Shopper Experience Design.

- Pat Riley (born March 20, 1945) is a former coach and player in the NBA. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams and an assistant coach to another.

For information about how Cella can add value to your business through consulting, coaching, and training, please email cella@cellaconsulting.com. This article was written by Cella Consultant Susan Hunnicutt.

After a couple months of planning, the time has come to institute the plans that I have been developing since the day I started. I’ve built some key relationships, assessed a few situations, identified needs, designed processes, and (I hope) built some trust. Now all I need to do is stop talking about the “big plan” and start getting it going already.

Having done this a few times I know there are a few ways to rollout new processes and SOP’s. I have learned from experience there is a definite wrong way to do it and that is to flip the switch. As soon as you introduce even the smallest change factor to how people work, you throw them into a period of turbulence that will take time to normalize (check out Tuckman’s Group Development Model).

Change can be a tough thing to manage, and it’s really a matter of giving people time to absorb changes in routine and process slowly. In the case of an in-house business, there are three groups of people who need to learn and embrace your changes: Your boss(es), your clients, and your staff.

Change is good, or so I have been told. But too much change, too fast, can be disastrous.  So what’s an impulsive, go-with-my-gut-kind-of-guy to do? Slow down and take a phased approach. Embrace the idea of soft-launching the new processes to test them out, and make revisions before the big rollout.

I will be at the InHOWse Managers Conference this June 21-23 in Boston. Won’t you join me and other in-house leaders to share stories and learn from each other?  Details here and register here.

I’ll also be leading the InSource roundtable on Career Paths for the Creative Leader in conjunction with the HOW Design Live! events. Register now to hold your seat. Details to follow.

Andy Brenits has had the privilege of managing creative services start-up operations for four organizations in his 20 year career. The In-House Business Startup Journal is an amalgamation of his experiences leading creative services businesses and the trials and tribulations of getting things up and running to a sustainable state. Names have been changed to protect the innocent or those who should have known better.

- Jim Rohn (September 17, 1930 – December 5, 2009) was an American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker.

Highlights from this April 2012 InSource Roundtable will soon be available to all those who attended this event.

Special thanks to Brilliant Graphics, MICA Consulting Group, Mohawk, and Neenah Paper for their generous donation of sponsorships, materials, and services to support the work of InSource! InSource also appreciates being part of the 2012 Thinking Creatively conference, thanks to Kean University and the Art Directors Club of New Jersey.

When your corporate executives recognize that your brand is no longer getting the results—the return on investment (ROI)—they need, they may reach out to your in-house creative team for fresh ideas in hopes that a brand refresh will keep the brand current and energetic [This content is protected for registered InSource members only. Please log in, or register as a member. Registration is free.]

For information about how Cella can add value to your business through consulting, coaching, and training, please email cella@cellaconsulting.com. This article was written by Cella Consultant Ceil Wloczewski.

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Join InSource, Cella, and other in-house creative leaders at the InHOWse Managers Conference in June. InSource members can get a $100 discount on registration, and register by March 30 to also get the Earlybird Discount! While you’re at it, don’t forget to register for the InSource regional roundtable on the Design Career Path, happening in conjunction with the conference.

One of the biggest challenges for an Internal Agency (aka Creative Services, The Design Group, Marketing Services…) is to gain the respect of the “internal clients”. In order to overcome obstacles like “respect” you need buy-in from the top. [This content is protected for registered InSource members only. Please log in, or register as a member. Registration is free.]

This article was written by Matt Gill of MICA Consulting Group. As one of the founders of MICA Consulting Group, Matt Gill acts as Managing Partner overseeing the strategic direction of the company as well as client development and satisfaction.

- Mahatma Gandhi, October 2 1869 – January 30 1948. Led India to independence and inspired movements for non-violence, civil rights and freedom across the world.

The first task I undertake when starting a new creative services leadership job is to assess the situation. After about a month I typically have a good understanding of what’s going on, and can start putting together my big plan for the department.

Andy Brenits has had the privilege of managing creative services start-up operations for four organizations in his 20 year career. The In-House Business Startup Journal is an amalgamation of his experiences leading creative services businesses and the trials and tribulations of getting things up and running to a sustainable state. Names have been changed to protect the innocent or those who should have known better.