By Donna Farrugia, Executive Director of The Creative Group When I’m not travelling for business, you can find me at my office in Westlake Village, Calif., during the workweek. It’s my home away from home. And like most in-house professionals, I spend 9+ hours at my desk (or at least within the building’s walls). So ...MORE
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Dear In-House Diva, I am an in-house designer at a very well-known retail fashion company and I’m constantly being asked by my internal clients to do personal design projects for them. I don’t mind doing a favor every now and then but lately it’s getting a little excessive. Creating a party invite is one thing ...MORE
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By Donna Farrugia, Executive Director of The Creative Group Think back to the last work week. How many of those days did you actually get outside the office (or even away from your desk) for your lunch break? I’m betting that if you’re like many in-house professionals, you spent most days scarfing down a sandwich ...MORE
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Years ago I participated in a 360-degree assessment. Peers, colleagues, management and direct reports all had the opportunity to anonymously tell me how I was doing. And based on their responses, I was doing pretty well. But there were a few comments that I didn’t expect and one in particular that stopped me in my ...MORE
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Since this is Valentine’s Day week and love is in the air, I asked some of my peers what they love about being a corporate creative. I Love Being an In-House Designer Because... I have access to so many resources all under one roof. I believe colleagues truly respect the value I bring to the ...MORE
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By Donna Farrugia, Executive Director of The Creative Group I’ll be the first to admit that I love this time of year (aside from the lines at the airports). People tend to be in better spirits, and I get a brief respite from my business travels to spend quality time with family and friends. For ...MORE
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“If you become hypnotized by an organization’s culture, you become separated from your personal magic and cannot tap it to help achieve the goals of the organization. In losing connection with your one-of-a-kind magic, you are reduced to nothing more than part of the headcount. Deep inside the Hairball!” Gordon MacKenzie, the self-proclaimed "Creative Paradox" ...MORE
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It’s no secret that companies are feeling increased pressure to do more with less these days – and this includes keeping staff inspired on a tight budget. While the economy may be improving little by little, raises and other rewards are still hard to come by at many organizations.
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By Donna Farrugia, Executive Director of The Creative Group Meetings are a fact of life for every in-house design team. While many of these gatherings are essential, they aren’t always efficient. In fact, 45 percent of managers polled by Robert Half felt employees would be more productive if their companies banned meetings one day a ...MORE
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For the second year in a row, InSource, the resource for creative in-house leadership, and Cella, a management consulting company exclusively serving the needs of in-house creative leaders, have teamed up to benchmark the in-house creative community. The results of this survey will provide valuable insights, a source of validation and direction to in-house creative leaders. ...MORE
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