Bossing It: Why Leadership is an Ever-Evolving Experience with Erin Sarofsky
In 2009, Erin Sarofsky launched Sarofsky Corp. in Chicago’s booming West Loop, and the rest, as they say, is history. Recognised internationally for brilliant creative that is limited only by the imagination, the firm has forged long standing relationships with leaders of the advertising and entertainment industries.
Sarofsky has been recognised internationally for the brilliant design forward work produced across the media landscape, but is of course most well known for creating gorgeous, innovative main title sequences for blockbuster movies and television series. These include “Peacemaker,” “The Staircase,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “We Were the Lucky Ones,” “Community,” and all three instalments (plus a Christmas special) of “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
Erin's recent career highlights also include being interviewed by Lee Cowan for CBS Sunday Morning; breaking new ground with Hulu, Warner Brothers and AppleTV+ to create main titles for their popular new original series; winning Animation Effects Award Festival Gold and ArtoftheTitle.com "Top 10" honors; an in-depth feature story in the illustrious international Communication Arts Magazine, and a Cannes Lion.
LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?
Erin> In grad school at the Rochester Institute of Technology's School of Art and Design, I was the creative lead for a major interdisciplinary project involving artists from the design, photography, new media, film, and printing programs.
LBB> How did you figure out what kind of leader you wanted to be – or what kind of leader you didn’t want to be?
Erin> For me, leadership has been an ever-evolving experience. The world is changing, generational shifts are extreme, technology is moving at warp speed and I am continuing to grow and gain new experiences.
I am a leader who has a vision and can communicate how to achieve that while also creating space for individuals to influence the process and outcome. I believe that if you set a goal, communicate it well, staff well and set up an environment where people can share ownership of the project then you can step back and watch the process. The key component is that I am always accessible to my team for personal or professional reasons.
What I continue to work on is consistently setting challenges that are lofty and daring, and to create accountability for the results, in a way that inspires.
LBB> What experience or moment gave you your biggest lesson in leadership?
Erin> One time early on I was hemming and hawing about a decision, and my lawyer said to me that… “not making a decision, is a decision.” It was then that I learned that being a leader meant making hard decisions and then to deal with the consequences. Ultimately your team needs a decisive leader.
Some of my failures have been promoting people out of roles they were suited for into roles they weren't. Ultimately when someone isn't ready or suited for a new role it's really important to communicate that they have to show potential in that area before that opportunity will be given to them. Even if it’s at the risk of them leaving.
LBB> Did you know you always wanted to take on a leadership role? If so how did you work towards it and if not, when did you start realising that you had it in you?
Erin> I’ve always wanted to be a creative leader. I had those Warhol fantasies, where I set the creative vision for things and then executed them with a team. The natural progression of a designer to creative director really made sense for me.
I feel like I knew by the end of college that I had the ability to build a team and execute a creative vision. I can say with certainty, however, that running a business requires completely different leadership skills than a creative director.
LBB> When it comes to 'leadership' as a skill, how much do you think is a natural part of personality, how much can be taught and learned?
Erin> There is a certain amount of it that is intuitive. But no matter how good you think you are, reading about it and constantly looking for ways to improve is essential.
LBB> What are the aspects of leadership that you find most personally challenging? And how do you work through them?
Erin> I find it challenging when you give people the power to influence things, but they don’t take the reins. People often say, if only it was my decision I would do it this way or that way. But when you empower them to do it they are often paralysed by the realities of it, or they don't have the stomach to influence people's lives in such a big way.
When this happens, you give seeds for where to start. But you make sure not to do it for them. Ultimately if those people are in over their head, the process needs to reveal that. Doing all their work for them is never a precedent you want to set.
LBB> Have you ever felt like you've failed whilst in charge? How did you address the issue and what did you learn from it?
Erin> Yeah all the time. But in the long run I don't look at failure as a bad thing. I see it as a lesson I paid handsomely for.
They often say you don’t learn until you do… leadership is no different. You try things and see how it shakes out. The key is not pretending you had a good result when you didn't. You have to fess up and say “hey I tried this and now I am trying something else”.
Being vulnerable is often looked at as a weakness, but I think to be vulnerable is to be honest and it invites communication and collaboration.
LBB> In terms of leadership and openness, what’s your approach there? Do you think it’s important to be as transparent as possible in the service of being authentic? Or is there a value in being careful and considered?
Erin> Well I used to be much more open and transparent, but the reality is as an entrepreneur and leader you are naturally suited to take big risks. Most people are not comfortable with that. So I am much more careful now about what I share, to whom and when.
That’s not to be an information hoarder. It’s just that there is a time and a place, so yes, you have to be careful and considered.
LBB> As you developed your leadership skills did you have a mentor, if so who were/are they and what have you learned? And on the flip side, do you mentor any aspiring leaders and how do you approach that relationship?
Erin> I wish I had a mentor. But I do see myself as a mentor, especially to my creative directors. I find I often share wisdom that impacts how they work. Mostly it impacts the process, how that feels for the clients and our artists.
LBB> In continually changing market circumstances, how do you cope with the responsibility of leading a team through difficult waters?
Erin> I believe this is a show me, not a tell me topic. I am an early adopter and experimenter. My team sees me playing with new tech or talking about a book I am reading and they know that I have my hands on the wheel.
If your team sees you diving into uncharted waters they will have more faith in your long term resilience.
LBB> As a leader, what are some of the ways in which you’ve prioritised diversity and inclusion within your workforce?
Erin> As a female business owner, I just think I have attracted a different kind of employee. Let’s be real, having a female boss who gets to tell you what to do and who sets the overall vision can be a non-starter for lots of people. I don’t think it’s explicit, but for some people even negotiating a salary with a woman was something that you could tell was problematic.
The good thing is that if they do somehow land here, they don't last long. They will move on quickly.
Why I bring this up is because we are not in the most diverse business, but not having the same old “boys club only” mentality creates an environment where more, different people can flourish.
LBB> How important is your company culture to the success of your business? And how have you managed to keep it alive with increases in remote and hybrid working patterns?
Erin> Culture isn't forced interactions, Zoom parties and kombucha on tap. Culture is about creating an environment where people can be themselves, have space to navigate personal stuff and - even if it’s only in slack - laugh a lot.
Culture can be vibrant or static in any company. For example, some job slack channels are so fun and chatty. Some are boring and perfunctory. Some company meetings are drab and some are really engaging. It’s important to step back and ask why some are successful and some aren't.
Culture is very influenceable if it is addressed on a micro level with little changes. Installing beer taps in the studio won't do it.
LBB> What are the most useful resources you’ve found to help you along your leadership journey?
Erin> I am super into this book “Buy Back Your Time”. I love masterclasses. I talk openly with my peers about what's going on in my world and anytime someone from that circle recommends a book or podcast I listen to it. There are always nuggets I need to hear in there.
