Bossing It: Why Leadership Takes Bravery and Compassion with Adrienne Hall

Adrienne Hall is an Emmy-nominated, Webby and Clio Award-winning filmmaker specialising in cause-based documentary and branded content designed to move the needle on pressing social and environmental causes across the globe. Adrienne is the co-founder and executive producer of Sound Off Films, a production powerhouse on the vanguard of socially conscious film and content creation. Under Adrienne’s leadership, Sound Off has won top International awards and collaborated with top global brands.

Bringing a purpose-driven, non-fiction background to every project she pursues, Adrienne’s distinctive sensibility, as well as her experienced problem-solving approach, rocket many of her projects to achieve high visibility and impact. Adrienne was part of the production team on the Oscar and Primetime Emmy-nominated Racing Extinction, directed by Louie Psihoyos (The Cove) and produced episodes of ESPN’s '30 For 30'. Her attention-grabbing work with agencies and non-profits has allowed her to tell stories for many of the world's biggest brands including Meta, Salesforce, Google, Microsoft, xBox, Lyft, Nike, The North Face, Infiniti, and Toyota.

LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?

Adrienne> I led a team of 25 people who rotated every week to support worldwide independent film releases, for an independent distribution company called The Red Hills Motion Picture Releasing Co. I would have to relate with them as my peers - because I was young at the time and many were older than me - but also make sure they were delivering against the different initiatives distribution companies gave us. I was also working as an assistant for the CEO of the same company, so it was a lot to juggle. Following that, I went to work with director Louie Psihoyos (Oscar Winner, THE COVE) on his film, who trusted me despite my age to lead his field production team for his projects on-set. I learned on the fly and had to learn to be confident and trust my instincts - even fake it, sometimes, to make up for my lack of experience. There were times I was really proud of my leadership role, despite my age, in both jobs, and other times in looking back I realise how far I have come and how I would handle those situations now.

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?

Adrienne> As a woman starting out in the mid-2000s, it was never suggested to me that I could be a director or have creative control on a project. I was happy with the roles and opportunities I was given and was trusted to excel within the confines of those. Back then, I did not know female creatives; I did not have the belief or vision in myself on that path. As a result, now with the women I manage/mentor, I make it a point to reach out to them and encourage their belief with their own creative aspirations. A decade and a half on, I’m elated to now have seen some of these women pursue amazing directorial opportunities and production roles in our field. 

I also never wanted to micromanage - that felt confining. I wanted to give people the tools to pursue their own success and not take credit for their hard work. It always upset me when leaders tried to take ownership and credit for others’ success or ideas; to me, that indicates poor leadership and lack of greater vision. As soon as the team’s deserved 'we' did this turns into 'me', I take note.

LBB> What experience or moment gave you your biggest lesson in leadership?

Adrienne> Standing up for not only myself, but for individuals working for me in situations where I would have an equal/superior who didn’t agree with me, were key moments in defining who I am as a leader. In many scenarios, sometimes longstanding leaders don’t demonstrate much compassion or empathy; they’re just trying to make a good product. For me, making a good product is incredibly important, but ensuring people are collaborating well is the ultimate goal. I find success when folks walk away saying “Wow, that was the best shoot I’ve ever been on.” Today I’m more proud when crews can say they feel taken care of, or that it was a great set, which definitely leads overall to better creative execution. 

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?

Adrienne> I think so; I have the personality for it. I’m affable and can diffuse conflicts between people very well. On set and in production, in high-stress situations, my personality lends itself to leadership. Working towards leadership roles, I always took the extra step to be available and make a plan for getting things done.

I started working towards those leadership opportunities by finding moments where I could raise my hand. Often, those opportunities are open to volunteers; they’re not handed to you. If you take more of those, you can grow from each experience into a better leader. As well, don’t be afraid to make mistakes and be wrong. You learn from each error you make and end up growing as a leader, and can pick others up with you.

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?

Adrienne> It has a lot to do with your personality, but that shouldn’t exclude people who aren’t 'naturally' inclined. Leadership takes bravery and compassion, which may come easily to some, but can certainly be learned. Being a leader is scary sometimes - there are moments when people absolutely won’t agree with you. This can be difficult when you deal with folks you deeply respect. It’s imperative to trust your instincts and accept that you won’t always be liked in certain situations. 

LBB> What are the aspects of leadership that you find most personally challenging? And how do you work through them?

Adrienne> I naturally want to be liked - and I love people! - but you won’t always be liked, and won’t always be agreed with. It’s difficult to not get defensive and take offence, or feel like you made a mistake. Working through that mindset in an industry as variable as production, I was taught by my father to 'be the duck' - to let the small stuff roll off my back like water off a duck. If you sweat the little things, they can break you. Sometimes you have to think big-picture and not be distracted by the small stuff. I also think leadership positions in smaller companies can be lonely, and sometimes you have to be okay with that.

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?

Adrienne> In the last year, we grew really fast - we doubled in size in a couple of months. I staffed up very quickly and ended up overstretching myself to make up for the remaining staffing gaps. I tried to be all things for all people, which ended up wearing me out. As a leader, when you’re giving too much of yourself, it’s not just detrimental to you but can cause myriad impacts downstream. Burnout sneaks up on you quickly, which is common among overstretched leaders in the industry. You need to take time to be the best leader you can be. Up until that point, I thought I was pretty invincible and that I could just work harder or longer through those challenges. Spoiler: you can’t.

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?

Adrienne> I think transparency is essential, but I think information should always be curated based upon what a person needs to know to perform their best in their role. Sometimes I find too much information can be distracting to people and it is your duty as a leader to gauge that. It’s a fine line. Everyone has to understand the top-level goals we are all working toward and I think, in general, people feel motivated with more information.

LBB> As you develop 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?

Adrienne> In part, I have to credit my mom. I’ve always been able to pick up the phone, vent to her and get her insights into business and leadership in general. She was a presidential appointee and ran the Federal Medicaid Program through HCFA while I was growing up and starting in my career, so she had plenty of advice to offer about leadership and collaboration. She always challenged me to be a leader and believed in me in that way. My mom’s a badass - she’s amazing. From 2013, I worked a lot with Mike Jacobs from Strike Anywhere. He and the Strike team hired me to produce a lot of projects with him. I love his leadership style - calm, cool, compassionate and collected. He also always had fun in the work which was a great reminder that his team could, too. Fun is important.

The other leaders I had led me to some idea of trust. They hired and believed in me, and I think I inherited and expanded that trust to others in their roles. I was definitely never successfully micromanaged and was always able to excel on my own. I’m naturally inclined to work with people who also don’t want to be micromanaged and want to succeed in their own style. You have to find what works for you.

LBB> In continually changing market circumstances, how do you cope with the responsibility of leading a team through difficult waters?

Adrienne> Sometimes you have to look at what you want and what your people want versus what they actually need. As a leader, you have to make tough decisions you don’t always want to make. I think you have to react quickly to situations before they get dire and not be afraid to have hard conversations; they could sink the ship if you don’t confront them head-on. 

LBB> As a leader, what are some of the ways in which you’ve prioritised diversity and inclusion within your workforce?

Adrienne> It’s been part of who Sound Off is since the beginning. We know the best work comes from the people with the most varied and inclusive backgrounds possible, which only strengthens the product and makes you more aware of what you’re making. As marketers and storytellers, you shouldn’t approach your business any other way. Even when you don’t get it right, listen to constructive criticism and surround yourself with people willing to advise. It comes down to building a safe and collaborative environment - turning to people who can call out your mistakes and educate you on how you can be better.

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?

Adrienne> One of the saddest parts of our time is that, while remote work gives people a lot of flexibility, it’s difficult to maintain a collaborative atmosphere through screens and across time zones. We’ve had success in making team calls fun and limiting them to essentials - not just the box-checking, but in building trust and community. We try to avoid rudimentary calls for their own sake. People’s time is valuable and forcing things doesn’t work.

LBB> What are the most useful resources you’ve found to help you along your leadership journey?

Adrienne> Any means of grounding myself. For me, that’s exercise and diving. Time away from work also makes you better at work in the end. I value having a trusted group of people eager to see you succeed. When building a team, it’s important to have a group of people you can call on for advice and feedback.