The poster says teamwork. The calendar says otherwise.

Creative people are people. Annoyingly.

A fast moving agency needs ideas, energy and people who care. It also needs leave approvals, workload plans and someone who can have the conversation everybody has been avoiding since Tuesday. The presentation may be beautiful; the problem will still be there when you close it.

People should know what they own, what is expected and where to go when something is wrong. “We’re like a family” is not an assignment system. Families, in fact, are quite famous for unclear expectations.

Warmth and a spine can share an office.

My hiring note for HR asked for common sense, warmth, discretion and a spine. I stand by it. You can listen properly and still say no. You can even do it without posting seven slides about the courage it took.

A useful people function catches trouble while it is still a conversation, keeps private things private and makes expectations explicit. It does not need to become the most dramatic person in the room. We already have clients, producers and me.

The work needs a practical culture.

A handover should say what is finished, what is waiting and what might go wrong. “As discussed” is not a handover. It is a treasure hunt with a deadline.

For someone joining evenflow in Bengaluru: bring judgement, craft and a willingness to work with other people. Good ideas can come from anywhere. The person who sends the correct dimensions before fabrication has also contributed an excellent idea.

We want enough structure to protect the weird, ambitious work. The birthday cake committee may continue, but it does not need a steering committee.