Disclaimer: I have been on Design Teams before. I have participated in a more DT calls than I've successfully walked away from. I don't possess the proverbial sour grapes. I was once wrapped up in the pursuit of DT assignments, but I chose to walk away after what I saw myself becoming. I am writing my thoughts here because I think it's an issue that needs to be written about...without emotion, without defensiveness.
************************************************************************
Why do some people feel the need to be on 10+ (even 5+) Design Teams, Creative Teams, Dream Teams?
Why does a person who already holds DT positions with major manufacturers, and some of the more popular online stores, feel the need to throw their names in the hat for DT calls held for small upstart companies as well?
Mind you, I'm not being mean spirited, not in the least. Those questions have been asked time and time again in the past. It never fails though, that every time the question is raised, some acquisitive scrapbooker gets defensive (and even ugly) about having her intentions questions.
Why not question it? Do we not question everything else in our world?
Why not ask, "When is enough enough?"? My mother always taught me that just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD. That lesson went hand in hand with the whole sharing thing that was drilled into my head from the earliest years that I can recollect.
***********************************************************************
Typical Scenario: Suzy Multi-DTer is being questioned about her decision to try to acquire as many DT positions online as she can:
Why do you submit for DT calls when you know that you already have tons of DTs under your belt? You already have the experience.Do you not have and advantage over the other gals who are trying to cut their teeth?
SM: DT calls are made to the general public. That means that everyone is given the opportunity to show the store owners what they have to offer. If the other applicants don't have what the owner needs to propel her store then they need to hone their craft more. I can't help it if the store owners picks my layouts over the other entrants.
Yes, you can. The store owner can't select a layout that isn't submitted.
SM: Why should I sit out a call so that others can get their "fair shake" at getting a DT position? If I can handle all of the responsibilities that I'm heaping on my plate, then it should be no body's business but my own.
Why shouldn't you? Do you ever say, "okay, I have enough". Do you ever ask if being on that particular team will help you grow anything other than your resume? True, you are the master of your own fate. You have your impressive resume, and that can pretty much woo any new store owner to snatch you up. But, do you have the time to commit to the site because of your other team commitments? I don't mean the bare contractual minimum posting/participation requirements. I mean, the true dedicated commitment, like that which the lesser experienced scrappers who've been with the site from the word "jump" have proven to have.
SM: I tried for the DT. I got picked up for the DT. Did I know that I would? No...it's a crap shoot, fair game for everyone. My experience speaks for itself and if people can't bring their A game into the call, then they shouldn't apply. How I manage my time is my business. I fulfill my contractual agreement and I receive the promised compensation for lending my talent to the store. Everyone gets what they came for. Everyone is happy.
***********************************************************************
Everyone except the people who were passed over for someone who'd never bothered to grace the site with her presence until the DT call hit the wires. Everyone except the owner when she discovers that she has lost some of the people who stood by her when she first opened because, despite her constantly praising their work and their loyalty, she saw dollar signs when she saw your resume and went with her wallet instead of giving her true supporters a chance to help her grow. She has loaded their DT with a bunch of heavy hitters who are not truly interested in the success of the site...just how much product they can get out of their meager contribution.
It isn't really an ethical question.
It's not a moral one either.
Is it about good sportsmanship?
I don't get it, really. Personally for me, every DT that I've tried out for has been for a site that I'd decided was a good fit for my personality. I've gone to a site for a call and spent weeks trying to see if I could contribute to the site only to walk away without submitting because it felt like championing for that site would start to look like work because I didn't fit in. I wasn't so arrogant as to think that I was a shoe-in, but what good is it to play to lose? I knew that, IF chosen, I wouldn't be able to support the store as much as a person who was really enamoured with it...so I left.
It never ceased to amaze me how suddenly all of these extremely published and DT heavy scrapbookers show up towards the end of the DT calls. Suddenly, the site is declared so "Rawkin' " (even if it doesn't have a gallery yet and the store inventory is still a work in progress) and they are "nervous" (as seasoned as they are) about the call but excited for the "lucky" girls (knowing that they'd probably be one of them). They sidle up to the owner with high prasie for the "rawkin'" site/store and coddling and they try to be everyone's bestest friend. When the results are announced they were so "shocked" if they are picked (don't you think the shock of winning would wear off after say the 10th one?) or they are ghost if they didn't get picked up. I've only witnessed one instance where a known scrapbooker stuck around despite not getting picked up...and she was gone within 2 weeks.
There was one special instance that I recall where one of the Super DTers hadn't acknowledged her acceptance into the surprise semi-final round of a smaller site's DT call. Surprise, because none of the applicants were aware that there would be a semi-final round. I hadn't made it to that level, but I liked the site so I was trying to deal with my feelings of dejection. Well, I received my Scrapsubmit call email and went to check out some of the sites that had calls going. I needed motivation to pull me out of a productivity slump and I thought a DT would do that. I found the MIA semi-finalist on 5 other sites that were hosting calls. She was at full throttle laying it on thick. At first I thought that it served her right to not know about her semi-finalist status, she was obviously so uninterested in the site that she couldn't be bothered with going back to congratulate the winners. Then my conscience weighed in and I figured that she probably didn't know that they'd announced a semi-finalist round and probably assumed that she hadn't been picked. So I pm'ed her and let her know that she'd been selected as a semi-finalist. Her reply?
"Oh, thanks for letting me know! Do you have a link to it?".
I was so shocked that I didn't even reply. True, I used the abbreviated name for the site, but if she was as excited about the site that she had professed to be on the boards, wouldn't she know the site, even under truncated name? As it just so happened, she had an application in for so many calls in that she had a time keeping track of them. She obviously figured it out because she came swooping back in a blaise of shocked gratitude for "being given the opportunity to possibly represent the store" the next day. When the DT was announced, she didn't get picked up, so at least I didn't have to see her posts all the time (yes, she too disappeared).
DT calls are fair game.
True, that's how they are intentioned to be. But are they? Really? Or are they simply yet another arena that the perceived 'haves' can manipulate to their advantage? I overheard some pretty frank comments from someone who I assumed to be a super-DTer while shopping in Michael's last winter. She was with another lady in the next aisle over and was talking about a call that ended that night. Her friend/sister/mom/lover/whoever asked her if she wasn't already on like 200 DT's, to which the Super-DTer laughed in agreement. Then she said, "I know, but I can't help it, it's like taking candy from a baby. I show up and they swoon". They both thought it was so funny that lesser experienced loyal members didn't stand a chance. I was disgusted. First by the fact that she thought it was so funny and then by the fact that she'd actually resurrected and interjected the word "swoon" into the common English language of our day. The conversation is stuck in my head because of that word! But I also had to give her credit for at least being honest and finally answering the darned question.
I can't help but think that there is more truth in the mentality of that woman that there is in the entitlement chant that is prevalent on the message boards whenever the same questions are raised there.
Does doing it because "you can" really get anyone very far? Remember Monopoly? Did it really get you far to buy up all of the property that you could? What about when you wound up on you opponent's single property but had no money to pay the penalty and had to sell your own real estate to clear your indebtedness? Bill Gates has the resources to buy up so much, but he doesn't; he is selective about how he spreads himself and his wealth. He knows when enough is enough.
I don't hunger for DT's anymore. I am not in the market to barter my skills for product or accolades. I don't have time to commit myself to a site. I don't desire to see my name in print other than on my novel should I ever finish writing it. I just want to see some honesty, once and for all. I just want someone to finally answer the question that has been skirted every time it's raised. Why do you NEED to be on that many DTs? When is enough enough?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
I don't get it personally. I've tried out for a few DTs (all manufacturer), but never unless it's a company whose product I actually love, use, and have purchased in the past. I've never made a DT, and typically the people who do make them are fairly well-known (although, their projects were good).
I'm kind of on the fence on whether there should be limits. Yes, I'd like a shot at being on a team (I don't think I could handle more than 1-2), but I want to make it because I was what they were looking for, not because people on DTs couldn't enter (ie last year's MMM contest). And if someone is looking for a DT full of names then I'm not sure that's the kind of place I want to be working with.
I do have to say, though, that it really is up to the person applying. Honestly, I don't see how anyone could keep up with that many teams, but I don't know what their other committments are so I can't be the judge. I think everyone needs to know their own limits, though, and when you know you've taken on enough, it's just in your best interest to step back, whether you know you could have won or not. I know a lot of very talented ladies, frequently published and on multiple DTs who do set limits for themselves. When things in their lives change and they know they can't continue to give the level of committment they feel it deserves, they step back. I admire that. It's all about self-awareness and responsibility.
Golly,where were you when I was writing all of that. I was trying to think of self-awareness...
thanks for the comment.
Well personally I couldn't handle more than 1 or 2...what with working full time and trying to spend time with my spouse/children. I *do* know *my* limit. And like the poster above...I have only applied for teams that I honestly and truly LIKE. Not just to get a DT under my belt. I know of a couple of gals that apply for every manufacturer DT call known to man...sometimes having to BUY product as they don't have any. I just don't see the point in that.
I think some of it is greed. Or no...actually I think it's praise. Some women just NEED that validation..and by being on 10 teams they will certainly get plenty. The sad thing is that they will get so overwhelmed and over their head that they will more than likely eventually fail.
I don't get the multi-DT thing ...first off , when do these people actually have time to spend with their families ? And have a life outside of the scrap room ...be honest , some of them aren't even that good .
Post a Comment