You Can Be Hard on the Work, But Not the Person

Having joined woman-owned LA agency Zambezi in 2021, Tabitha Onofri heads up its full service production studio, FIN Studios, handling live-action production, post-production (including colour, mix, and finishing), motion design, animation, VFX, and interactive content across all media.

Combining the nimble and adaptable spirit of a production studio with the DNA of an ad agency, FIN has partnered with brands, creative partners, artists, and entertainers, including Tiger Woods, Lebron James, Google, Nike, Hulu and Netflix.

Tabitha sat down with LBB to discuss the early lessons in leadership that fueled her ambition, how she built confidence through theatre, and learning when to let go of control.

LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?

Tabitha> It's been a while, but my first meaningful leadership experience was as a business office lead at Reebok Sports Club New York.

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?

Tabitha> My approach to leadership was shaped by what I didn't want to experience. I witnessed numerous situations where ‘doers’ like myself were expected to be available around the clock, often with unreasonable demands.

This was incredibly draining, both mentally and physically.

I made a commitment that once I reached a leadership role, I would lead with empathy and always prioritise the individual. A guiding principle I learned early at Zambezi, and strive to live by daily, is: ‘You can be hard on the work, but not on the person.’

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?

Tabitha> From a young age, I was independent and didn’t love being told what to do.

However, I never connected this trait with a desire to lead. At 18, I moved to NYC and began working at The Gap. A manager there once told me I lacked the qualities for management, which I quickly embraced as a challenge to prove her wrong.

Achieving that goal in retail fueled my ambition to pursue similar leadership roles when I transitioned into advertising.

LBB> When it comes to 'leadership' as a skill, how much do you think is a natural part of personality, and how much can be taught and learned?

Tabitha> There’s no perfect answer, but I believe effective leadership is 30% innate personality and 70% learned.

My personal journey reinforces this: starting musical theatre at age 12, I overcame extreme shyness by learning to ‘project’ on stage, which built the confidence to pursue more ambitious career goals.

The many obstacles faced as a performer also cultivated resilience that has benefited me throughout my career.

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

Tabitha> You've hired and trained your team to make sound choices, and even to occasionally fail. Trust them by letting go of control.

As a leader, it's crucial to understand when to listen and empower others to speak before offering your own comments or direction. I always tell my team that as long as they achieve the desired outcome with a high-quality product or service, the exact method doesn't have to mirror my own.

This approach frees me to focus my energy on areas that truly require my attention.

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?

Tabitha> This has changed over time. I used to be extremely careful with what I shared, but to a fault. Keeping information too private can lead to oversights, as your team needs insight into the business to provide adequate support. It's a matter of striking the right balance.

Consider carefully how team-affecting decisions are made, especially those that could have a negative impact. Avoid sharing information if it won't benefit your team.

LBB> As you developed your leadership skills, did you have a mentor? And on the flip side, do you mentor any aspiring leaders, and how do you approach that relationship?

Tabitha> My leadership skills have been shaped by numerous mentors, not just one. Over time, I've integrated various elements that have refined my leadership style in a way that is authentic to me.

My approach to mentoring is to lead with a sense of balance and consider the ‘whole person’ on my team. Guiding aspiring leaders to be true to themselves inspires them and helps them reach their full potential.

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

Tabitha> Having worked in this business for over two decades, I've witnessed its constant evolution. To stay relevant, one must embrace change, discover new navigation strategies, and always remember the guiding principle of advertising a product or service: ‘What job needs to be done in consumers' lives?’, and how can we help them achieve it?

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

Tabitha> Zambezi has its own internal metric for creating inclusive work, which FIN Studios also embraces wholeheartedly.

The agency created a group called The Reef: an internal team that reviews client work at multiple stages, vetting it through the lens of diversity, inclusivity and cultural relevance.

Every piece of work goes through The Reef to ensure it’s properly represented and considerate of the world around us.

As well, when a member of my team has a great idea, letting them run with it and seeing them succeed is incredibly inspiring. Our content producer, Angela Wells, created an entire internal Juneteenth resource website to help the LA and Minnesota-based teams find productive activities and events to attend on the day.

It’s been running as of this year for three consecutive years now and has only improved its scope and offerings – with a major nod from Ad Age, as the work led to her being selected as an Ad Age Rising Star this year!

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?

Tabitha> Our culture is a key component to business success – from how we treat our team, work with Zambezi and Scale by Zambezi, client relationships, and from the background of each leader, all of these contribute to the success of FIN Studios.

Luckily, remote and hybrid work hasn’t been a problem for sustaining our work. In production, we’re accustomed to team members being on shoots all day and not necessarily in the office, but we do love seeing our team!

A hybrid approach recognises the importance of work-life balance while cultivating in-person collaboration. This allows for ideas to flow freely, fostering an environment where creativity flourishes.