A+E Networks' Christine Olson on Embracing Challenges, Collaboration and Community

Addressing a highly engaged audience of future media leaders including current college students and recent graduates Olson noted her team39s work developing relationships and creativity in the face of a pandemic At the same time they39ve stayed ahead of developing media trendsquotWhat I love about it is the collaboration finding solutions overcoming the hurdles of a challengequot she explained quotThe community of the businessquotWhen she graduated from a small liberal arts college in Indiana quotI had no idea what I wanted to doquot she recalled quotAll I thought was 39I want to be in an industry I39m excited about39 I leaned in and I39ve enjoyed every step of the wayquotOlson moved from a small directresponse agency job to roles at Chicagobased ad agencies BBDO and Starcom During those 20 years she used every opportunity to build up her leadership and management skills She sought out mentors and enrolled in special initiatives such as Starcom39s Top Gun training program When she joined AE Networks almost nine years ago as a New York account executive rising to her current position in 2019 she participated in the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute programAll that training coaching and mentoring gave Olson the skills to develop a team that can produce consistent outstanding results she explained quotMentors and leaders even challenging ones will teach you somethingquot she said quotYou learn to pay less attention to you and more to your team You have to do your own homework and take your best swingquotAt AE Networks Olson encourages her colleagues to be more engaged creative and entrepreneurial with their clients in order to meet the increasing speed of industry transformation quotThere39s more opportunity for that than ever beforequot she notedquotI am motivated by seeing other people succeedquot Olson added quotUnderstand what drives you and how to implement that for successquot She also advised attendees not to let daytoday struggles be an overhang on performance Have them be an inspiration a catalyst for people to work together and collaborate quotThe growth comes when there is a strugglequot she said quotReal stuff happens when you deal with change and shiftsquotHaving a life beyond the workplace is another critical success factor for Olson a belief that39s strengthened since she and her Chicago staff started working from home amid the coronavirus pandemic Virtual meetings are kept short and include appeals to take work breaks and schedule vacations or other getawaysquotYou have to find ways to navigate so it doesn39t paralyze you or your teamquot Olson reflected quotHave people champion you build you up when you need it That39s what gets you over the humpquotThe top priority for Olson and her team now is gearing up for the Upfront advertising season In play her company39s vast catalog of content including linear networks AampampE The HISTORY Channel Lifetime and VICE TV as well as digital and other crossplatform campaigns She expects more interest among advertisers for campaigns that feature interactive commercials and commerce optionsFlexibility is likely to be an even more important factor than in past Upfronts she said quotRelationships give you the intelligence for adapting to the needs of a client You have to figure out where to push in and pull You have to follow through on the info you get Be clear and concise with the people you deal withquotFor students looking to break into the ad and media industries Olson offered two pieces of advice First explore as many opportunities for a first job as possible whether ad sales marketing social media or freelance quotYou may not know exactly what you want to do at this early stage but pursuing something that interests you and being focused in the interviews could land you in an industry or with a career you lovequot she said Second quotask about a company39s culture if that39s important to youquotYou can39t teach passionquot Olson stressed quotFocus and know the company when you walk in the door Understand the scene the mechanics as well as the creative Let people know what you aspire toquotClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet

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A+E Networks' Christine Olson on Embracing Challenges, Collaboration and Community

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Simon Applebaum

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A+E Networks' Christine Olson on Embracing Challenges, Collaboration and Community

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