At Naked Creative we don’t do hierarchy - and that’s deliberate.

When our team photos were taken recently, Carla chose to sit on the floor. Not because there wasn’t space elsewhere, but because where you sit isn’t what defines your place in a team. We are ONE team. And this kind of sums us up!

Research on a-hierarchical management consistently shows that flattening traditional structures encourages collaboration, innovation, and shared responsibility. In practice, it means the person who notices the full rubbish bin empties it, and the person closest to the coffee machine makes the next round. Titles don’t exempt us from tasks - they connect us to them.

Successful leadership today is less about authority and more about creating environments where people thrive. The value of leaders who empower rather than dictate, fostering trust and encouraging every individual to contribute. Collaboration flourishes when people feel ownership, autonomy, and respect - qualities that drive creativity and high performance.

Carla spends time facilitating culture and engagement workshops with businesses across New Zealand, helping leaders rethink what true teamwork looks like. So it feels right to live that philosophy every day in our own studio. At Naked Creative, culture is not a statement on a wall – it's how we roll and it’s the way we choose to work together.

Because when hierarchy is replaced by trust, contribution, and respect, every role is valued, and the collective always wins. (And the team also look smoking in the pic 😊)