Working in the entertainment industry seems glamorous and exciting, and while it can be, it can also have long hours and competitive environments. “In entertainment, you really have to move quickly on an opportunity or it will pass you by,” WME agent Sloane Cavitt Logue tells Thrive.
Cavitt Logue oversees digital and crossover opportunities for WME’s Nashville office working with clients like Miranda Lambert, Jessie James Decker, Drybar’s Ali Webb, and more. “I work in a fast-paced environment and unfortunately, workplace stress comes along with that,” she explains. “So on days when it seems like everything needs my attention, I step back and prioritize.”
Cavitt Logue shares how she manages workplace stress, the most effective management lessons she’s learned, and how having a healthy perspective can assist in accomplishing big goals.
Thrive Global: What small steps do you use to accomplish your ultimate goal? How do you stay on track?
Sloane Cavitt Logue: I break down big projects into smaller steps, with attainable goals to track progress. I try not to get bogged down in the details, and I make lists every morning to ensure my day stays on track. Obviously, there are days when things come up that need my immediate attention, and I can’t address all of the items on my to-do list. So I just carry those things over to the next day and repeat this process as needed to ensure that nothing falls through the cracks.
TG: What is one small habit that has improved your life significantly?
SCL: Whether I am traveling or at home, I always start my morning with a workout. Even though I admittedly don’t always enjoy waking up extra early, I have found that carving out a little space and time for myself before my day gets started is absolutely necessary for me to be as efficient and productive as possible. It adds a sense of consistency to my often hectic life, and allows me to start my days feeling refreshed and accomplished.
TG: How do you approach workplace stress?
SCL: Personally, my biggest stressor is feeling overwhelmed. I work in a fast paced environment and unfortunately workplace stress comes along with that. So on days when it seems like everything needs my attention, I step back and prioritize. What are the things that I absolutely need to accomplish today? Is there anything I can delegate? I’m working on learning how to show myself more grace in stressful situations as opposed to beating myself up when it takes me longer than I would like to respond to an email. I’m also working on learning how to say no to more things and not overcommit myself.
TG: What are three things that help you thrive outside the office?
SCL: Self-care. I cannot stress enough the importance of carving out time to take care of yourself. For me that includes things like fitness, coffee dates with my husband and dog, a day by the pool, or simply a weekend with no plans and nowhere I have to be. Self-care looks different to everyone, but I truly believe that the most valuable gift you can give yourself is taking time for you.
Traveling. I am energized by visiting new places and immersing myself in the culture. I always feel like I return home from trips a little wiser and with a much broader perspective.
My Tribe. There is something to be said about having a really solid group of friends who love and support you unconditionally. I am very fortunate to be surrounded by some pretty amazing humans. They encourage me, empower me, challenge me, and reassure me.
TG: What about inside the office?
SCL: Collaboration. I love collaborating and brainstorming at the office. My colleagues are amazing — they love to think outside of the box and figure out new and exciting ways to innovate.
Productivity. I am always looking for the most productive and efficient way to do something — whether that’s streamlining communications to avoid multiple emails or negotiating no-nonsense deals for my clients.
Results. I am motivated by each successful deal that I close or win for my clients. And even though results aren’t the only way to measure success, they are a tangible way to track progress.
TG: What is one key piece of advice for someone newly entering a management role?
SCL: Learn to listen. Listening is the most valuable learning tool that you can have as a leader. There is a big difference between hearing what someone is saying and actually listening to them. Listen to others’ ideas and perspectives — even if you disagree, you will learn something. Perhaps even more importantly, provide a safe space where your team can engage in honest and open dialogue. There’s nothing to listen to if they aren’t talking, so encourage them to speak up!
TG: Can you share one story of when you went from surviving to thriving?
SCL: I have been really fortunate to have had some amazing jobs during my career. I started working at a label right out of college and my career naturally progressed from there. At the time, I wouldn’t have described myself as “surviving.” I enjoyed these jobs, and by all standards, I was good at them. Honestly, if you had asked me in that moment, I would have told you I was thriving. However, shortly after I began my career at WME, I realized that everything up until that point was just a necessary stepping stone to get me to where I needed to be. Once I found my stride at WME, I hit the ground running. For the first time in my life, I was truly passionate about the work I was doing. I felt empowered by my superiors, and I believed in myself more because I knew that they believed in me. One day, it just kind of clicked — this where I want to be, and this is where I need to be. And looking back, it took learning what thriving was actually like for me to realize what I had been missing out on.
TG: What type of work environment do you thrive in? Why?
SCL: I am very Type A, so I thrive in a fast-paced environment. I move quickly, so I like it when the things around me move quickly as well. Fortunately, most (if not all) of my co-workers share this mentality. In entertainment, you really have to move quickly on an opportunity, or it will pass you by.
TG: What are your travel tips for staying on track during long trips?
SCL: I like to take early flights so that I can take advantage of the wifi and spend the morning organizing my inbox and responding to emails without distraction. I also try not to overcommit myself while on the road. I don’t need to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner meetings every night I am in a particular city. Instead, I can use that time to recharge, regroup, and get caught up. I also try to travel with colleagues as much as possible. I have found that it is reassuring to have a familiar face in out-of-town meetings, and traveling with colleagues adds an extra layer of accountability.
TG: With so many distractions and interruptions coming at us throughout the day, what are your tips to stay focused?
SCL: I get a lot of emails. Some are important, and others are just telling me about the latest sale. Regardless of the content, incoming emails are often my biggest distraction throughout the day. I am inherently curious and want to look at each of them as soon as they come in. That said, Inbox Pause has become my favorite tool. I learned about it fairly recently, and it has seriously changed my life. Once downloaded to Outlook, it allows you to pause all incoming emails for any length of time. I use it almost daily when I need to concentrate on a presentation or project to prevent myself from being distracted by the influx of emails. It may not work for everyone, but it has been a game-changer for me.
TG: How do you ensure that your company’s mission starts from within the company?
SCL: I am a firm believer that if employees love what they are doing and love the people they are working with, they will be more productive. WME was literally built on innovation, and that concept carries over into the office culture. Employees at every level are empowered to speak up and pursue their passions. My colleagues are not afraid to disrupt the status quo, and that is largely because they are encouraged to take “moon shots.” In other words, whether or not you are ultimately successful in your lofty goal, the fact that you tried is celebrated. That mindset has been huge for me personally as my role within the company doesn’t fit into a little niche. Each day I am literally trying things that haven’t been tried before. Some work, and others may not. But having an environment in which I am encouraged to try, has made all the difference in my success.
TG: What is your favorite hobby? Do you have a certain tool or trick that helps you allocate time for your out of office interests?
SCL: I know this is a broad category, but my favorite “hobby” would have to be health and wellness. Whether that’s trying a new workout, participating in competitive sports, having amazing meals, or enjoying a nice glass of wine — my favorite things to do seem to center around those things that make me feel better. Luckily, my job actually helps me do more of that. When I travel for work, I always make it a priority to check out a new gym or restaurant that I have never been to. And when I’m home, I often do these things with coworkers who have become friends. I’m fortunate to work for a company that prioritizes health and wellness, so I never feel like I’m having to sacrifice one for the other.
TG: What is your relationship with feedback? Do you ever struggle to give or receive feedback?
SCL:I have a love / hate relationship with feedback. Don’t get me wrong — I love giving and receiving positive feedback, but negative feedback gets a little more tricky. In theory, I understand and appreciate its value, but in application it isn’t always that simple. Brené Brown talks about having courage to have hard conversations, and that is admittedly an area of my life I am constantly working to improve. For me, it is often easier to take control of a situation and fix an issue rather than provide constructive feedback to clients and colleagues. But that really isn’t helpful or productive for anyone — I have more work on my plate, and he or she has essentially been denied an opportunity to learn and grow. I like to think I am a little better at receiving negative feedback, but let’s be honest — no one really loves being told that they are wrong.
When negative feedback is properly delivered, it can be an excellent learning experience. I’ll share a very simple example. Recently, a co-worker told me that I used too many exclamation marks in my emails. By nature I am a happy and easily excitable person, so I had never really thought about the possibility that this may be perceived as unprofessional by business associates who do not know me personally. It was something so simple, but something I would have never noticed had she not called it to my attention! (See what I did there?)
TG: What are three things that make a successful meeting?
SCL: Leadership. There always needs to be one person who can control the room and keep the meeting from going off the rails, whether they do this with a detailed agenda or just by being there to redirect when the conversation gets sidetracked. A great leader also ensures that the room is a safe space for the flow of conversations and ideas, thereby maximizing productivity.
Participation. So many times I have been in meetings where people in the room did not speak up or participate in the group dialogue. Everyone brings a unique perspective to the table, and some of the best ideas have come from group brainstorms in meeting sessions. Every single person in the meeting has something to add to the conversation, and in order for meetings to be as successful as possible there needs to be participation at all levels across the board.
Focus. The majority of meetings are scheduled because there is a common end goal. However, when you get in the room with a group of people, it is often easy to get distracted and go off track. However, in order to ensure productivity, everyone on the team needs to remain focused on the goal from start to finish. The second even one person loses focus, productivity and efficiency begin to decline.
TG: What do you do when a project or personal goal isn’t on track? What small steps can you take to get it back in motion?
SCL: I think it is important not to treat setbacks as failures, but instead see them as learning tools. Figure out what caused the project or goal to go off track, and then apply that knowledge moving forward to avoid making the same mistakes in the future. Rather than dwelling on what didn’t work, pivot, regroup, and keep moving forward.
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