Three Things Creative Directors Should Never Say
What I learned in my first year leading a team…
18 months ago, I was promoted to the position of Creative Director and given the privilege of building a team from the ground up. It’s been a dream come true—and also one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
I’ve learned a lot along the way… especially when it comes to choosing my words wisely. At one point over the last year and a half, I decided to compile a list of really dumb things I’ve said to my team. In hopes of sparing you and your team from these ill-fated phrases, I’ll transparently share my top 3 with you…
“Nice! I didn’t think you had it in you, but you nailed it!”
This is called a chocolate covered turd. It looks nice on the outside—but once you bite into it, you realize what it’s filled with. If we’re being honest, being a professional creative is one of the most vulnerable gigs out there—probably because the line representing where we end and our design begins is so blurry. Consequently, our unspoken question to those around us is, “Do you think I can do this?” As leaders, we should never say something that confirms our team’s suspicions (as wrong as they are) that we don’t think they have what it takes.
“Yeah, the design isn't quite there yet.
Can you send me the location of that file?”
The “I’ll just finish it myself” approach is such a temptation for me. But ultimately, I’ve learned if I try to wear both hats of “inspirational leader” and “talented designer” I become a thief. Just because I know how to use InDesign and Photoshop doesn’t make robbing my team of their ownership and dignity a wise thing to do. A much better solution for me has been pulling in another designer to collaborate with them until they get over the hurdle. (My team is even doing this on their own now, which has been powerful to watch!)
“This doesn’t even feel designed to me.”
Ugh. Yes, I actually said this… and now that you hate me, you’ll love to know that the proposed design ended up being a great solution. This was the day I realized my visibility into projects was dramatically different when compared to my days as a designer. Leaders: we’re not living and breathing projects at the level our teams are. I’ve learned that before I ever critique design, my first questions should always focus on goals and intentions. Simply put… Design critique that isn’t aimed at a principle or objective is useless noise.
Thankfully, I’ve had more deposits than withdrawals, and my team has stuck it out despite my occasional stumble. They are an amazing group of creatives, and the passion they put behind their work is changing the world.
I hope this has been a good reminder that we can use our leverage to empower or demotivate, to encourage or demoralize. Influence is a fragile gift. Let’s steward it well.
If you enjoyed this, I’d love for you to follow me and the rest of Dave Ramsey’s Creative Team on our collection: Articulate Hope.
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