Being generous – what makes a good creative director
What does make a good creative director?
AdWeek ran this piece as a short video which was produced to promote last year’s 3% Conference. The whole video lasts for less than three and half minutes and asks creative directors what they think makes a great creative director. Of course, it’s a question that has many answers, and the ten answers that are run on this clip reflect that. Responses include teacher, leader, partner, someone who nurtures, a lighthouse (an analogy that doesn’t directly resonate with me as a Londoner..). The response: “seeing what’s beyond what’s been put in front of you” certainly resonated with me, as I think this is a skill and a way of thinking possessed by all great creatives.
Though my personal favourite is ‘generous’.
By generous, this is about being generous on all levels – not just with your time, with your team but with your ideas. I know from my own experience that you can’t be a great creative and do the best for your clients, for your team and for the business if you aren’t generous with your ideas. One of the most damaging things that agencies can harbour is an attitude where creatives, designers and digital members hold onto or hide their ideas. Whenever I have seen this pointless hoarding of ideas, I know that there’s a bad team dynamic, that team members are scared to share their ideas and to do their best.
My view? If you really want to know what makes a great creative director – don’t ask the creative director, ask the team members that work with them…
Check out the video here: