Every hour brings a new emergency in an agency.
And every one of those problems is the biggest issue in the world to the team working on it. Whether it is or not.
From last minute changes to unexpected briefs. Resourcing issues to the work ‘not quite working’.
Creative Directors need to bring inspiration, experience and enthusiasm but they also need to bring a sense of calm.
It can often be the most useful thing.
Much more use than trying to know every answer yourself.
When anyone comes to me with an issue, or I hear about one, I firstly listen and secondly say ‘let’s get everyone together for 2 mins’.
Once you get everyone in the same room it’s amazing how quickly a problem will be sorted.
Especially if as a leader you stay one step outside and above the issue. Using some of that calmness and experience to pin down the root of the issue. Making it a question to solve together.
Slow things down and the solutions drop into place.
You find a clear direction of travel.
People see the priorities and what needs to be done in what order. Which means you’ll get it sorted faster.
I've worked with a lot of people who are all about the drama. Everything had to be blown up into a noisy problem.
To be honest, in my youth I was a bit like that. Sorry all.
It often happens because people love to live up to the stereotype of what the industry is. But it gets you nowhere. Every situation becomes an issue. Even the ones with easy fixes.
A CD, or any leader, should be able to stay one step removed at all times. To see the forest for the trees, before chain-sawing down the trees that are getting in the way.
