An Opinion Piece by Gerry Farrell
There is no such thing as a born leader.
Creative directors are expected to lead, but they are usually not trained for it.
People have funny ideas about what it means to be a creative leader.
Some folk think it’s a licence to boss everyone about. Others think it means you can take the best briefs for yourself.
The closest comparison I can think of to a creative director is a football manager.
You’re working with a bunch of talented people, all with their own skills and shortcomings.
You can’t do their job for them.
But you can fill them with self-belief. Kick their arses when they deserve it, and cuddle them when they’re down.
The jump from being the best hands-on creative in the building to managing all the creatives in the building is an almighty leap in the dark.
Creative directors are last in the queue when it comes to training.
Account people and planners are encouraged to attend all sorts of courses and conferences.
A creative director is thrown in at the deep end.
One day, you’re the talent, cracking the toughest briefs, winning the most pitches and bagging all the awards.
The next day, it’s goodbye to all that. You’re a manager.
The people who were your workmates are now your workers. Your job is to put your ego on the back burner and try to make them as good if not better than you.
You don’t have those skills at first. Someone needs to teach you.
That costs money but shy bairns get nowt so don’t be afraid to ask. I pestered my bosses to send me on a course called ‘Management Skills for Creative Directors.’
It only lasted a weekend, but it changed the way I work forever.
