Creative People: Handle With Care.

Contributed by Elaine Landau

Saying that you manage a creative department is close to saying you train lightning. Many creative people put the eeek in unique. Many are brilliant when working at their own pace, but hand them a deadline and watch the creative juices freeze up like a Popsicle®. In creative departments, artists and writers are asked to be original thinkers on a daily basis. No pressure there, right? So how does one become an effective creative manager?

Starting from scratch or did you inherit?
Managers can be promoted from within or hired from the outside. Both situations can be challenging. When promoted from within, you have the advantage of already knowing the people in the department. You know first hand their strengths and weaknesses. A huge disadvantage is that they know the same thing about you. Hopefully, any resentment or jealousy will disappear in time.

You may inherit preexisting conditions. Perhaps there is an older employee who has been denied computer training because of budget constraints. That employee will feel alienated when younger employees or freelance employees have the computer expertise he/she is lacking. If the employee still expresses interest in learning computers, explore online courses together. Basic computer education is available as well as advanced tutorials in Excel®, Word, Photoshop®, PowerPoint®, and more. If your employee is a designer, an Adobe Photoshop online tutorial may be just the answer. You may have inherited a bitter employee. Now you have a seasoned, loyal employee who is grateful for your support.

When hired in from the outside, a new manager is a mystery to be avoided. The creative types I know are slow to trust. Unfortunately, deadlines don’t wait for everyone to become chummy. By promoting an environment with honest two-way communication, you have set the stage for a positive creative atmosphere. That is an excellent start. Time takes over from there.

Your first new-hire as a creative manager.
Determine what your department needs to be more creative and effective, and then find the right person to fill that slot. When interviewing for a writer, really read writing samples. Is he/she capable of writing different styles? Were the writing samples written in a deadline situation? If you are looking for a designer, be sure to ask how long each piece took from concept to production. What was the person’s role in the development of the piece? Does he/she work alone or with a team? These kinds of questions will weed out the loner artists from the creative team players.

When you find a creative genius, beware…
True story. Human Resources had sent over the portfolio of a designer who had been looking for a position for months. After reviewing his stuff, I couldn’t believe he hadn’t been scooped up already. When invited in for an interview, he volunteered to bring more samples of his work. I couldn’t wait.

In the interview he was enthusiastic and energetic. When showing me his work, he pulled out a very striking piece. I asked him what his role was in the production of the piece. He proudly explained that he had been the designer and writer.

I closed his portfolio and told him the interview was over.
He was stunned. What went wrong? I explained that the last piece--the brochure with the great photography and spiffy copy--was mine. I had done it for a small advertising agency a few months before taking my full-time position. This guy, who had been so charming, was now a stump. From what I hear, he is still an unemployed stump.
It was upsetting to think he was such a bold liar. It was more upsetting to know that I was ready to hire him.

When you find the best…
Protect them. Keep them far away from screaming executives. Shield them from insensitive executives who may refer to the copy as “stupid” or the design as “ugly.” Keep office politics as far away as possible from your crew. That’s a headache for a manager, not the creative team.

You get what you pay for.
When you find a seasoned creative person, pay them more per hour or per job. Why? Chances are you will save money in the long run. How? They tend not to make costly mistakes. With experience comes efficiency.

A recent graduate is affordable and hopefully has enthusiasm, energy, and fresh ideas. Just expect missteps and be ready to get more hands-on if a project is slipping away from reality and missing the deadline.

Stay close, but not too close.
Creative people don’t like over-the-shoulder supervision. After you have given the creative person the specs, deadlines, and the expectations of management and the client, walk away. A pro will know when he/she is being trusted and that boosts the old ego. If a creative person can “own” a project, expect great things.

When time allows, forget the specs. Forget marketing. Forget management. Brainstorm over a pizza and invite everyone to the party. Humor is a great side dish. Encourage laughter, fun, and a criticism-free environment.

And the award goes to…
Submit great creative efforts to local, national and international competitions. If your team has created something extraordinary, their peers should know. Your people will appreciate the exposure and your belief in them.

I have found that creative people are indeed unique. They are also the reason we laugh at television shows, find commercials so intriguing, and wonder aloud, “How did they do that?” They’re creative, that’s how.

Popsicle is a registered trademark of Unilever or one of its affiliates, registered in the U.S. and/or other countries. Excel and PowerPoint are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Photoshop is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the U.S. and other countries.

About the Author:
Elaine Landau is a freelance writer, publicist, web site editor, and television writer with more than 15 years of experience in marketing, advertising, and publicity.

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