5 reasons creatives hate working for you.

Leading creative people is like herding cats. They sometimes appear to be all over the place, to be mischievous, off in their own worlds, extremely curious and can be a tad hard to manage at times. But your business needs them and they need you, and when you get to understand and know creative people, gain their confidence and respect, then extraordinary things happen.

Unfortunately most leaders don’t take the time to understand that creative people work, behave and think differently, and that in order to utilize their genius you need to provide them with a stimulating and conducive environment. So…here’s 5 mistakes that businesses make which will ensure their creative people will hate working for them.

1. Segregate them.
Creative people love hanging out with other creative people. It’s stimulates them, allows them to bounce ideas around, gives them a sense of camaraderie. So whatever you do, make sure your creative people get to network and hangout with others (within and without your organisation).

2. Same, same, same.
Creative people love variety. They are by nature curious. It’s what creativity is all about… trying new things, exploring new territories, it’s what keeps creative people fresh and inspired. So whatever you do, don’t keep giving them the same brief just because they did a good job last time. Mix it up, challenge them, and keep things interesting.

3. Contain their expertise.
In a recent survey we conducted, one of the key things that kept popping up for creatives was the ability to keep learning new skills. It’s important to allow your creative people to attend courses and seminars or just hang out in other areas with other people and learn how to do different things. And don’t be too concerned if it’s not industry or job related because it all adds and the best inspiration often comes from outside sources.

4. Play the money game.
Listen. One thing I know from experience is that most creative people really love stability of income and although it’s not always their major driver it is important. So you need to pay them well and pay them consistently. If you start playing games financially you’ll only upset things.

5. Act superior.
One thing you can never do with creative people is act superior or above them. Although Creative people understand and appreciate hierarchy and chain of command, what they don’t respect or like is someone who throws their weight around. Creative people are happy knowing someone’s in charge, and knowing what’s required of them, but they also need your respect. So lead them, mentor them, guide them, include them but don't manage them or boss them about.

 

Comments

[Jan Richards]

So interesting, amusing and true!

This advice applies to all the creative people I know, including scientists.

Thanks for an excellent, thought-provoking post.

[Penny Jensen]

So true . . . Yet COMMON SENSE really . . . : )

[Sumitran]

Nigel, as a creative head myself, I'd like to add just one more to your list : 6. Don't rush. Creative people sometimes get ideas in a flash and sometimes, in a while, and sometimes in days, and some other times never. So don't rush them with scary deadlines. Give them a reasonable amount of time to ideate, if you want really good quality output. Don’t rush them by saying that 'it's required yesterday'. You do that, you're only jeopardising the effectiveness of your communication.

[JimJobs]

Hello

This article really hits me and is informative.Can I use this information on my site? I will link back to your blog?

Let me know

[A Meikle]

This is a great article. I think that creative people really need to carve out their own physical space and time to be able to work more productively. A good boss knows how to nurture creativity. This program really helped me to manage my time so I could think more creatively. http;//reframeproductivity.com

[Sha-mayne]

Hi Nigel
You have hit the nail right on the head! Being a designer, I think you've described myself and all designers I know precisely. Just one thing I'd like to add... don't tell a designer (NB, we're designers, not artists) that they can do anything they want - we need some boundaries to create even better.
Looking forward to more posts!

[Irune]

Lovely article, wish more bosses and clients read this kind of articles ;)

I'd add that creatives don't really work well with really vague specifications "I want an e-commerce shop that looks cool without being too informal. Ta!". The more they know about your tastes, the less wasted drafts ;)

[Richard Garland]

So true ... One thing I think is missing, creative thinkers loved to play. Downside the looks you get from the senior management when you are finger painting blindfolded !!!