Thinking Creative

 I was having lunch recently with a good friend of mind who is a well known freelance writer in the Indianapolis creative community who has worked with many an Indianapolis ad agency or design firm. I've also spent about a third of my career as a freelancer. In that role, you get to experience many different corporate cultures...briefly. And you get a chance to note both the talent and, often, the dysfunction present in most agencies or design firms. I certainly did. 

As a result, when it came time for me to hire creative talent as part of a brand marketing group or ad agency, I took into account not just the work in the portfolio but the personality of the interviewee. Would i want to be in stressful situations with this person? Could I trust them to come through with the work, on time? Would they be open to feedback? Would they be someone I would feel comfortable having in a serious client meeting? Craft skills can be improved. It's pretty hard to expect someone to change their outlook on life.

My friend and I agreed that this is the area where the most growth is needed in our industry. Luckily, I am a practitioner and also a teacher. Part of what I stress in the classroom is not only the ability to solve problems using the design process – but also to work effectively in a team in a positive, respectful way. I see many 'aha' moments as students come to realize the sorts of personal outlooks that hold them back from contributing to their fullest. They aren't about type, image, concept or layout. They're about their own lenses or perspectives on the world. So I aim to teach emotionally intelligent designers because that's who I'd like to help send out into our industry. 

If you have experience in this area, stories to tell or are interested in this topic, I'd love to hear from you. (comments welcome!)