Exploring the mind of a creative junkie leader

A critic of the peculiarities of creative leadership and processes

“Chichi”. Series 8/10. Book Illustration by Teresa Lubano (Chichi’s Run. 2005)

I’ve worked for a number of agencies. The big ones, the mighty ones and the small ones. With local teams. Across markets. Across cultures. One thing that I’m certain about is that the creative lead has the last say.

Most people say whooooa, being a ‘creative director ndio kufika.’ But the honest truth is, it’s the start of the ginormous responsibility of managing teams, their complex human interactions, fumbling with technology and battling with the accelerated pace of the same, churning out ‘great’ creative executions and a slew of other curve balls.

Most people have this misconception that Creative Directors (CDs) only have to get back to their teams, brief, and then voila! The tasks are done for them.

Sadly, this is often not the case. The best odds are that they will have to undertake the preliminary dirty work, do a few iterations (we call them ‘thematics’) and even at times have to redo their team's work to get the job done well and on time. The best-case scenario is when the art director nails it on the first try.

It is these and other details that I’d like to spotlight. The misconceptions. The eccentricities. The traits that define how these creative nerds persevere to the end of proposals, projects and answers to briefs.

I shall dabble at some myth debunking and discuss what typically makes CDs look like they are the most fun-loving, but in retrospect, they are the ones who roll up their sleeves the highest to get the work done. All chini ya maji.

Male or female (with females being a minority) these group of people are in a category of their own. These extremely talented group of men and women are not only the driving force behind well-crafted pieces of communication, they do most of the slog work. From nitpicking communication on applications; to ensure that the typos are never read; to keeping a count of the creative deliverable; to ensuring that there is synergy and adherence to brand guidelines; to checking coherence of copy and ultimately to pack-a-punch at the aesthetic executions of the visuals.

These group of talented humans are a ‘chosen few’ and tend to do their work with an audacity that is humbling. Spending hours of their lives sacrificing family, friends, fun and even sleep to provide the best results for their clients. Secretly knowing that their vision is not one that can be borne by everyone.

These are the employees who work in the “back office”. They have many names. Creative Director (I know some despise this title and would rather just go by as a ‘Designer’). The Boss. The OG. The Wizards. The Beasts.

The myths about creative leads;

1. They collect 100% of the ideas from the group during brainstorming sessions: this is the most blatant lie in advertising history. Chances are the brainstorming session is merely a gathering to get consensus on the key idea and buy-in for creative delivery. To be perfectly honest, most times, the creative execution and direction is always provided by the CD. They bear the brand’s vision and, as a result, usually lead its articulation.
2. They use drugs, engage in irresponsible behavior, or are heavy drinkers. This is a partially myth because it is true that sometimes the best creatives go overboard with substance abuse. However, I feel that the best creatives are the most rational, kind, empathic, and level-headed individuals I’ve ever known. I’ve even met several who are teetotallers.
3. They don’t do any of the creatives, they have ADs and graphic designers at their beck and call. This one is a no. Most of the time, the CD takes charge, and it’s very different from other professions where we see a lot of credit given to the lead who didn’t break a sweat or was not even partisan to the project’s progress.
4. They have tattoos and have a hedonistic lifestyle. I’m a creative person and I don’t have a single tattoo. We are just mad upstairs, and it can manifest physically at times, but this is hardly the norm.
5. We are demi -gods and we can create incredible work in 2 days! Well, ahem. This one is also false. Ever heard the phrase, ‘Garbage in, garbage out?’ I am a big believer that one has to put in the work. Outstanding work is simple, aesthetically pleasing — and exceptional work, is irreverent. It takes time to plan and execute great work. If you looked at how a genius creative’s brain works, you’d go insane seeing how over 30 mental permutations/imagined sketches are done before they can generate genius work. Nothing exceptional has ever come quickly, cheaply, or randomly. All great effort is preceded by extensive preparation, meditation, isolation, and reflection.

Characteristics of creative junkie leaders;

“Starting Line”. Series 6/10. Book Illustration by Teresa Lubano (Chichi’s Run. 2005)

1. True empaths. Creatives are the kindest individuals I know (there, I said it).
2. They can spot diamonds in the rough, and strive to work with them. They have a good eye.
3. They are skilled multitaskers who consider the big picture before breaking it down into bit-size comprehensible elements. They are Project Managers. Strategists. Designers. Copy editors, writers. Illustrators. Creative humourists by nature. Negotiators. Analytical. Actively tap into their ‘inner child’. Philosophers. Love beautiful tech and self-teach to use it. Mind readers. (Although they will never acknowledge this).
4. They are respectful of their mentors. They normally go back to the ones that mentored them, continuously seeking guidance.
5. They read a lot and binge watch movies. They always stay curious. This potentially makes them exceptional creative writers, at least for those who try their hand at writing. Creative writing is perhaps one of the key disciplines that is disguised behind the fib of creatives saying, ‘We can’t write, we just imagine and visualize’. But I can assure you that a good creative with a good imagination, can also write very well. Reading what they’ve written or viewing what they enjoy doing can reveal their style and values.
6. Secretly self-tortured human beings. They are extremely critical of themselves and their work. And may exhibit some maniacal tendencies, particularly when it comes to work ethics. They will not stop working on it till it is completed. Ask Osborne Macharia. Ask Robert Nganga. Just ask Arnold Lakita. Ask Beyoncé.
7. They are deeply intimate with the brief, study the nature of the client’s industry/brand, mastering important points. They have a knack of immersing themselves so deeply into the brands DNA because they realize they have to live and breathe it. Almost like the way Shonda Rhimes conjures up imaginative characters in her film Downtown Abby you might think they are real — or how J.J. Tolkien, author of the Lord of the Rings vividly describes the amazing characters in his sequel. It’s an obsession. CDs tend to define and over-define until clarity is all that is left. People don’t talk about how this ‘understanding phase’ can be all-consuming. One needs to learn the brand by heart, analyze how the brief will be tackled, map the components in the mind, break it down into various components and then ensure that it all makes sense. They think in 3 distinct ways, ‘through design, in design, and around design .’ They apply Design Thinking and design strategy to come up with their creations. It is a Herculean task, to think, create, execute. And to do it constantly and effectively, is a gift.
8. Perfection to borderline obsessiveness is a significant characteristic among creatives. The majority, if not all, are highly narcissistic (in a good way). As part of their job is to be preoccupied by, showcasing brilliance and beauty in creative executions.

Have I missed anything?