Being a creative director in an in-house design team comes with many responsibilities. You not only have to be creative and come up with new ideas, but you also have to be able to manage a team and get the most out of each member. If you’re up for the challenge, here are a few tips on being a successful creative director in an in-house design team.
Define the team’s goals and objectives.
The first step to being a successful creative director is to define the team’s goals and objectives. What is the team’s purpose? What are you trying to achieve? Once you clearly understand the team’s goals, you can start putting together a plan on how to achieve them best. Consider specific metrics your leaders are trying to achieve and how your team’s work can affect those metrics.
Choose the right people for the job.
The saying goes, “you’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with.” This couldn’t be more true regarding being a creative director. You must choose individuals who are not only talented and skilled but also reliable and easy to work with. The last thing you want is to have a team full of divas who are constantly causing drama. Look for designers with skills and talents outside of what the typical designer knows. Find designers that have skills in writing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Consider hiring designers with varying skills outside of the normal Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop skillset, such as knowing how to create motion graphics, 3D models, or animated GIFs.
you’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with
Delegate tasks accordingly.
One of the most important things you’ll need to do as a creative director is delegate tasks accordingly. Not only will this help keep things organized, but it will also ensure that everyone is working on something they’re good at. There’s no point in having someone great at graphic design working on tasks better suited for someone with coding skills. While delegating tasks, consider including team members for cross-training or career development. Expose designers to projects outside their average cadence, which helps them challenge their creativity. Be sure to have your designers present their ideas and make them owners of their creative assets from start to finish. Please give them a voice with cross-functional partners.
Keep an open mind.
It’s important to remember that not all great ideas come from you. As the creative director, it’s your job to listen to your team members and consider their suggestions. After all, they’re the ones doing the work, and they may have some great ideas you hadn’t thought of before. Pay attention in virtual meetings to the chat and encourage all designers to have a voice. Make sure to call on designers not speaking during the meeting to see if they have feedback. This approach will ensure that everyone has a voice and opportunity to engage and participate.
Provide feedback regularly.
Another vital part of being a successful creative director is providing feedback regularly. This doesn’t mean that you should be micromanaging every single aspect of your team’s work, but you should give feedback when it’s needed so that your team knows what areas they need to improve. Nobody’s perfect, so there’s always room for improvement, no matter how talented someone may be.
Being a creative director in an in-house design team is no easy feat, but it can be done if you set clear goals, choose the right people for the job, delegate tasks accordingly, keep an open mind, and provide feedback regularly. By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to leading a successful and productive team.