The Frakenstein Leader

Being a creative leader in advertising is like riding a unicycle while juggling chainsaws...it's not for the faint of heart or coordination-challenged. You've got to be a Frankenstein creation of diverse skills to make it work.

It's a job where you're always on display, like a peacock in a fashion show. One minute, you'll feel like you're basking in the glory of a mountain-top view. The next minute, you'll feel like you're taking a journey through the nine circles of hell as depicted in Dante's Inferno. But hey, no pressure, right?

Most agencies aren't great at training up-and-coming creative leaders on how to navigate this rollercoaster ride. So, we're usually left to figure things out on our own and most of us modelled our leadership style after observing the actions of people we've worked closely with in the past. 

I worry that the next generation of creative leaders are not getting the same opportunity in the new hybrid working world. 

But fear not, my dear friends! I'm here to share with you some of the traits I've stolen from other leaders on my journey to greatness (or at least semi-decentness).

Growing up in ad-land, I used to look at creative leaders who were always on fire with amazement. Their passion and energy were infectious, like a contagious disease...but in a good way. 

Little did I know that the best leaders are more like chameleons, with the ability to shift from high-intensity Picasso mode to warm and fuzzy Mother Teresa mode at a moment's notice. It's like walking a tightrope without a safety net or harness, but with a lot more coffee and cursing.

One thing I noticed about killer creative leaders is that they're always aware of the power they have to influence others. They're puppet masters pulling the strings of the agency, but without the creepy Succession vibes. 

I once worked at an agency where the boss gathered the whole team feverishly working on a pitch late at night for an impromptu game of soccer. We kicked a ball at an expensive computer monitor until it shattered into a million tiny pieces, kind of like how our sanity shattered after working late so often. 

But hey, it was a much-needed stress break that brought our team together like a herd of narwhals in a sea of chocolate pudding.

The best creative leaders also never lose their love of creating. They're always searching for new ways to hone their craft and evolve with the ever-changing world of media, like a chameleon wearing a fedora. 

One creative leader I worked with, who is massively awarded for beautifully crafted work, was so passionate about disrupting their own process that they would get excited when clients asked for work to be done faster, cheaper, and better. 

Because they believed that doing things differently often led to fresh new ideas. And, the client had less time to say no when you did something brilliant!

It’s an approach and belief I’ve taken with me throughout my career, so much so that I’ve even disrupted my writing process by crafting this article with a little help from ChatGPT. (Hot tip: don’t expect ChatGPT to make you funny. I tried. It failed.)

Despite their fancy titles and how cool they look in their designer threads and expensive glasses, the best creative leaders aren't afraid to get into the trenches with everyone else. 

I once saw an industry superstar work on a pitch with us in Sydney, staying up all night to help design the deck for the presentation the next day. He could've easily phoned it in and directed from the comfort of his hotel room, but he chose to get his hands dirty like a mechanic fixing a space shuttle.

And finally, the legends of creative leadership are master communicators, like smooth-talking impressionists. They know how to sell an idea in a way that would put a used car salesman to shame. 

One ECD I worked with spoke English as a second language really well, but would talk with a thick Japanese accent in pitches. Why? He’d figured out that he could turn the perceived language barrier into a superpower by forcing clients to lean in and listen extra hard. It was a Jedi mind trick, but without the lightsabers or Force powers.

So there you have it, folks! If you want to be a successful creative leader, just channel your inner chameleon, puppet master, and soccer hooligan. And, as a truly inspiring leader once said to me with a twinkle in his eye: "Be the pirate in the room."