In the world of advertising, it turns out that some people have better creative ideas than others. Who would have thought? But, at the end of the day, it takes a good team to bring a concept to life. That’s why it’s so important to be wary of who you’re working with. Who’s your boss? Do you fit in? Are your co-workers pushing you forward or holding you back? Ask yourself these questions wherever you end up – even if it’s your dream shop.
Collaboration
If you’re a creative working in advertising, then you probably already know that collaboration is key. Great ideas rarely come from anyone working in a silo. Make sure you’re working with people that challenge your ideas. Make sure that you keep each other from getting lazy. Any good idea can always be better with a little bit of extra work.
Room for Growth
I haven’t experienced a lot of negativity from co-workers in my career, but I’m sure conflict has reared its ugly head for many of you. Be sure to surround yourself with people that help you grow. You should be receiving constructive feedback on your thinking rather than being shot down for no reason.
Variety is the spice of advertising
A good team is more than a good creative department. It takes organizers, managers, hands on people that think like business owners. Success lies in the perfect combination of shrewd thinkers that are good individuals and better team players. If any one part of your team is underperforming, the agency suffers as a whole. Your work can be smart and creative, but if you can’t sell it you’re likely going to see a generic ad that makes you feel like you wasted hours of your life. On the other side, you can be the best salesman in the world, but without great creative, you’re just pushing crap on the client. Soon enough, the numbers will show that it doesn’t work.
The next time you make fun of team building exercises, (let’s be honest, it’s pretty easy sometimes) think about what a well oiled machine can accomplish versus separate parts that don’t fit together. There’s something to be said for a happy team that isn’t afraid to collaborate.
