Do creative directors have to manage people?
I don’t like managing people, especially juniors who are still figuring out their career paths. But at my company, in order to be considered a leader, you have to manage people. I see myself as a leader, contributing ideas and strategy… I just don’t want to deal with developing performance goals and compensation. Is this the case everywhere? Can I be a creative leader without managing?

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You will manage people, yes. But the amount of people you manage can vary. At one job, I had a large team under me but only directly managed my ACDs. They managed the rest of the mid and junior employees. I just acted more as a mentor to them.

Your other option is to find more of a sole contributor role, where you’re the only creative.

Freelance CD was also a good suggestion.

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Agree here. Currently freelance on a highly creative role for a small celebrity skincare brand. I am the only creative and manage the freelance creatives working on my productions. Ideally I would do this role full-time, but I enjoy the autonomy of this kind of role.

There are very few creative industries where you’re required to work for years honing your craft, proving yourself, becoming the best in your field, only to virtually stop doing it and manage people below you.

Imagine an editor, film director, painter or actor having to stop everything they love doing and step aside to just manage people. Even lawyers or doctors keep working because their years of experience are valued.

Ours is a weird job in that sense and nobody prepares you for it.

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In my experience at good agencies, you manage people. But you still create. You still come up with ideas. Write scripts. I’ve worked with CCOs who still do that. And I’m a big fan of it. You don’t stop creating just because you’re senior.

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A Creative Director directs creative. That is done by managing people. A creative director is a manager.

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A senior, senior manager.

Senior / Manager (managing direct reports usually interns or junior/associate folks)
ACD / Senior Manger (good at managing direct reports, mostly, but still working)
CD / Director (managing other managers and direct reports, good at managing people
GCD/ ECD Senior Director (good at managing other managers and direct reports).

helpful

Not trying to sound preachy but that’s something worthwhile from this frivolous career—-helping people get better.

likeuplifting

You’re probably right

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Yes. It’s part of the job.

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You may want to consider being a freelance CD. No mentoring is expected.

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Someone spent the time helping to manage your career as a junior and probably found you exhausting too. It’s definitely not for everyone, and shouldn’t have to be.

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That’s why I asked this question

likefunny

This mindset is not uncommon, and very indicative of why so many young creatives are underdeveloped, neglected and confused.

I have many colleagues who have expressed they would “much prefer” to be something like a “Senior Vice Executive Art Director Supreme” or something, and leave the whole “Direction” part behind. I wish there were an elegant solution where people of this mindset could go, because the mentality causes damage to the greater team.

Glad you’re self-aware enough to seek a better fit. I cannot say the same for several of my past bosses.

likesmart

The agency should force their hand by laying them off. Non-mentoring CDs cause their teams to become disgruntled and quit, because there’s no growth opportunities. Lay off these non-mentoring CDs and force them to be freelance.

likefunny

Change your title to Creative Doer. Problem solved.

likefunny

Depends on the place. Used to be very much the case but increasingly that’s left to G And ECDS

likehelpful

I guess my view of directing is based on my company’s. I don’t just direct creative work, provide feedback and mentor — I do all admin stuff like comp changes, HR issues if anyone has a problem with another person, etc. I guess I’m just tired of the admin stuff.

Nowadays it's harder to find a gig where you can be a leader without management experience. It used to be that the ideas and especially the strategy to get the idea's completed was enough. Now soft skills are more important than anything, and everyone is a manager at some level at some point (it feels like anyway).

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I was an ACD at a womens media company and didn’t have to manage anyone.

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It’s become a title to keep people at the shop. But if you’re not managing or learning to manage people at ACD it’s just a title.

helpful

Yes. You cannot be considered a Creative Director without having direct reports. Part of the job is mentoring young creatives.

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In my experience, typically yes. You’re directing a team of creatives, which includes their personal development.

However you could be a freelance CD that comes in job to job. Also when I worked at an entertainment company they had a ton of ACD/CDs who didn’t manage people or managed very few people. They mostly worked with agencies to produce work for individual titles.

Yes that’s why we get paid more.

I always look at it like this- I manage the work first. Making it the best it can possibly be. The people always follow along.

Of course. That’s the easy part, actually. Getting the best performance out of everyone is job 1.

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What? You don’t like wiping dirty bottoms and dealing with tanties?

That’s the whole job

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