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Your CD is not your friend. Everyone at your agency would get you fired in a second if it made their day 0.000001% easier. Realize that your CD is a snake and adjust accordingly.
Classic advertising. Everyone is so scared to just be real and give clear, direct feedback about how to improve.
@CD2 the longer I’ve stayed in this business, the more I’ve realized how big the problem is. The best agencies have clear standards and help their people achieve them vs coddling staff and handing out participation trophies.
Rising Star
Here’s the thing. As someone who came up with direct feedback and tried to offer the teams working with me the same respect, a lot of people in your generation don’t want it.
I’ve been “talked to” enough times about teams feeling “unmotivated” or something else. That I’ve pretty much given up giving direct feedback. Or, proactive feedback at all.
I’ll give you a nudge in the right direction. Or, I’ll suggest something. But, other than that—with the few outliers who seem to want to learn and grow—I don’t waste my time. Feedback is a gift. But, I’ve learned not everyone deserves that gift.
I tell teams nice work and good job. Even if it wasn’t great. Just so they don’t give up if they’re struggling.
So, is it shitty that your CD did that? Yes, 💯. Especially if they’re talking about you behind your back. But, see if you can think honestly about your interactions with this CD. When they gave you feedback on the work, did you constantly push back? Did you try what they asked? Or, just bring back what you thought was best?
If you’ve been open and accepting, maybe the CD doesn’t see your talent. So, they don’t want to waste their time giving feedback. In which case, they are not your people and you need to find a CD who sees your talent and wants to support your growth.
Alternately, they’re like me and they’ve been burned one too many times. If that’s the case, it doesn’t hurt to directly ask for feedback about specific areas of your work. If they see your talent and that you’re open to feedback, they’ll share. They’ll also know that you’re more open to it in the future.
Rising Star
AD1, that wasn’t something I came up with. It’s a was shared with me in management training courses, career coaching, by other ECDs, and such. The thought is that someone taking the time to help make you better is not a requirement. So, even the negative feedback is meant to help you grow.
Before I started managing and leading, I probably would’ve felt the same way as many of the people who have left comments in absolutes. But, now, I’ve seen the other side and I’ve realized it’s more nuanced than that.
Even in me sharing my geniune perspective to hopefully help OP think about the issue differently. Or, find the true crux of the problem, the comments in response from creatives not in management are giving the same energy I’ve received from giving feedback from more junior employees in the past. Defensive or dismissive.
SAD1, dismissing everything because I said “generation” when I meant generation of junior and mids. Not a dig at or limited to Gen Z.
AD1, honing in on the “feedback is a gift” and calling it BS and saying my view is jaded.
Look, I truly hope the current mindset you have lasts. That every team you have working under you one day respects, wants, and is open to feedback about themselves or their career. I also hope you have the time to do it with everything else being thrown your way. That is the ideal. If not, I hope you grow to learn the nuance of the job. That sometimes it’s a balance. And, even when they work into you, sometimes not all people are your people—for various reasons.
But, honestly, hope you all experience the former. That’s the dream and creates a more positive experience for all parties.
So your CD has been giving you positive feedback on projects, giving you positive reinforcement and encouragement to help motivate you to perform. Got it.
Then your CD tells their boss(es) that you are struggling.
Sounds to me like your CD thinks you aren’t performing as well as you could be, is giving you encouragement in an effort to help you improve, and is giving an honest assessment of your performance to their superiors.
Sorry but it sounds like your CD is doing their job. Get clarity by being direct and request a candid conversation about your performance. Why live in the dark?