Rising Star
Related Posts
Community Builder
Anyone know anything about LDWW?
Additional Posts in Advertising
How’s RGA for a CW?
That Ram Ad??? 🙄
Any fishies in new york have official snow days?
Are there any solid recruiters in SF?
What do you do if you hate your partner?
New to Fishbowl?
Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
First maybe have a dedicated conversation about working styles and how they best receive feedback (divorced from a specific task or project.) Clearly communicate the distinction between a critique of their output vs their identity.
Sometimes it’s helpful to frame feedback as an extension of your commitment to helping them learn and grow. It’s not an indictment of their character, it’s about identifying areas of improvement that ultimately support their long-term professional success.
Good luck!
Stop criticizing and start collaborating? You’re not her CD. Don’t give your opinion on the idea. Build on it. If you’re not sure you like the direction it’s going in, provide an alternative solution that’s based on where she’s started.
For example, “I love the colors in this. What if we changed the hierarchy to help the headline stands out more? Is there a way to do that?”
Or, “Can you tell me more about this layout/concept? I think I’m seeing the vision. But, I want to make sure I’m understanding it fully.” Then, just give a suggestion that builds on her intention, if not the execution.
You don’t need to give her feedback. That’s not your job. Your job is to work together to find a solution that works. And, provide alt. solutions if you’re not sure about that one.
Build on ideas to get to the idea. Try not to cut them down.
Yeah ACD 2 has the best response of this thread. Why are they criticizing them in the first place? Whether it’s managing, mentoring, or collaborating… you should be pushing the project in the right direction. Criticizing someone isn’t productive. Why isn’t OP teaching them how to do it better? Is it because there’s no insight? Has it been done before? Is it wrong because it’s not the right tone? Are the wrong places being mined? Is the brief wrong? Even if it’s one of those things. That shouldn’t be where feedback ends. Teach them how to fix that. Teach them the next steps.
Is this a partner? A junior copywriter working under you? You said “challenge her ideas”
but maybe there’s a way to build on them vs challenge - which feels like you’re questioning them or expecting a defense,
We all get thicker skin in this business eventually - and in different ways. My suggestion is to change your approach and see if it gets you what you want.
Rising Star
I think you should talk to them. This is an impossible question to answer, because we don’t know you. Maybe you think you’re being honest but are just rude. Maybe you shut down everything instead of build. Maybe you only like your own ideas. Maybe you need to learn that, in a partnership, you need to hear them out. We can’t say.
But it’s clear that something is bothering her, so may as well ask. It’ll make it clear you care too.
Act mystified every time she loses her cool and ask if there's a better way she'd like to have these discussions, but don't soften or reduce your criticism at all. Get as many of these interactions in writing as possible. Allow her crazy to escalate without reacting. Work hard to get it to happen in front of other people/see if you can forward something extra wild she wrote with the excuse that you're concerned about her and think she might be overworked or something.
If you get pulled into any sort of mediation, act confused, say you think you have a great working relationship, and claim you don't remember or care about any examples she brings up.
Tell everybody how much you like her often.
Soon she won't be an issue anymore.
Uh this feels really manipulative and unnecessary.
You want a REAL answer that’ll work? Start making it personal.
Tell her exactly what you just told us in a way that reflects your sincerity. Then straight-out ask why she does that?
No, don't do this. It will absolutely backfire.
We need to know three things.
Who is she in relation to your job function—your manager? Your partner? A strategist you work alongside often?
How often are you challenging her ideas?
Are you a man?
I was like this my first year or so out of school. Not to mention my first boss was kind of a coke head, who served in the military so assumed a little too much hierarchical compliance.
I assume you tried the feedback sandwich? That always works well on me.
Do the feedback sandwich
A senior copywriter doesn’t give criticism. The creative director is the one who gives criticism. Not you.
You’re supposed to “yes, and …” your partner’s ideas. Not shoot their ideas down. This is collaboration 101, folks.
>“…just throwing thoughts at a Google doc…”
My definition of creative collaboration differs from yours.
Collaboration is like when musicians jam together to make a song. It’s best done in realtime. In lieu of being next to each other in person, leave Zoom/Teams video chat open and talk to each other freely for a couple hours.
In these work sessions, let your partner think of zany ideas. This is how you get to the good stuff, by letting dozens of mediocre stuff come out without fear of judgment from your partner.
Handing off non-realtime notes in a Google Doc is not collaboration and is an unnecessary, self-inflicted silo. It creates a “my idea vs their idea” dynamic and isn’t truly collaborative. A concepting session has to be realtime and non-critical so that you can bounce ideas off of each other quickly.
Then you hit writer’s block. Then you get stuck. You and your partner take a walk. You get lunch. You push yourself about 20 minutes more. Then the good ideas start pouring out like magic.
After this, the golden idea nuggets stand out amongst the hundreds of bad ones. These are the ones you critique, polish and are shown to the CD. No feelings are hurt at this point because all the ideas are a combined effort between the two partners.
Sincerely, an ex-BBDO, ex-Droga5 creative director
Pro
Great post. How can I hide that I take it personal? Oops. I mean; what does she do that makes it seem like she is taking it personal?
Yeah I have a CD that thinks I dislike something or am annoyed when I don’t react in a happy/positive way. And it’s really frustrating. Most of the time I am just processing.
I’ve seen criticism lead to discomfort pretty easily in new collaborations. Usually one party is too casual in their end of the feedback loop.
Also me, I’m an introvert and often present my work with too much naïvety. Getting harsh feedback when I do.
Do they not like criticism or are they not receptive to criticism from you? Would love to know if this person’s ideas are generally well received by the larger team and clients. If not, that’s the foundation for a conversation with them.
Tell her/him to find another industry of work. Advertising was meant for criticism, that’s how you grow. Don’t take it personally unless it’s directed at you in an abrasive way. Like a personal insult. But that can happen too so thick skin is needed plus HR.
How does she give you feedback? Maybe try her style back to her. Also reflect on how you’re delivering the “criticism”. When you share your opinion, it should be stated as such, not as a fact. Our work is subjective. Your opinion is your own and not an objective truth.
I think the biggest question is: How are you phrasing your feedback/critique? Saying “Your pizza tastes like trash” vs “I think your pizza could use a different type of topping” comes across waaaaaaay different.
How might she be interpreting your feedback? Sometimes people hear “you’re wrong” instead of “let’s improve this together.” Be clear that the feedback is about improving the work.