the decider

The first time I got promoted to creative director, I was immensely satisfied (some might say smugly, but I can't comment) at the natural evolution of things; this was the next step of my career, and I was ready for it. I was heading up an existing team on an established account, in a category where I had previous work experience. There was plenty of support for me. Easy peasy, right?

Well, I can't say it was terrible. But the big change from being a plain old writer, what I wasn't expecting, what floored me, was that people were constantly demanding answers. My team, suits, clients – they just never stopped wanting to know things.

Things to which only one person could have the answer.

Me.

It was exhausting and overwhelming. Nothing prepares you for the fact that you can't defer to anyone else. You can't hide. You can't kick decisions up to the Executive CD, because that's what he/she has hired you to take care of.

What's worse, you have to care about your answers. You're making decisions that affect people and their work and their jobs. You have to care, even when you don't want to. That takes energy too. Energy that you used to put into brainstorming and writing. So you learn (eventually) that you can't work on as many projects, and you can't take on anything too big or juicy, not without all the other jobs on the account suffering.

After about a year, I got sick of all that stuff taking over my life. I went freelance.

When I returned to a CD gig, I knew what I was getting into. I finally enjoyed the pressure and responsibility, the team building, all the little things you have to do to help creative teams achieve great work.

Like providing answers.

All of which is just a long preamble to this 2-part article on Design Taxi is all about what makes a good creative director. And a good reminder, for those of us in the trade, of what we have to live up to.

(And look, not a single goddamn mention of Don Draper.)