The Proper Care and Feeding of Creatives (An Introduction): Why I’m Writing this Series— And Who Should Read It

Creatives are people who have an innate desire to make, to design, to build. We care about aesthetics— a lot. We see and seek beauty, even in the ordinary and mundane. Our way of seeing and questioning the world around us is often at odds with most educational and professional spaces, where conformity and rule following are required and rewarded. 

For nearly two decades, I’ve led creative teams of various sizes within large and small social impact organizations and I’ve been a consultant, advisor, facilitator and trainer to hundreds of executive leaders and creative professionals. I’ve come to understand, sometimes through my own experiences, what most often gets lost in translation between top communications and marketing executives and their C-suite bosses and peers. The good news is I’ve also mastered tricks and tactics for maximizing creative expertise within organizations without compromising results or wasting resources. My creative intelligence and executive communications consultancy, Purple Haus, helps CEOs unlock the full power of their investments in branding, marketing, and thought leadership, and this series will share the perspectives I offer to my clients.

Here’s the real deal: Some stuff we need to hear can be hard to hear. You know it and so does your team. I’m writing these articles for C-suite leaders who want to know what your creative team members are most definitely thinking, but least likely to ever say to your face. I promise to be as candid as possible, without giving away any identifiable or sensitive information about my clients or any of the amazing people I’ve led and learned alongside. I’m also writing this for creative executives and professionals. My hope is that everyone reading this feel seen, valued, and understood. I also hope that by building a shared vocabulary and reviewing practical suggestions, you will be more empowered and equipped to name the challenges and design solutions together.

And I can pinky promise you this: If anything you read sounds like it might be about you, it just might be. But it most certainly isn’t just about you. It’s about me too. It’s about all of us. I’m reflecting on over nearly twenty years of experiences with dozens of organizations. My goal is to elevate common themes and important lessons and to call us all up to be better with and for each other. What I’ll never do is call out individuals. Every leader I’ve encountered is doing their best with what they have and striving for the best possible outcome. Part 1 of this series helps us start with understanding the root of the tension for many creative teams.