Jajo Inc. - Advertising, Branding, PR by an Integrated Marketing Agency: Blog

In my early career days, my family used to affectionately taunt me about working with “artsy fartsy” people. And to the traditional corporate world, I know without a doubt that life at an ad agency is beyond understanding. I feel very fortunate that some of my best friends are highly creative people. These are some characteristics I admire about them. And why I’d rather not exist in career or life without them.

She lives in her own little world.
Yes, creative people march to the beat of a different drum. They don’t work within limits – but choose to consider infinite possibilities. They use all their senses, which affords them a different perspective or outlook. Inspire and embrace this courage and you’ll be rewarded by the contributions that follow.

Just keep swimming.
Creatives crave independence and love to depart from the norm, challenging and exploring different positions or views. Sometimes, they are seen as off-beat, odd or rebellious. But conforming is the opposite of creativeness – so in order to birth big ideas, creative people are blessed to naturally swim up stream.

My gut tells me …
Creative people trust their intuition, even if it isn’t right all the time. And the more creative a person is, the more they tend to tap into their intuitive skills. They can often see solutions even when pieces to the puzzle remain missing. And solving problems in this way just further demonstrates their ability for sheer genius.

Daydreams and whys.
They were the kids who stared out the window or found themselves in their own imaginary worlds. Creative people love to imagine, fantasize and play. They question, question … and then ask even more questions. And may continue to explore possibilities until the time clock runs out. They are unceasingly curious, almost child-like. But this is all part of who they are. Don’t assume that they are asking questions to be critical – but rather to explore and examine.

Laughter is the best medicine.
Creativity cannot exist without laughter. Continual seriousness and intensity truly squelch creative thinking. Often, our best ideas at the agency are born during a brainstorm session when the team is cutting up and acting silly. An environment and teammates that celebrate humor (and frequent ridiculousness) foster the creative spirit.

Now, when was that due?
One trait that seems ambiguous in highly creative people is discipline. But don’t be fooled. While some creative types can appear disorganized and chaotic (I tease a few about being ADHD), they are very self-disciplined. They are tenacious and do not give up on ideas or pursuits they feel passionate about. They resist the discipline of others who don’t think like them – so support them with organization and time management tools that work best for them.

Life with creative people isn’t always a walk in the park. They can be difficult and stubborn, insensitive, aloof and vague – but also challenging and inspirational. I’ve found great reward in learning how to work best with each individual creative director, graphic designer, art director, copywriter and web developer. My life has been enriched – and far less boring – for it.

(Props to Robert Alan Black, Ph. D. for his 32 Traits of Creative People.)