Reality Check

We've talked before about using your employees for what you've hired them to do and making sure you use the individual contributions your Creatives bring. These are important. Not only do you want to get the most out of your talented employees, you also want them to be motivated enough to offer you their best.

You and they still need to realize, though, that when they're new, there may not be much they can do. If someone is new to this career, or even just new to your organization, they should take the time to settle in and make sure they know their way around before acting too much like an authority on, well, everything.

Case in point: a friend of mine works for a major international organization, having completed his master's degree at a very prestigious school in 2009. He's very enthusiastic, ready to get to work after years of school, and is ready to change the world. But he also realizes something very important: not only is he new to the organization, this is also his first regular job. He understands his capabilities and knows what he can do, but also knows how much he still has to learn. He's very engaged and very energetic, but he focuses that energy where he can be most productive, safe in the knowledge he'll be able to accomplish more later. He takes on new challenges but seeks guidance when he does, whereas in areas where he feels more comfortable he strikes out on his own.

This is the kind of balance that you, as a leader, need to help your Creatives maintain. You want to give them freedom and you need to put their enthusiasm to good use, but at the same time you should recognize where their lack of experience can be a detriment. You'll get some Creatives who, because they are very talented (or think they are), will come in and try to dictate how things will work now that they've graced you with their presence. Your goal should not be to rein them in; your goal instead should be for them to rein themselves in. Through your effective leadership, they should learn how to do that. Not only will they be more productive now, they'll also be more open to learning as they go along. That's what we call "a good thing."