This is one of my favourite expressions. Its also the key to all creative work. If you think creatively for a living, its imperative that you understand how you manage and control creative energy. Good quality work completed quickly doesn’t come from anxiety states, nor does it come being under utilised or simply bored. When you work with and lead creative people you need to be very conscious to keeping them in the ‘FLOW’ This is the state of optimum experience and creativity where solutions just seem to happen effortlessly and quickly. It’s also the state when we are most happy. Imagine being happy and creative at work. It’s possible.
Many people though in our business are not people who deal in creativity and understand how tapping into the Flow can be hugely beneficial for everyone. Many studio leaders are not leaders at all…..they are good managers, but not leaders. This confusion creates confusion. Add this to a lack of intellectual and creative direction and you are in trouble.
Designers like other people do what they do because they are compelled to do it. They know what they are good at and they do it. Sometimes they get paid for it too. It’s all about making choices. You can choose to be creative, happy and productive. Or you can pretend to be creative, happy and productive by managing more and more meetings. As they say, in the end, nobody ever wishes they did more meetings.
So work to keep others and yourself in the flow by keeping it simple and real by focusing on what really maters. That way your time becomes really productive.
Think of the value you could bring to everyone?