Think Inside The Box
The Box. The thing none of us want to be “stuck inside of.” The thing we believe limits our creativity from ever blooming into full potential. The box is suffocating, dark, and scary. No wonder everyone wants to think outside of the box, right?
Wrong.
There is a terrible cliche about creative professionals that they don’t want to be put in a box. “They just need room to create,” or “It helps them to have no limits.” But if we get down to their core, creatives thrive when given vision, direction, and parameters. Without it, they are lost; a lost creative does not produce excellence.
Todd Henry says leading creatives is like herding tigers. He’s right. And do you really want to let a tiger room freely? If your creativity or creatives you lead are struggling to rise to the occasion, it’s more than likely they’ve been given little to no direction.
If you lead creatives, it is your job to provide boundaries and clarity, even if it’s as simple as staying in brand. Often, the project will come with demands, which is great! I encourage all creatives to ask their clients, “What non-negotiable do you have about this project?”.
This type of clarity is invaluable to a creative. It’s frustrating to stare at a blank page or canvas with little guidance.
So let’s flip the script: think inside the box, and you’ll discover your/their best work.