Help smooth my edges in creative team work
February 21, 2010 6:36 AM Subscribe
I started work at a fairly creative design company about two months ago as an "entry level" assistant creative and am enjoying it. But I feel like I'm being controlling, possessive and defensive about my ideas when I work in a team, how do I get over it?
I'm used to working in a more production orientated role where instructions and goals are clear, but my new job seems to be much more open ended which is both exhilarating and terrifying. As a result I'm feeling a bit insecure and self conscious about my input, swerving between being too demanding or too hesitant when we get together for impromptu chats or full on meetings. What this means is that I end up leaving things unsaid which seem really important or butting in about a point which ends up sounding like a pet peeve. There have also been several times when my boss prefaces or injects into a chat "this is not a criticism" and I didn't even realise I was acting defensive or wounded.
I also feel awkward trying to direct/coordinate with some of the more junior people because I don't feel that much more senior than them and end up being too bossy or totally detached. Partly this is because I am not working in my speciality (but would like to broaden my skills) and do not have any extra experience or qualifications in the current area of design than they do, and yet our company has given them less input into the decision making process.
How do I let go and and become a little more detached (emotionally) / gain some perspective on my job? And how do I gauge/ask for the right level of contribution from my peers? How do you learn to swim in more ambiguous waters and overcome the stress of creative ambiguity if you've been brought up in and have only worked in more structured environments?
I'm used to working in a more production orientated role where instructions and goals are clear, but my new job seems to be much more open ended which is both exhilarating and terrifying. As a result I'm feeling a bit insecure and self conscious about my input, swerving between being too demanding or too hesitant when we get together for impromptu chats or full on meetings. What this means is that I end up leaving things unsaid which seem really important or butting in about a point which ends up sounding like a pet peeve. There have also been several times when my boss prefaces or injects into a chat "this is not a criticism" and I didn't even realise I was acting defensive or wounded.
I also feel awkward trying to direct/coordinate with some of the more junior people because I don't feel that much more senior than them and end up being too bossy or totally detached. Partly this is because I am not working in my speciality (but would like to broaden my skills) and do not have any extra experience or qualifications in the current area of design than they do, and yet our company has given them less input into the decision making process.
How do I let go and and become a little more detached (emotionally) / gain some perspective on my job? And how do I gauge/ask for the right level of contribution from my peers? How do you learn to swim in more ambiguous waters and overcome the stress of creative ambiguity if you've been brought up in and have only worked in more structured environments?
One of the most helpful things you can do when you're trying to learn something hard is to watch your self-talk. Remember that these are subtle, complex, and advanced interpersonal skills. Just by asking your questions, you show that you are making good progress. Be sure to give yourself credit for things you do right. Don't tolerate internal voices that try to beat up on you, insult or berate you.
Consider talking to your boss, letting them know that you are working on this stuff, and asking for their patience, support, and constructive feedback.
posted by ottereroticist at 8:26 AM on February 21, 2010
Consider talking to your boss, letting them know that you are working on this stuff, and asking for their patience, support, and constructive feedback.
posted by ottereroticist at 8:26 AM on February 21, 2010
This sounds like part of this is a confidence problem, and part of it is an organization problem that relates to your confidence.
For the confidence thing: well, this grows with time as you grow into your role, but your boss put YOU in charge, so that means he has some respect for your abilities. That's saying something. Trying to figure out how to be in charge of other people is a skill that only vaguely relates to the technical stuff involved in your job, so don't be too hard on yourself for having a hard time in adjusting.
Here was my coping mechanism for learning how to do leadership/ supervisor stuff: for all the work-related meetings that I went to, I made lists of the information that I thought it was important to convey and the questions that I had that needed to be answered. It helped me remember my own agenda and get oriented towards the tasks at hand, not so much the personality of whoever it was that I'm talking to. I would do this even when talking to people who worked for me (although I'd try to avoid taking the list with me to look like less of a nerd). It took some time before I was comfortable enough with the task-oriented bits of my job to be more informal.
In a really unstructured environment where people have various levels of expertise, as long as the work gets done, does it necessarily matter who contributes what? You don't necessarily need to step in and be in overtly in control all the time. And totally work with the other people if there are more technical-type skills that you'd like to learn from them--that will make you come across as less controlling and more interested in their input, which is never a bad thing.
posted by _cave at 8:57 AM on February 21, 2010
For the confidence thing: well, this grows with time as you grow into your role, but your boss put YOU in charge, so that means he has some respect for your abilities. That's saying something. Trying to figure out how to be in charge of other people is a skill that only vaguely relates to the technical stuff involved in your job, so don't be too hard on yourself for having a hard time in adjusting.
Here was my coping mechanism for learning how to do leadership/ supervisor stuff: for all the work-related meetings that I went to, I made lists of the information that I thought it was important to convey and the questions that I had that needed to be answered. It helped me remember my own agenda and get oriented towards the tasks at hand, not so much the personality of whoever it was that I'm talking to. I would do this even when talking to people who worked for me (although I'd try to avoid taking the list with me to look like less of a nerd). It took some time before I was comfortable enough with the task-oriented bits of my job to be more informal.
In a really unstructured environment where people have various levels of expertise, as long as the work gets done, does it necessarily matter who contributes what? You don't necessarily need to step in and be in overtly in control all the time. And totally work with the other people if there are more technical-type skills that you'd like to learn from them--that will make you come across as less controlling and more interested in their input, which is never a bad thing.
posted by _cave at 8:57 AM on February 21, 2010
You worry less about your peers and more about the goal - results matter... not the process of getting there.
Be confident in your role - don't be a jerk, but don't be afraid to speak your mind. Push until people push back - don't hold yourself back thinking you might be overstepping your boundaries. Other people will let you know, one way or the other, when you've gone too far.
As to the self-confidence part - google up the Cult of Done Manifesto - I particularly like rule 4:
Pretending you know what you're doing is almost the same as knowing what you are doing, so just accept that you know what you're doing even if you don't and do it.
posted by TravellingDen at 3:21 PM on February 21, 2010
Be confident in your role - don't be a jerk, but don't be afraid to speak your mind. Push until people push back - don't hold yourself back thinking you might be overstepping your boundaries. Other people will let you know, one way or the other, when you've gone too far.
As to the self-confidence part - google up the Cult of Done Manifesto - I particularly like rule 4:
Pretending you know what you're doing is almost the same as knowing what you are doing, so just accept that you know what you're doing even if you don't and do it.
posted by TravellingDen at 3:21 PM on February 21, 2010
Well why do you feel that way, is it because you secretly feel their ideas "suck"?? Or that they have a different style and you're going for this style.. etc etc..
I found the best approach is, if you have a thing your going for, and want others in the group to go your way, then do it. But you don't just say it, actually do it. Don't tell someone they should try adding green cause that will contrast with..
Just go and do something of yours and add green, later on show them, say maybe you could try this, look at mine. If they ignore it, then say gosh these people have no taste.
posted by Like its 1997 at 4:33 PM on February 22, 2010
I found the best approach is, if you have a thing your going for, and want others in the group to go your way, then do it. But you don't just say it, actually do it. Don't tell someone they should try adding green cause that will contrast with..
Just go and do something of yours and add green, later on show them, say maybe you could try this, look at mine. If they ignore it, then say gosh these people have no taste.
posted by Like its 1997 at 4:33 PM on February 22, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by MrMoonPie at 6:53 AM on February 21, 2010