Collaboration – Creative Partnerships and Teamwork

Creativity happens between people as much as between the ears.

This is especially true in a commercial context, where creatives work as part of a team, interacting with other teams and key players – account managers, planners, directors, suppliers, collaborators, researchers and freelancers, not to mention clients and customers.

So as well as technical and artistic skills, creative professionals need to be adept at collaborating with many different types of people.

With the best will and the best people in the world, the nature of creative and business processes means there’s always a risk that vital information will get ‘lost in translation’ between different disciplines. At that point, ‘creative friction’ can start to become destructive.

For the individual, ‘people skills’ can mean the difference between their work going into production or being rejected; for the team, the difference between a project’s success or failure; and for a company, the difference between frustrated individuals or a dynamic creative team that exceeds expectations.

Because of the sensitive nature of some of the information (and people!) involved, it can be useful to have a confidential forum to discuss interpersonal issues, with someone who can offer an independent perspective on the situation.

This is why I typically work one-to-one or in small groups, with key players in the creative and production process. I help people find new options for communicating effectively, resolving differences and collaborating creatively.

My experience as a coach in large and small organisations means I appreciate the commercial pressures people are under in a creative business. And because I am also a poet with first hand experience of the creative process, I find it easy to relate to professional creatives.

For more details, have a look at the pages about my coaching and training for creative professionals.

And for a free confidential chat about your current challenges and how I can help, please e-mail me or give me a ring on +44 (0)20 8691 2475.