5 Tips Every Creative Should Follow

1. Influence is king. Talent, resolve, and ambition merely its ministers.

Despite the best ideas and intentions, what ultimately sees the light of day is what you convince others is great. Without the receptive eyes/ears of your team, the best art/copy may be stuffed into the bottom of some office drawer. Somewhere, somehow, someone convinced the global giant that is Sony to plaster the following billboard in cities across the country. Theres one word for how he accomplished that feat, however ill-fated. Influence.

Courtesy of wikia.net

2. You gain influence through trust. Trust is won by appreciating others and  fulfilling personal obligations.

Like and be liked. That doesn’t mean that the former will lead to the latter, but rather that winning trust requires liking and appreciating what others have to offer and having others feel likewise about your own work.

3. Glorify the positives and strengths in ideas and people. Question the negatives, try not proclaiming them outright or bringing them to light to merely sit and fester.

In any situation, try first to appreciate and congratulate whatever good there is to be found. Later critiques will then be taken with that in mind. It’s easier for someone to work on bettering a project when they believe they’ve done well in some aspect of it already. Still. . .

4. The best ideas are usually felt instantly. If you have to work hard to try and make them better then they’re probably not very good to begin with.

Usually a person knows when they’ve struck gold. Trying to sculpt around a so-so idea for too long might leave you with a tiny finished product you’re ok with, along with tons of rubble (hours) on the floor. The best ideas often require only smoothing and dusting before you’re thrilled with the results.

5. Body language, diction, and sincerity go a long way in making your point and convincing others to get behind it.

Remember that your idea is only as good as your pitch. The best work voiced through a muttered, nervous breath carries little weight. To sell anything is to sell yourself first. Without that you’ve lost the buyer before he knows what’s available to buy. Watch Amy Cuddy’s Ted Talk presentation on how Power Poses not only project confidence but even alter your bodies chemical makeup.

Following these 5 tips will help you as a creative rise to and maintain leadership positions among your peers as well as nail your next pitch meeting with a client.