Collaboration and teams

Collaborating with Creative Peers

How to honor—and influence—the people in your workplace who identify as artists

by

and

Francis J. Flynn

by

and

Francis J. Flynn

From the Magazine (October 2015)

Jennifer Maravillas

Summary.

Some people in creative roles seem immune to others’ input. But this apparent arrogance is not actually what makes them tick. Their resistance may have less to do with size of ego than with sense of identity.

A subset of creative professionals identify as “artists,” meaning they value three things: having a signature creative style so that their work bears a unique stamp; remaining involved in the execution of creative concepts rather than handing them off; and succeeding on noncommercial terms.

The authors suggest four tactics for working with artists:

1. Offer broad suggestions.

Artists may see specific, fully formed ideas as attempts to wrest creative control. Plant just the seed of a concept, and you inspire continued engagement.

2. Temper your enthusiasm.

Don’t act too invested in your own ideas. A dispassionate demeanor works better with artists.

3. Delay decision making.

Give artists ample time to consider your suggestions on their merits.

4. Show respect and like-mindedness.

Acknowledging an artist’s prior thinking and work reassures him or her that your ideas are not off base.

HBR Reprint R1510H

Not long ago, in the course of studying new product development, we were witnesses to a breakdown in the creative collaboration process. A toy company needed a hit offering for the next holiday shopping season. Early on, a marketer we’ll call Kyle came to a meeting where one of the company’s most talented game developers was previewing a car-and-racetrack game concept. During the discussion, Kyle piped up with his advice: “It needs some kind of creature.” The developer paid little attention. If anything, he resented the feedback from someone who had no expertise in creative design.

A version of this article appeared in the October 2015 issue (pp.118–121) of Harvard Business Review.

Kimberly D. Elsbach is associate dean and a professor of organizational behavior at the Graduate School of Management, University of California, Davis.
Brooke Brown-Saracino received an MBA from the University of California, Davis.
FF

Francis J. Flynn is the Paul E. Holden Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.

Collaborating with Creative Peers

1. Offer broad suggestions.

2. Temper your enthusiasm.

3. Delay decision making.

4. Show respect and like-mindedness.

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