Meetings are a necessary evil in our business. Between staff meetings, project planning and review meetings, vendor meetings, and of course client meetings, its any wonder we get real work done at all. But one thing I have learned in almost 25 years in the creative...

In recent years, there has been a shift in power in the creative industry regarding who “owns” brand and creative work in corporate America. In-house creative teams have emerged as important players, producing some of the best creative work in design, advertising, photography, and video. This shift has led to corporations leveraging their in-house talent more than ever, with in-house teams taking on the responsibility of managing outside agency relationships.

“Don’t be a boss, be a coach.” The key to being a good manager is to balance the organization’s best interests with getting the best performance from your people. A great manager understands that leading creative people can be challenging, and personal and professional development is crucial to keeping them interested in their work.

During dinner with three fellow designers, we discussed our careers and what happens after managing others. We came up with a metaphor for the phases of a creative career: Apprenticing, Mastering, and Master. After managing others, we considered the idea of a “Post-Mastery” phase for designers ready to move on. We explored how to influence creativity in a company without managing others and suggested different paths, such as moving up the corporate ladder, finding new ways to influence creativity, or starting a business. Ultimately, what to do after reaching mastery and experience depends on personal goals.