Insights

EVERYONE IS A LEADER AT TRENT CREATIVE

Understand the value of leadership training and non-stop learning

It is important that all people who make up our organization learn good leadership skills. Here at Trent Creative, you can see the effects of being a leader at all levels of engagement with employees, vendors, and clients.

What is a true leader?

Years ago, I discovered there was more to leadership than owning a company when I took a workshop based on John C. Maxwell's book, "Developing the Leader Within." I didn't know what true leadership was and that it could be learned, which changed my life. This was the first in a many workshops, symposiums, and classes that I took to become a better business leader.

Three Leadership Insights I Learned:

1. I was surprised to discover that there was so much more to being a leader than owning a company. I thought I would solve my clients' communication problems, provide the best creativity possible, and hire more people when I needed them, and by doing so, my agency would grow. It was not quite like that—you need leadership skills to consult, run a business, and empower employees. The good news is that I happened upon a "Finding the Leader Within" workshop, and I signed up. It opened up my mind to a new way of viewing myself and my relationships—not only at work but at home.
2. Leadership does not stop when the workday ends. Each of us is a leader at any given moment throughout our daily lives. It might be as a friend, sister, daughter and parent that we find ourselves needing to lead.
3. Your company will only grow as much as the owner grows. After five years, all problems stem from the leader. Ask yourself this. If you are at the top of the mountain and everyone else is at the bottom, you are merely doing shout-outs. Good leaders bring others with them along the way.

In the creative industry, we are leading our clients on a daily basis. They come to us for decisions on how to present their company on every level, from their graphic image to content and brand message. This is a task that we all take very seriously. We believe in 'designing responsibly,' and each decision is methodically analyzed, reviewed, and then executed. During the creative process, at any given time, when one of our team members says... "What about this idea, color, campaign slogan, font?" they are a leader. If you think about it, from that point of view, it takes the mere 'worker' mentality to the next level of empowerment and creates a new way of looking at themselves, their colleagues, and our clients.

As you go about your tasks throughout the day, jot down what you see that you do in leading and what others do. Be objective and note what is effective and what is ineffective. Please let me know what you discover.

Meet the Trent Creative team.