Today, I read something from a creative outlier I deeply respect, who essentially stated, ‘In the age of AI, you’re all creative directors now,’ reducing the role to merely telling others what to do without doing the actual work. It hit a nerve. That has never been my experience, not by choice, anyway.
Delegation isn’t about avoiding work. It’s about maximising your impact by entrusting your team with responsibilities and not undermining them by doing their tasks when things go off track. It’s trusting them, nudging them, and ultimately becoming a ‘genius maker.’
But leadership is far more than delegation. It comes with great power, and as the Spider-Man comics remind us, ‘With great power, there must also come great responsibility,’ a phrase coined by Stan Lee. As I reflected on my journey, it became clear to me how much more there is to leadership.
You Own the Vision
You set the course for your team and projects. You must constantly ensure everyone stays aligned, reimagining that vision again and again as landscapes shift and challenges emerge. It’s not a one-time thing you delegate to someone else. It’s an ongoing responsibility that sits squarely on your shoulders.
You’re Responsible for Careers
The work your team produces shapes their professional identity. Poor quality leaves them with little to showcase and excellence sets them on an upward trajectory. When they move on, the standards you set become benchmarks for their future roles, influencing their careers long after they have left your team.
Personally, I have always kept my door open to former team members, helping them navigate their careers long after we have parted ways. This isn’t charity. It’s understanding that your leadership decisions have lasting impact on real people’s lives.
You Handle Fair Compensation
I strongly dislike negotiating salaries downward. I prefer paying people more than they expect, understanding the extraordinary commitment creativity demands. Creative professionals do not simply switch off when they go home so ensuring money isn’t a worry is crucial.
When your team is stressed about rent or whether they can afford decent equipment, they’re not bringing their best creative energy to the work. Your job is to remove that barrier.
You Fight for Investment
It’s not enough to pay salaries. You must convince the business to invest significantly in your team. This means securing funding for the latest technology, continuous education, and meaningful team-building experiences.
I have observed departments abundant with resources and seen resentment build in teams whose leaders haven’t successfully made the business case for investment. Your team notices when you’re not fighting for them, and they notice when you are.
You Deliver Consistently
Leaders must deliver projects on time, within budget, and meet quality expectations. You anticipate scope, resources, and stakeholder expectations long before the project kicks off. It’s educated guesswork backed by experience, planning, and intuition.
This is where the real work happens. Not in the creative execution, but in the orchestration of everything that makes great creative work possible.
You Own the Failures
When things go wrong, the responsibility falls squarely on your shoulders, even at the cost of your own reputation. Conversely, when your team succeeds, you highlight their achievements, ensuring they receive the deserved recognition.
This is perhaps the hardest part of leadership. Taking the heat when projects fail while stepping back when they succeed. It goes against every instinct, but it’s what separates real leaders from people who just like having authority.
The Reality Check
Leadership, in reality, is not glamorous. It is weighty, often invisible, and always demanding. If you deeply love the craft, stay close to it for as long as possible. Transition into leadership not because of status or the desire to delegate, but because you are ready and somewhat comfortable with the immense responsibility it entails.
Remember, leadership is caring for your team’s growth, not just handing out tasks. The moment you start thinking of it as just delegation is the moment you’ve missed the point entirely.