I’ve learned a few things along this crazy journey through ad land. And I make sure to repeat them ad nauseam to my teams any chance I get. Let’s just call this waffle of pseudo-wisdom my ‘ten creative director commandments’.

One.
When the room starts stinking of bullshit, fresh perspective is like air freshener.

Two.
If things have become complicated with many questions, a good leader will always have a simple answer.

Three.
Be the first to listen.

Four.
The narrowest briefs often have the biggest creative opportunities.

Five.
Clarity before cleverness.

Six.
Demonstrating something is 10x more powerful than claiming it.

Seven.
If you have to prioritize your ‘audience podium’, the consumer is gold. The boardroom is silver. The awards jury is a healthy bronze.

Eight.
It’s not just about the content we create, but the context in which it’s consumed.

Nine.
The best team members will prove themselves as three things: a smart worker, talented, a good person.

Ten.
In an age of blockbuster (often auto-generated) visuals, a well-articulated idea is still the most important ingredient.