The 2016 AWARD Creative Leadership Course (which was called the Emerging Creative Directors course then) was a winner. A sell-out success. So it’s back again for 2017. And this year, it will be run in Melbourne as well as Sydney.
The course is available only to The Communications Council corporate members and is curated and chaired by adland trailblazer and BMF creative founder, Warren Brown. Its goal is to prepare star creatives for leadership roles through a series of interactive workshops, panels, role plays and Q&As with leading ECDs, agency CEOs and CFOs.
Warren Brown commented: “If I had to pick three qualities that are essential to being a good CD, having a highly developed EQ is crucial, and that comes with being a good listener. You also need the ability to inspire those around you, which requires a great degree of trust and belief. And finally, to have the hide of a rhino, or nerves of steel, because if you’re not confident in the decisions you make no one else will be either.”
He added, “The best thing about being a CD is having the opportunity to create a culture you’d like to work in, by being able to nurture talent and have pride in their achievements. Most rewarding though, is being in the position to convince clients that they’re actually a lot better than they think they are.”
AWARD chair, Mike Spirkovski, noted, “Not everyone has what it takes to be a CD, it’s a tough job with incredible responsibility. Yet, it is very rewarding once you get it right, which is the very premise of this intensive course. By the end of the three days, delegates will be challenged and taught the skills needed to lead and inspire those around them.
“In many ways, being a creative director is the ultimate test for a creative, and learning as much as you can before diving in will make a notable difference, to both the team and clients, when those challenging moments arise.”
The 2017 course agenda:
DAY 1: FROM CREATING TO LEADING
- Why the hell would you want to be a CD?
- My journey to ECD
- What ECD’s/CEO’s looks for in a CD
- Working with the work, working with people
DAY 2: THE BUSINESS OF CREATIVITY
- Rising star to raising stars
- How agencies make money
- What does a CEO look for in a CD
- Selling an idea
- What a CMO looks for in a CD
- Managing a department briefing
DAY 3: EXPLORING THE CD ROLE
- How to manage media
- Developing a production network
- Building your personal leadership style
- Do you still want to be a CD?
The speaker line-up will be announced soon here.
Course information:
SYDNEY
Date: Sunday September 24 – Tuesday September 26
Venue: Ovolo, 6 Cowper Wharf Road, Woolloomooloo, Sydney
Members: $4400 per person (including GST)
MELBOURNE
Date: Sunday October 8 – Tuesday October 10
Venue: The Cullen, 164 Commercial Road, Prahran, Melbourne
Members: $4400 per person (including GST)
So that every participant gets the course he or she deserves, each group is capped at 16-20 people in each city.
Find registration information, or discuss corporate membership, here. Or call 02 8297 3800.