The Crazy One

In this special episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates reflects on the most impactful themes and lessons from the past year. Dive into core topics around creativity, career growth, and leadership, exploring where creatives often struggle and uncovering insights from the most popular episodes. Tune in to revisit key takeaways that will inspire your journey and give you the tools to navigate chall...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates dives into the 6 most common career pitfalls that can derail your growth before you even realize it. Learn how to recognize and avoid these hidden traps, along with actionable strategies to steer clear of common mistakes and set yourself up for long-term success. Tune in to gain valuable insights that will help you navigate your career journey with...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates tackles one of the hardest leadership challenges: managing difficult conversations with underperforming individuals and teams. Learn how to approach struggling team members versus addressing issues with the entire team, and discover the critical role you play as a leader in navigating these tough discussions. Tune in to gain practical strategies for...

In this replay of his sold-out session from Adobe MAX 2017, Stephen Gates challenges you to define what sets you apart in a competitive creative industry. Discover the power, importance, and challenges of building a strong personal brand, and why it’s essential for landing your dream job, standing out in your current role, and earning industry respect. Tune in for actionable insights on how to cra...

In this replay of his sold-out Adobe MAX 2017 session, In-house Powerhouse: Building and Managing an Empowered Internal Creative Team, Stephen Gates shares proven strategies for leading high-performing client-side creative teams. As demand for creativity and design grows, many internal teams lack the empowerment to fully leverage their potential. Tune in to discover how to build, manage, and inspi...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates tackles one of leadership’s biggest challenges: coaching and developing your team to unlock their full potential and help them achieve career goals. Discover a straightforward 3-step process you can implement immediately to guide your team’s growth, increase their value, and foster a more engaged, high-performing team. Tune in for practical strategi...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates breaks down the true meaning of empathy, a concept often misunderstood and overlooked in the workplace. Discover how to authentically incorporate empathy into your work, avoid common misconceptions, and create genuine connections with your customers. Stephen also explores the delicate balance between empathy and subject matter expertise, equipping y...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates dives into the unique challenges of leading creative teams and why people often quit bosses, not jobs. Learn what drives creatives to leave, how leaders can retain top talent, and what employees should look for in their leadership. Stephen also shares four essential questions to ask before deciding to switch jobs. Tune in for actionable insights on...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates explores the art of leading a creative team by finding the ideal balance between giving your team creative freedom and maintaining your own influence as a leader. Discover the 10/80/10 rule—a powerful three-part framework that helps you calibrate your leadership style, allowing your team’s ideas to flourish while guiding them effectively. Tune in to...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates debunks the myth that success is about luck, revealing the real factors that create opportunities and drive achievement. Dive into what people actually mean when they say “lucky,” explore how preparation plays a pivotal role in success, and uncover the habits that set “lucky” individuals apart. Tune in to learn practical steps for creating your own...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates tackles the challenge of creative slumps—those frustrating times when ideas seem out of reach, and inspiration feels lost. Discover the different types of creative slumps, why they happen, and proven techniques to help you break free and get your creativity flowing again. Tune in for practical strategies to overcome blocks, reignite your passion, an...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates uncovers common pitfalls teams face when designing apps and shares invaluable lessons from his extensive experience in creating successful iOS and Android applications. Drawing from projects that have been featured in Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines, Stephen highlights key design principles and best practices that can elevate your app’s user expe...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates delves into the complex emotions that shape the creative process, focusing on the impact of insecurity and frustration on your success. Discover the various stages of creative insecurity, how social media can amplify these feelings, and learn effective techniques to regain control over your emotions. Tune in to equip yourself with the tools needed t...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates explores the evolving landscape of creative collaboration as in-house teams experience significant growth, altering the dynamics between companies and their agencies. Discover the advantages and disadvantages of both in-house and agency creative teams, how their workflows differ, and the future direction of these vital partnerships. Tune in to gain...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates dives into the essential art of mentorship—exploring how to find a mentor, become an effective one, and foster a successful mentor-mentee relationship. Discover key strategies for initiating meaningful conversations, understanding the different types of mentors, and setting clear expectations for both parties. Tune in to learn how to cultivate a mut...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates delves into the crucial relationship between creatives and their clients, emphasizing the importance of trust in the creative process. Learn how to establish a strong foundation with your clients, cultivate trust, and effectively address challenging behaviors to foster a more productive partnership. Discover strategies for including clients in the c...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates addresses a common hurdle in the creative process: when executives propose ideas without fully grasping the underlying problems. Explore the frequent scenarios where this occurs and learn how to navigate these challenges effectively. Stephen shares practical strategies for fostering an environment where your team can think creatively and feel empowe...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates tackles listener questions on key career advancement topics. Discover the optimal timing for requesting a raise or promotion, learn effective negotiation strategies to maximize your compensation, and explore methods for fostering seamless collaboration among remote teams. Additionally, Stephen discusses how companies can better value and hire creati...

In this episode of The Crazy One , the final installment of our three-part series on Design Thinking, Stephen Gates dives into the crucial phase of implementation. Discover how to transform insights and concepts into reality through effective prototyping, testing, and delivery. Stephen also shares actionable strategies for integrating Design Thinking into your team, ensuring a more innovative and...

In the second episode of our three-part crash course on Design Thinking, Stephen Gates guides you through the exciting transition from insights to innovation. Learn how to effectively brainstorm ideas by crafting impactful “How might we” statements and discover the seven essential rules for conducting successful brainstorming sessions. Tune in to unleash your creativity and enhance your team’s pro...

In the first episode of our three-part series on Design Thinking, Stephen Gates shares key insights from his journey as an IDEO-certified Design Thinking trainer. Get ready for an engaging overview of the Design Thinking methodology, where you’ll learn about its essential components. This episode dives deep into the Inspiration phase, focusing on the critical processes of research and synthesis th...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates emphasizes the importance of recognizing change as a catalyst for disruptive ideas in our ever-evolving world. Discover invaluable lessons in non-traditional disruption drawn from various industries and learn how to combat cognitive biases that can blind you to emerging opportunities. Tune in to gain the insights and tools needed to stay ahead of th...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates addresses pressing listener questions about navigating salary negotiations and demonstrating the value of an in-house creative team. Learn effective strategies for determining the right salary to ask for based on industry standards and personal worth. Stephen also shares insights on how to effectively showcase the impact of your creative team to you...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates explores the paradox of today’s business landscape: while companies crave creativity more than ever, many internal creative teams lack the empowerment and support they need to thrive. Drawing from his extensive experience, Stephen shares actionable insights on how to effectively position, empower, and revitalize in-house teams to meet this growing d...

In this episode of The Crazy One , Stephen Gates dives into the art of public speaking, highlighting the key differences between presenting to your team and captivating an audience of strangers. Drawing from his wealth of experience, Stephen shares essential techniques for crafting engaging presentations and offers invaluable tips and tricks to enhance your public speaking skills. Whether you’re p...