Why Creative Directors Roll Up Their Sleeves and still do a lot of design

And why you want them to.

Everyone has a boss. Me included. Recently, my boss encouraged me (again) to step back from the day-to-day design work and focus on the bigger picture. Naturally, I assured her I was doing just that…mostly.

But then there was this one small project I couldn’t resist tweaking. She tilted her head, smiling knowingly, and said,

“You don’t actually want to give up doing design, do you?”

And she was right. I don’t. As much as I love leading, mentoring, and being the big-idea person, I want to stay connected to my craft, keep my skills sharp, and make sure my team knows I wouldn't ask them to do anything I'm not willing to do myself.

Leading by doing

Rolling up your sleeves isn’t about micromanaging. It shows your team that you understand the challenges they face. It gives you empathy for the process, insight into potential roadblocks, and the credibility to give meaningful feedback.

Yes, it takes time. Yes, you could have delegated it. But I believe it's essential to teach newer designers the stuff that it may have taken me years to figure out.

When I jump in on a design project, I’m not doing the work for my team — I’m showing them the standards, methods, and thought processes I want them to master some day. And like any craft, some things can’t just be explained in a brief or a checklist. younger designers need to see how I approach the work, and then get the space to try it themselves. But if they don’t really understand the expectations from the start — not just what’s in the brief, but the care, attention to detail, and thought I put into every touchpoint — they won’t know what I’m asking for.

Many newer designers have worked at places where speed is king, so when I tell them, “Take your time. Don’t rush it,” they look at me like I’ve grown a second head. Deadlines come, and yes, they still want to rush. When I take the time to get it right myself, I’m modeling that it’s okay to slow down, to do things carefully, and to take the time needed to get them right. Speed comes later — but only after you know how things should be done.

The takeaway

Being a creative director means owning both the small stuff and the big picture. It means rolling up your sleeves when it counts, teaching your team through action, and never losing sight of why details matter.

Because ultimately, leadership isn’t just about delegating — it’s about showing what right looks like, making work better, and helping others see how to make it better too.

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About the author Emily Kelley is a creative director and marketing systems strategist who builds the connective tissue between design, data, and organizational change. She writes about creative leadership, creative systems, and the real work of scaling creativity without losing its soul.