You know you are when:

They’re professional and respectful – in person and especially in emails 

Where some people let their guard down, they err on the side of less, not more. They throw in bits of humor and insight instead of lengthy “casual” conversation.

And i’m no angel. I’ve been a culprit of sending emails that I dain to receive – it’s embarrassing when you realize the person on the other end is embarrassed for you. So I make it a practice to be conscious and present when I interact with others. 

That doesn’t mean that i’m not myself. It means I try every time to take the best of who I am and combine it with the professionalism I know I possess.

Also, people in the “creative” world aren’t married to the lax, disorganized, “hip” way of doing business. The best creative minds I know have respect for themselves and their work enough to present themselves in a professional manner and not just use the “artsy” way of doing things as a scapegoat for bad business etiquette.

They don’t respond to every email you send.

Know why? Because they’re busy doing actual work. I’ve been on the receiving end of emergency emails that were never really an emergency. I’ve also sent out emails, once 5 on the same day to the same person with different questions.

Heinous! Don’t do it.

Recently, I had a delightful experience working with a designer (this post is largely based on my interaction with him) who was uber calm about the information i sent his way. Whether it was files, ideas or feedback – he simply took the information he needed from my emails, did his work, and sent finished work back. He addressed my questions in the work, and if they needed clarification, explained them briefly.

It was a relief to not have a consistent stream of back and forth and feedback is just as easily done over phone or skype. Mission accomplished with little thrashing in between.

They take information (i.e. your chaos) and make sense of it.

Someone’s attitude about the information they receive is just as important as what they do with it. The people who are best at separating the wheat from the chaffe are also the ones who remain calm in the sea of endless information, ideas, and emails. They look at what they have, prioritize, and project a sense of control (even if they don’t have it internally!) on the work. 

I love it when a confident person sees chaos coming and doesn’t try to bolt. They simply ask great questions and respond with clear instructions of what they’ll do and how they’ll do it. 

I know it sounds like a lot to ask of a person. The thing is is that now that I’m aware I like this in others, I really try hard to practice it myself. It’s something that changes the way you walk through the world. 

They work fast.

It takes an enormous amount of mental energy to get over the inertia of starting a project. Once you do, you just want to get it done. I know I get frustrated during a stagnant phase of a project when it seems like no one’s doing anything. The web guy isn’t coding. You’re not thinking of ideas. The designer and copyeditor are MIA. 

All of a sudden one person gets back on their game and deliver fast, quality work and the momentum’s back (and that person is priceless.) 

Quick feedback loops are key. I usually respond to feedback the same day or next for projects, and it makes things run much smoother when you get people what they need in a timely way. It allows doesn’t allow for a stagnant period to creep in.

They offer opinions confidently and show their skills through the project, not by talking about them.

Recently, my designer described for me a direction to take with our project from his perspective: “From a design standpoint, the reason I did X was this,” and “from my experience, this is what I’ve learned and this is what i think.” He brought up facts I missed or hadn’t thought of and stated his point clearly. It’s always great to have someone creative thinking of ideas to excel.

They’re flexible working within your vision of the project.

They’re confident, but flexible. They don’t get irritated if their ideas aren’t used, and want what’s best for the project. I was relieved to hear from my designer when we differed on design elements, “No worries. I want you to be happy so i’m willing to work within this framework to make something you’re proud of.” That’s someone you want on your team, and even-mindedness goes a long way.

They’re on time with appointments and phone calls

Professionalism makes a strong impression. The best is to be a human, connect, and respect their time by keeping the conversation relegated to the task at hand. 

They’re meticulous and show interest in feedback

They listen when you talk. They take notes during meetings. They respond to feedback and questions through their work. Their inclination for self-improvement shows through through their striving.

They have forward motion 

They ask questions like, “What’s the deadline?” “What’s your vision for this?” “Have you thought about X?” “Can you send me X so I can finish Y and move onto Z?”

They think about actionable next steps and even if they’re hired for a particular aspect of the project, they’re in it for the long haul and say, “What’s the future of this?”

I had a revelation when my designer and I were almost done with our project, but there were still some tweaks that needed to be made. I asked him how he thought it was going. “If we were at 0% on Tuesday, I think we’re 70% there now.” I was relieved that despite all the great work we (he) had done, there was still room for improvement. It showed we were on the same page of how we measured quality and effort.

They have a make-it-happen attitude (the “MIH”)

If they’re not sure of something, they’re honest about it: “I’m not sure how familiar I am with X,” but then make an effort to find out. They research and think about it and come back with either a solution or an answer on how to find the solution. I don’t care if I have to google something and go on some forums, if someone asks me something I don’t know, I always feel it’s better to have something rather than nothing to offer. Usually I freak out internally for a while and then after that, do the legwork to figure it out. 

Having someone willing to solve problems outside of their expertise or think outside their comfort zone is such an asset. 

They get things done!

Fundamental, but true. And often overlooked. 

They may flail around and have anxiety over they’re work, but regardless, they deliver. They make deadlines (sometimes early!) and don’t worry that it might need tweaks or changes. Because it will. They realize that the sooner they get it done, the sooner they get feedback and can improve.

“An ounce of reliability is worth a pound of brains” is so true.

The day after i met and described a project to a designer, he had a template created. He sent it to me and not only did it show his design chops, but also his work ethic. Without referring solely to payment or legal stuff, he just went out and did a bunch of work with the risk of someone saying “I’m not sure i like that.” He put himself out there. I respect that tremendously. He didn’t wait 2 days to think about the project, wait another day to email me, and another day for me to get back to him. He just did it. 

Also, even though they discuss money, they don’t bring it to the forefront. They’re focused on the project and progress of it. That inevitably makes you want to pay them more than what they ask for! 

They have other things to do

This might sound crazy, but the fact that he wasn’t always available made me value our time and meetings about the project. Also, it showed me he was involved with other work and committments, something which successful people have in their lives. I had no qualms about him delivering what he said he would because he already proved he could. 

They’re genuinely nice people

In addition to being overall awesome and doing good work, it’s always a bonus when someone feels genuinely grateful that you like their work. Since my current designer is stellar, I can’t help but shower him with affection every time we talk. It’s just natural because I respect his effort and what he produces, and it’s always nice to hear, “Thanks, that means a lot.” 

This post actually scares me a bit because I realize how much demand there is for someone remarkable. That if you possess even a fraction of these qualities, you’re already a cut above the rest. Writing this makes me see how I need to revisit my own work ethic and ability to deliver. I’m going to use this post as a reminder to practice where I can improve. You should do it too!