DIAN SOFIA

How do you navigate being your authentic self in corporate creative spaces?

There was a lot of trial and error on my part in the first few years of my career. How do I get people to like me? Will they like me? Am I fun enough? Advertising has the tendency to attract a specific type of person – someone who is driven, highly sociable and talks a lot. It was hard work trying to match that energy, and often the effort was not the reward. I didn’t get the opportunities I wanted, people still didn’t know who I was and worse, I was so good at pretending that no one knew if something was actually wrong.

Rather than trying to be them, I tried instead to dedicate more time to activities that fulfilled me that didn’t have to do with work. I picked up new hobbies, revisited old ones, joined social activism groups, found community in unexpected places and even (gasp) learned to play football as an adult. These are what drives me, and drives who I want to be and the work I want to create. They make me a balanced person, with invaluable insight that is unique to me. It has all paid off in the end because I am able to lead my own work in areas that matter to me, which ultimately makes the work good and meaningful.

“It has all paid off in the end because I am able to lead my own work in areas that matter to me, which ultimately makes the work good and meaningful.”

How are you approaching the tension between AI tools and human creativity in your work?

Generative AI and Language Learning Models are tools that can help speed up the creation of a working process. That’s all it is, it does not think, it simply averages out what data it is given. This data is found from the internet, scraped all the way from the bottom of the barrel, often without consent or compensation, and often replicating harmful biases. Human creativity is far more than that. It is a muscle, it is infinite diverse human experiences, it is the tingling feeling inside you when you look at something beautiful, and it is the special moment you didn’t post on the internet for the world to see.

Limitations are crucial to creativity – so many works of art were created by people who were limited in money and resources. Having a magic aggregator machine that churns out pictures really quickly for you that you still have to photoshop anyway because it looks a bit wonky and has a weird yellow cast just isn’t worth saving the couple of hours it takes to properly make something.

Good work takes time, and I am not interested in participating in the devaluation of how much time and effort it takes to make something you want to be proud of. Can a microwavable lasagne ready meal taste good? Sure. But will it hit the spot like a tray of home-made lasagne made by someone who cares about you? Absolutely not.

How do you create psychological safety for other underrepresented creatives on your team?

I believe in a non-hierarchical way of working with other creatives, both formally in projects and informally as a wider team. What this looks like in practice is that I often informally share what I am currently working on, talking through any challenges I am facing, and asking them, if they have any thoughts of suggestions. This is particularly helpful because we have different skillsets and some of us might have more experience or best practices in one area of work than others.

I also try to show them how I enable clear communication and accountability with coworkers in other departments. I show them that a project can progress fairly smoothly, by communicating what they need in order to fulfil the task. Navigating corporate spaces is like walking through a maze that keeps changing. Because of my openness about tough situations, creatives often come to me for help on the best plan of action to take when navigating a difficult conversation. Occasionally, I might step in to be their advocate, especially when it comes to dealing with people I have established relationships with. Ultimately, my role is to support and validate them in ways they might not receive from others so that they can grow and thrive.

“Ultimately, my role is to support them and validate them in ways they might not receive from others so that they can grow and thrive.”

How do you recharge your creative battery when you’re feeling burned out or uninspired?

I seek out activities that engage my mind and body in ways that are different to how I work. 1. Learn to grow food – Gardening teaches me that growth takes time, that if you want the fruit, you have to nurture the soil. It reminds me there is a growing season and a resting season, and both are equally important.

2. Pick a slow hobby – Crocheting teaches me patience, that we can always start again if things go wrong. It is also a great way to quiet the busy mind.

3. Spend time with ‘non-creatives’ – I joined a local litter picking group a few years ago, that would meet up every Sunday morning to pick up litter along the waterways. That eventually led me to running a litter picking event with a sports client, where I was able to share my expertise around sustainability.

4. Move your body – Playing football makes me feel strong, that it was never too late for me to learn something new, especially sports. Spending time with these incredible people from all walks of life coming together for an hour of sheer fun reminds me not to take life too seriously. We are not machines, we have to put in as much as we take out.

“We are not machines, we have to put in as much as we take out.”

What does “paying it forward” look like in practice for you?

As someone who is autistic, I seek to create an environment around me that supports my needs while facilitating my creativity, and paving the way for others in my position to be able to thrive. Intentionally going beyond what is expected to help those who respect and appreciate my effort and time. Checking in on fellow female and non-binary neurodivergent colleagues and offering any support if they need it. Normalising pushing back on unreasonable requests and enforcing firm boundaries. Always trying to advocate for coworkers who might not be able to do it themselves.