When discussing leadership, the focus tends to be on the people working at the top of the industry, as they’re the ones who have to make the decisions. But there is value in also looking elsewhere in the business and hearing from the young, burgeoning creatives who are just establishing their place in the working world. What do they need from leaders? What do they look for? And what could leaders be doing better?

“An inspiring leader is someone who is open to new ideas, weird ideas, bad ideas and unexpected ideas,” says LA-based Andrei Dominiq, who works under the moniker James Junk as a designer for Impact Media, as well as other commercial clients. “They’re also open about their weaknesses, pain points and mistakes, and know how to turn these into creative action.”

There are all kinds of leadership styles, but for the teams who work under them, typically a hands-on approach is best, says Dominiq, and this is done by creating connection and collaboration. “Collaboration is fantastic because it leads to the best creative outputs, but in creative teams, the lines can sometimes blur, which causes confusion,” he notes. “Clarity in roles and responsibilities is essential.”