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Creative Collaboration for Change Communications at Afiniti
In this Talent Insight, creative team lead Michael Charles explains the importance of creativity in delivering successful change communicationsand how the Creative team at Afiniti brings together a wealth of experience to help clients transform.
What’s your creative background, and what influenced you to first work with Afiniti?
My background’s mostly in publishing and design agencies. In my 27 years of commercial experience, I’ve worked as everything from artworker, marketing designer, creative designer and senior designer to nine years as an art director, then onto studio manager roles.
The opportunity to use that broad creative experience in change communications made the creative traffic manager role at Afiniti seem like a natural fit. After meeting Afiniti partner Lorna Tarrant, I definitely felt that our values aligned and I could clearly see that people-focused approach to everything Afiniti does.
What is your favourite thing about working with Afiniti?
It has to be the talented team that makes Afiniti. It’s brilliant to be surrounded by people with such great expertise and experience, then tapping into their knowledge and intuition to create really advanced, meaningful and effective change communications.
It’s also always rewarding to see the client’s reaction when we’re able to surpass their expectations.
“The Creative team is pivotal in shaping that story and bringing to life a powerful vision that motivates others to action.”
What role would you say creative professionals play in delivering successful change?
Afiniti’s Creative team bring a wealth of knowledge, insight and creative interpretation of often complex information, data and messaging.
Our extensive skills in creating impactful presentations, animations, videos and materials help our clients and consultants to tell compelling stories that are purposely designed for the impacted audiences.
The Creative team is pivotal in shaping that story, using imaginative visualisation that’s aligned to the key messages and bringing to life a powerful narrative that motivates others to action.
How have your skills and experience developed since joining Afiniti?
In my time in at Afiniti I’ve been able to hone my skill of searching for the story from the most complex and abstract projects. Technical skills are great, but being able to crystalise the problem we’re tackling to help provide effective, creative and value-adding change communications is an entirely separate skillset.
What advice would you give to new or aspiring creatives?
My advice to any new or aspiring creative would always be to:
Understand who your audience is – Who will be impacted, and how?
Establish a fitting tone of voice for that impacted audience.
Always be open to co-create – Collaboration often invites energy, broader viewpoints and creativity to the task at hand.
Be prepared to start again – Often your first idea isn’t the best idea. No matter how good you think the work is, ultimately if it doesn’t work for the client or their audience then be prepared to start again.
Have an open mind – Inspiration can come from anyone, from any walk of life, at any time. Always be receptive to new viewpoints to elevate your creative work.
By Michael Charles, Creative Team Lead
If you’re looking for your next business change consulting challenge, take a look at our current opportunities. Alternatively, send us your CV using our contact form for a conversation on working together in the future.
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Michael Charles
Creative Team Lead
Michael has over 20 years’ of experience in client-based design and art direction. He has experienced compelling success in managing creative programmes and design studios while identifying deficiencies within creative processes and implementing efficient workflows.
