How to Make Friendships as a Leader in the Creative Industry

Stepping into leadership can feel lonely, especially when you're trying to connect with your team in a meaningful way. Many creative leaders discover that the further they move up, the more isolated it can feel. But does being in charge mean giving up on forming genuine friendships at work? Not necessarily.

This question was explored by Dr. Khristin Highet, Clinical Psychologist and founder of Mind Evolution Enterprises, who has over 15 years of experience supporting creative professionals and helping leaders thrive, and Nick Hunter, Co-founder and CEO of Paper Moose, a B Corp certified creative agency who has navigated the complexities of leadership friendships over more than a decade. The conversation was facilitated by Andy Wright, founder of Never Not Creative and CEO of Streamtime.

Reframing What Workplace Friendships Look Like

The first step is adjusting your expectations. Friendships as a leader will look different than friendships outside of work, and that’s okay. Khristin puts it simply: "I don't actually think that it's unreasonable for us to develop friendships just because we're in a leadership position but those friendships might look a little bit different to what we experience in our social network outside of work."

Nick adds his perspective: "I don't think it means that you cannot make friendships within a business. I think you can. I think it's just a different spectrum of what that friendship looks like... I love making meaningful relationships with all of my colleagues but am I going to be that intimate friend that they share certain things with? Probably never going to happen."

Think of it like high school. You don’t get to choose everyone you work with, but even one or two authentic connections can make a big difference. As Khristin says, "There might likely only be a few people that we gel with or a few like-minded individuals that we can form a connection with and that's completely okay because any relationship whether great or small is super important and meaningful."

Building Trust Through Genuine Interest

Real friendships start with trust, respect, and curiosity. Khristin recommends learning about the people you work with on a human level: "Getting to know the people around you and understanding what is important to them, what is going on in their lives... their families, their hobbies, their sports interests, even if there's something significant happening in their life."

This requires active listening and follow-up. "Using active listening... reflecting back to them what you heard so that they know that you are trying to understand what they're trying to share with you and then also following up with these people who have shared information with you," Khristin explains. These small actions can deepen trust over time.

The Courage to Be Vulnerable

As a leader, it’s important to share your human side, even if it feels risky. Khristin acknowledges, "From your end is also super important and this can be a hard thing for someone in a leadership position to do. It can take a little bit of courage and the willingness to be vulnerable... what are your interests? What's the human side to you?"

Nick agrees: "I think it's almost like you have to try even harder and you have to share even more at that level for people to understand you... because then people also empathize with where you are in your world. You're not some kind of isolated leader or boss – you are a human being as well."

Navigating the Complications

Leadership friendships come with challenges. Nick is upfront about this: "It does create an additional complicated layer within the business as well because you don't want other people to feel that you are particularly good friends with one over another and it creates interesting dynamics within the business."

There’s also the future to consider. "Maybe understanding where some of those lines are that potentially cannot be crossed because it might later on down the track when you have to have some kind of performance management conversation or something like that it just makes it a lot more complicated," Nick adds.

Looking for Connection Opportunities

Sometimes we’re our own biggest obstacle. Khristin explains, "Sometimes when we believe that there's not going to be a positive outcome because of a certain situation we can subconsciously show this in our behavior so we might actually have some walls up that people can sense."

She suggests creating opportunities for connection, like team social events or family days: "This allows the opportunity for the people around you to see the other sides of you that don't just relate to you being a leader... the part of you that is the fun side of you so you know that that can engage in enjoyment and laughs and crack jokes."

How Never Not Creative Circles Can Help

Leadership can feel lonely, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. Never Not Creative Circles are peer support groups designed specifically for creative professionals. These small, confidential groups are a safe space to share the challenges of leadership, swap experiences with other leaders, and get practical strategies for building meaningful workplace relationships while maintaining healthy boundaries.

Learn more about Never Not Creative Circles

You're Not Alone in This

Feeling isolated in a leadership role doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. It’s a natural part of leading, but there are ways to create connection and community. Remember, workplace friendships as a leader take intentional effort and clear boundaries, but they’re possible – and they matter. Even small moments of connection can make a big difference to your wellbeing and your effectiveness as a leader.

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