Creative leadership

Creative Leadership; what leaders can learn from the creatives.
Leaders are often intimidated by the notion of creativity. This is because we often see creativity as something unique and reserved to a small group of talented individuals. When we think of creativity, we think of music, the arts, poetry, yet these are only products of creativity.

According to the Nordic Business Forum Leadership benefits from being creative and creativity should be encouraged. According to them it is essential to foster innovation, create new ideas, and increase motivation. Not every member of your team needs to be Picasso or Beethoven, but everyone can benefit from the problem-solving skills and big-picture thinking that come with creativity. Many schools of thought see creativity as a skill rather than an innate quality, which makes it available for all leaders to cultivate in themselves and others.  

What is creative leadership? 

Creative leadership is a style of leadership based upon the concept of working cooperatively to develop innovative ideas that transcend the obvious, static and routine. Those who employ creative leadership tend to do so by creating conditions which promote creativity. The main objective of creative leadership is to build a collaborative environment to expand creativity and knowledge. And to encourage employees to push their boundaries on how they solve problems or come up with ideas. A creative leader will try to implement unconventional ideas and techniques to include workers in the company's success. Being a creative leader is not about you; it's about your team.

“Creative leaders have the ability to take an innovative approach to problem-solving and utilize new ideas generated independently and collectively with others to inspire change and take action“

How can YOU demonstrate creative leadership? 

• Fight the Blocks to Creativity

Fear of failure is one of the biggest obstacles to creativity. According to Ed Catmull, the co-founder of Pixar and former president of Walt Disney Animation Studios, one of the reasons we fear failure is the uncertainty of what we will learn from it. Even though the lessons we learn are invaluable, it is difficult to see the benefits before we get to the other side. Everyone is born with the potential for creativity and the only obstacles between talent and innovation are the invisible barriers we create for ourselves. In creative organizational cultures, people share, listen, and share responsibility and ownership of their ideas. Rather than enforcing policies and processes that prevent mistakes, leaders need to create high-functioning teams that aren’t afraid of failing and respond to failure efficiently. Teams should operate in a space where “it’s okay to say things that don’t work”. 

• ​Cultivate Originality 

Repetition, persistence, and consistency are essential for learning, but not necessarily for creativity and innovation. The greatest ideas emerge from novelty and deviation from the norm, sometimes even from irrationality. Letting these qualities run wild and free without direction, however, is not the best way to lead. Particularly, delivering novel ideas and making sure that they are well-received is an art of its own. 

• Create Space for Creativity 

Creative leaders create an environment where their people can flourish through collaboration, diversity, and—perhaps most importantly—freedom of expression. Yet, creativity doesn’t arise from merely encouraging failure or the ability to express and convey ideas. Creating an accepting and psychologically safe environment doesn’t work by itself either. People need time and space to be creative, and there are many ways to provide it.