4 Ways to become a True Creative Leader.
Are you a creative leader? And if not, do you want to become one?
I believe that creativity is a leadership skill. I am not alone. As far back as 2009, a global group* of 1500 CEO’s “selected creativity as the most important leadership attribute.” They ranked it more important than integrity, global thinking, openness, and humility.
Why?
Because they could see a tornado of uncertainty coming at them and an urgent need for leaders to “defy complexity with creativity.”
Raise your hand if you think the world is less complex than it was over a decade ago... Arguably, the swirl of uncertainty has only intensified, and the need for creative leaders in every spectrum and industry across the world has dramatically increased.
If you don’t feel that creativity is your strong suit as a leader, how do you change that?
What can you do to lead with greater imagination and effectiveness?
Below are four ways to strengthen your creativity and become a true creative leader:
>> Learn to Design
If you are a leader, you might not see yourself as a designer. But you can learn to be!
It starts with learning to think like a designer and employ design thinking as one of your thinking strategies. Design Thinking (as a defined process for innovation) has a series of six distinct phases: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test, and Implement. In my book I described it as “a clearly defined process or a pattern of activities that can be followed and repeated,” as “a mechanism for innovation.”
It is all of that… but it is more than that.
Design Thinking for a leader is not just leading a group through the six phases. It is an expansive mental strategy based on 1) empathy for the end user, 2) considerations related to form/function, and 3) an understanding of design principles and processes.
As a “human-centered approach,” design thinking will focus our attention on the person(s) who will benefit from our design, and we measure our success by how well it serves their needs. This is a powerful shift toward empathy that is critical for a creative leader.
In addition to the thinking skills of a designer, if you want to be a more effective leader, it will serve you to learn visual communication skills.
Learn to balance form and function.
Learn the principles of good design.
Learn to make your thinking visible.
>> Make space for creativity to flourish
The second way to strengthen your creativity as a leader, is to develop and maximize the creative efforts and abilities of your entire organization or team. I call this leading for innovation.
More than anything else, leading for innovation means that you design, create, and maintain an environment or culture where innovation is the norm or expectation - even the path of least resistance. That path will lead you to exciting new results and meaningful learning experiences. This takes intention to develop, but in time you can create a culture that engages your team’s imagination and leads them toward their creative vision.
A key principle here is to “make space” in your working environment for creativity. But what does that look like?
More than just giving lip-service to innovation and creativity, you:
Create a structure and process to expect and celebrate new ideas
Expect each member of your team to bring their imagination to work
Give your team a safe space to ask any question they need to ask
Celebrate imagination, patience, and collaboration whenever they show up
Avoid things like rigid one-size-fits all policies and jealousy.
With intention, your workplace can become a rich seedbed for new ideas and a place for creativity to flourish.
>> Guide your group through the creative process
True leaders don’t just manage employee tasks and lead meetings. They guide their groups through the creative process to accomplish the results they seek. They help them move from where they are (current reality) to where they want to be (their stated vision.)
But this does not happen overnight - it takes time and an understanding of the creative process. It means harnessing the imaginative skills and constructive abilities of your team to create a better future reality.
Here are some ideas to help your team reach a collective vision:
Help them develop a clear vision of what they want (this is not a succinct, well-crafted vision statement - it is a descriptive picture of a future result.)
Find ways to make the path and the process visible
Learn to identify the components of the creative process
Eliminate roadblocks and create structures that help the team progress
>> Construct a new reality with your team.
Our teams and organizations spend so much time and energy in the planning phases of the creative process. They create excellent aspirational goals and objectives with timelines and deadlines. But then often fail to execute. They fail to close the gap between where they are and where they hope to be.
Creative leaders don’t just have the imaginative skills to develop a vision and begin working toward it. They also have the constructive skills they need to create the new reality.
Constructing a new reality with your team requires:
Leveraging employee potential and capacity
Prototyping and testing solutions
Carefully arranging and fostering the most productive activities
Focusing on the vision, while breaking it down into next steps
In summary, I believe that creativity is a leadership skill and something that each of us can develop. These four suggestions will strengthen your creativity as a leader and bring you and your team closer to the results you want.
*https://public.dhe.ibm.com/software/it/events/smartwork/pdf/Retail_Ex_Summary.pdf