Embracing creativity: the essential skill for modern leaders

Creativity in leadership is not just for design leaders; it's an necessary capability for all leaders in every field aiming to navigate complexities, create change and drive innovation. However, traditional MBA programs and leadership trainings often fall short in cultivating this crucial skill.

Creativity in leadership goes beyond generating novel ideas; it involves envisioning possibilities, inspiring teams, and fostering an environment where innovation thrives. According to Richard Florida (2002), "Creative leaders are the ones who will shape the future of organisations by fostering an environment where new ideas can emerge" (The Rise of the Creative Class).

"Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things." - Theodore Levitt, 1963

Nowadays challenges require leaders to be adaptable and forward-thinking. Creativity allows them to approach challenges from multiple perspectives, making them more adept at finding valuable (and lasting) solutions. As Tim Brown (2008) notes, "Creative leadership is about recognising that innovation is the result of engaging with the world, combining ideas in new ways, and making connections between seemingly unrelated phenomena".

Creativity is a universal trait

Contrary to popular belief, creativity is not an innate talent reserved for designers; it is a skill that can be nurtured and developed. Leaders often underestimate their creative potential, believing it to be outside their professional scope. However, research by Teresa Amabile (1998) highlights that creativity can be encouraged through the right environment and practices. "Creativity is not just the domain of a chosen few; it is a universal trait that can be enhanced through supportive environments and systematic practices".

Leaders across all disciplines can tap into their creative capacities by adopting a mindset that embraces curiosity, openness, and a willingness to take risks. As Sir Ken Robinson (2006) puts it, "The fact is that given the challenges we face, education doesn't need to be reformed — it needs to be transformed. The key is not to standardise education but to personalise it, to build achievement on discovering the individual talents of each child, to put students in an environment where they want to learn and where they can naturally discover their true passions". This philosophy applies equally to leadership development.

The gap in traditional leadership training

Despite its importance, creativity is often overlooked in conventional leadership training and MBA programs. These programs tend to focus on analytical skills, strategic thinking, and operational efficiency, which, while important, do not equip leaders with the tools to deal with complexity, anticipate the future and foster innovation. As stated by Jeffrey Dyer, Hal Gregersen, and Clayton Christensen (2011), "Innovative organisations are led by individuals who are able to consistently generate new ideas, and this capability is often missing in traditional leadership training" (The Innovator's DNA).

Learning from design

Leaders across various sectors and disciplines, such as Marketing, CX and Business Development, can derive valuable lessons from the field of design, which has long been integral to organisational strategy. Design is not merely about execution - designing products, interactions, services etc. - but is fundamentally strategic in shaping and guiding overall business direction.

Design's role in strategy is further supported by Roger Martin (2009), who argues, "Today, we are in the midst of a design revolution in business... the best organisations in the world are shifting from operational excellence to a design focus". Martin highlights how leading organisations leverage design (thinking and doing) to stay competitive and innovative in a rapidly changing market. Also Tim Brown emphasised already a year before: "By focusing on the needs of people, design thinking allows us to fundamentally reframe our approach to problem-solving, making it an invaluable tool for leaders".

Leaders can benefit from incorporating design tools, methodologies and principles plus a creative mind-set into their management practices. By embracing these practices, leaders can navigate complex challenges more effectively and drive their organisations toward sustained growth and innovation.

"Creativity is the ability to see what everyone else has seen and think what no one else has thought." - Albert Einstein

Embracing a systemic, forward-thinking mind-set

By embracing a systemic, forward-thinking mind-set, which is inherently creative, leaders can foster a culture of innovation and adaptability. It enables leaders to see the bigger picture, understand interdependencies, and anticipate the consequences of their decisions. Peter Senge (1990), a prominent advocate of systems thinking, asserts, "The essence of systems thinking lies in seeing patterns and interrelationships rather than static 'snapshots,' and in learning to structure those interrelationships in more effective, efficient ways" (The Fifth Discipline). By enhancing their ability to anticipate emerging trends and uncertainties, understanding the interdependencies and connections, seeing the bigger picture, and anticipating the ripple effects of decisions, leaders can (proactively) navigate complex challenges and drive organisational success through informed, strategic decision-making and innovative problem-solving. This involves envisioning multiple potential futures and preparing for a range of scenarios. Sohail Inayatullah (2008) highlights, "Futures thinking encourages leaders to question the status quo, explore alternative futures, and create proactive strategies to achieve desired outcomes" (The Journal of Futures Studies).

"Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected." - William Plomer

Becoming a creative leader

As organisations face increasingly complex challenges, the demand for the creative capability of leadership will continue to grow. By nurturing their inherent creativity, leaders can drive innovation and lead their teams and organisations to new heights.

"In yesterday's relatively stable world, organisations were able to concentrate on efficiency alone. However, in a changing world, mastering the routine is no longer enough. Adaptability allows an effective organisation to master the process of changing its routines deliberately and continually. It entails deliberate discontent—discovering new problems to solve, finding new things to do, and adopting new technologies and methods before anyone else. Adaptability requires looking outside the organisation, anticipating new opportunities and problems, trends, technologies, ideas, and methods to improve or change its routines." - Min?Basadur, 2004?

I invite you to join our online creative leadership program, kicking off with an in-person summit in September in Barcelona, where we explore these themes in depth and provide practical tools to help you become a more creative and effective leader. Together, we can unlock the creative potential within each of us and shape the future of our organisations.

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