Creative Leadership: A Comprehensive 7 Step Guide

Creative Leaders are the ones who take on the challenges, forefront the changes, and usher in the new era with visions for others to follow. In today’s modern age, some of the Creative Leadership examples that are known worldwide include Elon Musk, Jack Ma, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Walt Disney, James Dyson, and many more. 

Long gone are those days where leaders were hired just to assign tasks to their team members. Today, leadership has to do more with the growth of the organization and team members collectively. With swift changes in the workforce, paired with cut-throat competition, Creative Leadership is the need of the hour. In this article, we shall learn about the seven easy ways to incorporate Creative Leadership qualities and become a Creative Leader. 

1. Understanding Creative Leadership & Qualities of A Creative Leader
2. Different Ways to be a Creative Leader 

1. Understanding Creative Leadership & Qualities of A Creative Leader

What are Creative Leadership skills? These are the skills that allow Creative Leaders to have the perception and ability to see things for the better. It helps them develop originality, groundbreaking thoughts, and a vision that drives business success. Creative Leadership allows all the team members space and resources to learn, grow, and bring forth new ideas. 

Creative Leadership style captivates, encourages, and brings problem-solving abilities to the fore. These leaders know the way to deal with uncertainty in every aspect of their life. Creative Leaders are more adaptable to change, tackle challenges with more ease, and think out of the box solutions to be on the path for unprecedented success. 

2. Different Ways to be a Creative Leader 

Creative Leaders are built by constant learning, and Creative Leadership is an art that anyone can master with practice and experience. Let’s talk about various ways you can inculcate Creative Leadership skills.

• Self-Awareness
• Embracing New Talents 
• Working In A Team 
• Getting Out Of Your Comfort Zone
• Throw Out The Rule Book
• Never Stop Learning

A. Self-Awareness

One of the primary aspects of being a Creative Leader is to understand things around you. Everyone is busy racing with the time to complete their work and fulfill their needs. At this stage, you can work and perform at excellence. Nevertheless, you will lack the creative and leadership ideas.

You must be calm and collected while making important decisions. Leaders use different ways to refresh and re-energize their bodies. Creative Leaders take inspiration from their environment, which helps them stretch their mindset. To take important risks, Creative Leaders need to remain composed no matter what the situation is. A simple walk in the park, deep breathing exercises, yoga, playing puzzle games, crosswords, sudoku, and listening to music; these small activities unblocks the mind and helps in approaching leadership in an entirely new way. When you are self-aware of the proceedings, leadership ideas will come naturally. You will feel the will and responsibility to take charge of the circumstances and deliver excellence. 

B. Embracing New Talents 

Creative Leaders are perceptive towards drawing new talents from their team. Everyone has some notable skills; a Creative Leader trusts their team members’ skills and gives them responsibilities accordingly. Leaders here play a crucial role in motivating and encouraging people around them to drive exceptional results.

Creative Leaders also need to embrace diversity and approach people from different spheres of life to be more creative. Understanding your team members’ perspectives from several knowledge domains, different cultures, and accepting diverse talents will help you keep a global leadership approach. 

C. Working In A Team

All leaders are individuals first, but when you are at a higher position, the team will always come first, and you, as an individual, come second. Creative Leaders will give their members the freedom to build a more encouraging environment around them.  Managing creative teams with strong leadership qualities is the need of the hour. Keeping your faith in the people and letting them do things their way is an essential part of the Creative Leadership. 

We have several real-life examples of Creative Leadership in the creative industries. All Creative Leaders are pioneers in their field and gained global prominence to garner attraction. These leaders own large consortium spanning continents and have charge of teams that drive outputs at an unparalleled level. 

D. Getting Out Of Your Comfort Zone

Staying within limits will only deprive you of the heights that are within your reach. Most of the people look for a comfortable job, office, and home to enjoy life. Creative Leaders will look for opportunities to challenge their skills and further enhance their capabilities. We live in a world where millions of students pass out every year, and only a few lead the pack. Some of the top billionaires today are a school or college dropouts, as they could not see the future with the systematic learning curve.

E. Throw Out The Rule Book

Rules are presumed as the first roadblocks in the way to be creative. A majority of the population live their life sitting on an office desk and doing repetitive tasks. This often limits your approach and thinking. You must actively participate in discussions to share ideas, thoughts, and future visions to drive creativity.

Creative Leaders often bring their own collected approach for innovative solutions ahead. Leadership, creativity, and innovation are taken as the three pillars for improvising human life. 

F. Never Stop Learning

In this hectic life, we often forget to analyze our ways and abilities that can generate blind spots. Mentors or personal coaches with 360-degree views can provide a more comprehensive approach toward leadership. Experienced entrepreneurs also often act as mentors to their emerging talents and help them in keeping creativity alive in their day-to-day activities. 

Many Creative Leadership courses have become popular that offer one-on-one mentorship and group therapies for individuals to innovate their path. Today, several Creative Leadership theories provide us with a roadmap and pathway to acquire skills for future leaders. Professionals who wish to transition into Creative Leadership roles often take Creative Leadership training to accomplish their objectives. 

 It is all in the generation of today to define the future. Both creativity and leadership will go hand in hand in building a better tomorrow. Creative Leaders are not born; they are raised and produced by following a path of learning with an ambition to carve new direction for others to follow. Creative Leaders acquire skills with continuous improvements and have visions that bring cohesiveness and clarity to everyone around them.

Conclusion

Today’s global businesses require a global Creative Leader to bring fresher ideas and a unique perspective in order to remain at the top of the game. If you are interested in learning Creative Leadership and wish to see yourself as a Creative Leader in the future, our Postgraduate Certificate Program in Design Innovation and Strategy can be of help.