There is no creativity without creation. Therefore, creative leaders must ask three questions:
- Is what you are creating improving the organization?
- Is what you are creating improving how you utilize the people and resources already available to you?
- Is what you are producing adding to the bottom line?
I have worked with many creatives in my life. Some were very, very good and brought unique perspectives that took the work of others to a much higher level. Their efforts advanced the mission and vision of the organization and produced amazing results. On the other hand, some were lazy, unable to engage fast-paced environments, and unwilling to learn.
For the record, I could say the same thing about “corporate types” as well.
The best creatives I have worked with have been both male and female, young and seasoned (how is that for a political viewpoint), possessed a variety of hairstyles including no hair at all, and dressed in outfits ranging from skinny jeans to slacks. Creatives come in all shapes and sizes. It’s funny, the one thing they all had in common though was a healthy appreciation for Starbucks!
Creativity is not an age, wardrobe, hairstyle, or skill set. Those may be indicators but skinny jeans, scarves, Keds, and odd working hours alone do not make you creative. It is a mindset and approach. Creativity is the ability to solve problems with unique solutions not obvious to the average person. Creativity is tied directly to production.
With those as foundational statements, the following are three things creative leaders must create to become creative leaders. These outputs are gathered from a recent article in Fast Company magazine on Nate Silver, who interprets big data and writes the incredible website www.FiveThirtyEight.com.
- Creative Leaders Must Create Improvements – Creative leaders spend time each day thinking of how to improve the business. Silver’s data analysis during President Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign improved voter targeting and helped get thousands more supporters to the polls. Creative leaders, is what you are creating improving the organization?
- Creative Leaders Must Create Better Systems – Creatives are constantly looking for ways to do things better and more efficiently. In addition to targeting voters, Silver was able to help the Obama campaign better leverage financial resources in battleground states. Creative leaders, is what you are creating improving how you utilize the people and resources already available to you?
- Creative Leaders Must Create Revenue – The best creatives are rainmakers. Because Silver was able to help others better understand voter behavior, the Obama campaign tailored their appeals with greater precision. It is estimated Silver’s work helped the Obama team raise an additional 20% in revenue. Creative leaders, is what you are producing adding to the bottom line?
Improvements, Better Systems, and Revenue. That is what creative leaders create. If this does not describe you, would you be willing to change your definition of what it means to be creative?
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