You cannot have creativity without creation. Something of value must be produced. That is what this article is all about.
Baby Great White Shark
The great white shark is one of the most fascinating fish in the sea. This is not only because of its size, power, and hunting capabilities, but also because of the mystery surrounding its mating habits and reproductive process. Specifically, no one has filmed a baby great white.
Until July 9, 2023.
On that day, wildlife filmmaker Carlos Gauna and UC Riverside student Phillip Sternes were studying sharks off the Santa Barbara coast when they discovered a 5-foot baby great white. Click HERE to see the video.
Guana said in this article, “Where white sharks give birth is one of the holy grails of shark science. No one has ever been able to pinpoint where they are born, nor has anyone seen a newborn baby shark alive. There have been dead white sharks found inside deceased pregnant mothers. But nothing like this.”
He told CBS News, “Filming in the ocean is one of the hardest things to do on this planet. [With great whites] we’ve always believed it’s deep, it’s offshore. So this is why I think this is very significant in that maybe we should start looking closer to shore.”
3 Must-Have Behaviors Necessary To Be A Creative Leader
The following are three must-have behaviors we learn from the Guana’s comments necessary to be a creative leader who produces something of value.
Creative Leaders Must Be Curious
Guana first became fascinated by sharks while playing with toy figures in the bathtub as a five-year-old. When something fascinates you as a leader, when something spurs your curiosity and creative juices, do not deny it, feed it. See where it takes you.
Guana’s curiosity, compounded over decades, resulted in a historic discovery.
Creative Leaders Must Work Hard
Phil Cooke writes in his excellent book, Ideas On A Deadline: How To Be Creative When The Clock Is Ticking, “Creativity isn’t about waiting for inspiration, hearing from a muse, or having a ‘eureka’ moment. Creativity isn’t mystical, weird, or illusive, it’s simply solving a problem on a deadline.”
He adds, “True creativity – especially at a high level – isn’t easy, but if you’re willing to understand it, prepare for it, and activate it in your life, there’s no end to what’s possible.”
Because of the uneasiness, elements, financial cost, unpredictability, and even danger, Guana noted, “Filming in the ocean is one of the hardest things to do on this planet.” But his hard work paid off… and your’s likely will as well.
If you put in the work, you might even be the first to do something like filming a baby great white shark.
Creative Leaders Often Think Differently Than Others
The legendary Hall of Fame football coach Bill Walsh would often tell his team that if everyone was thinking the same thing, no one was thinking.
Guana concluded, “[With great whites] we’ve always believed it’s deep, it’s offshore. So this is why I think this is very significant in that maybe we should start looking closer to shore.”
Conventional wisdom was that great whites gave birth in deep, off-shore waters. That is how everyone has traditionally thought. But new evidence tells a potentially different story.
Creative leaders are always thinking unconventionally and looking for alternative solutions to everyday problems. They are not thinking liking everyone else.
For more on the leadership of Bill Walsh, read The 17 Principles of Bill Walsh’s Standard of Performance.
Conclusion
If you wish to behave like a creative leader, you must have curiosity, a strong work ethic, and be willing to think differently than others.
Which one of these behaviors can work on today to become a more creative leader?
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