There is rightly a greater focus these days on leaders needing to be creative, thanks to the disruptive changes taking place in technology, aging, climate and economics.
However should they be the most creative in the team?
I believe they don’t, though they require access to the best creative minds for their purpose.
In commerce, unlike the arts, creativity is more a team function, requiring all in the team to be creative.
Since it only takes one member of the team to dislodge the team’s creativity, for instance with the statement “That won’t work, we tried all this stuff before!” I believe the creative leader’s greatest responsibility is to hold the creative space open for the team and bring those who fall out of the space, back into it.
That responsibility can only be delivered by coaching and support, not by directing.
Only through creativity and its sibling innovation, can enterprises adapt and thrive during these times.
What do you think?
