Being Creative in Leadership

"A wonderful emotion to get things moving when one is stuck is anger. It was anger more than anything else that had set me off, roused me into productivity and creativity."
Mary Garden

After working with a vast diversity of leaders from around the world it is clear the most successful leaders seek out new possibilities and are extremely creative. Creative leaders understand that the conduit to creativity is through emotion. The emotion could be passion, love, anger, playful, sadness, happiness, laughter, joy, frustration, irritation, surprise, etc. but the key to creation comes through emotion.

Creativity cannot be made to happen, you have to let it come through you.

Leaders who want to inspire others and find new ways are comfortable with allowing their emotions to flow through. They take the time to notice and understand what is at the core of the emotion. In this understanding new possibilities and growth emerges ....also known as new creative options and possibilities.

"Creativity requires faith. Faith requires that we relinquish control." Julia Cameron

Letting go of control is perhaps the most important practice a leader can have and it is not easy. Here are some practices which support letting go:

In the business vernacular, it would be to "delegate"....allow others to do what you think only you can do.

Related: Break the Analysis Paralysis

Practice seeing with new eyes everyday. Continuously put yourself in new learning situations where you are the novice and not the expert.

Once you have the answer to a question, situation, or problem ...ask yourself and others "what is another right answer?", keep with it to you have something even better than you imagined

Ask yourself "what would happen if you did not control what you are currently holding on to?"

Imagine who would do the work if you were stuck on a desert island for six months

Spend more time in nature

"Creativity can be described as letting go of certainties." Gail Sheehy

Let the emotions flow through. In order to open the conduit of creativity, you have to let go...to let grow.