Reclaiming Creative Leadership

There is a deep connection between creativity and joy. Being creative increases happiness and reduces stress, and also that when we are happy we are able to be more creative and expansive in our thinking.

This is true in all areas of life, and also in leadership.

Think back to times in your career when you bounced out of bed excited to get to work. I imagine that it was because you were building, dreaming, and designing something that you felt really excited about. You probably felt a sense of agency, opportunity, and possibility.

When was the last time you felt that way?

As we get older and also further along in our careers it can feel like there are fewer and fewer opportunities to imagine and discover. There are a few reasons for this experience:

1. We have done more, so less is novel.

2. We can become jaded and cynical after going up against intractable systems for a long time.

3. The nature of many leadership positions is that you often spend a large part of your time fire-fighting.

When we are stretched to the limits of our capacity just to get through the day, it can feel impossible to create. We are living through a moment in time when many of us are being forced to be very reactive. We are fielding challenges on multiple fronts that all feel urgent. In this environment it can be difficult to think beyond the immediate crisis in front of us.

To be clear, this isn't an individual challenge. The systems we are living and working within are designed to promote compliance rather than creativity. When we are living with fear and anxiety and are so tired and overwhelmed that we can't quite think straight, we are less likely to be disruptive and think outside the box.

But in this moment, we need bold, creative leadership more than ever. It is extremely important that we protect time and energy to imagine, dream, create, and build.

A Call to Reflection

I invite you to think about:

• What would it look, smell, feel, and taste like to reclaim your creative leadership?

• What would be possible if instead of reacting you were imagining and building?

• How would you feel in your body?

• What do you have the power to do in your everyday life to make space for that energy?

What practices have helped you maintain your creative energy as a leader? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Citations

Tan, Cher-Yi, et al. “Being Creative Makes You Happier: The Positive Effect of Creativity on Subjective Well-Being.” Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, vol. 18, no. 14, 2021.