By Alyssa Merkle, Association Manager, Impact Association Management
Organizational extinction rests on the belief that leaders come from a position of power and authority given to them by their predecessors. The former “top-down”, hierarchal power structure is no longer relevant in today’s business world. Emerging from the eruption of technological advances and competitive markets, are a new species of leader: the creative leader.
Richard Gill and Pablo Spiller from the California Management Review define creativity as, “The ability to make or otherwise bring into existence something new, whether a new solution to a problem, a new method or device, or a new artistic object or forum.”
Rapid advances in technology, the influence of the global pandemic, and the higher standards of inclusion have all created the perfect mixture supporting a new genesis of innovation in business. Leaders are now expected to think “outside of the box” to ensure their organization maintains a steady pace towards growth and development.
Daniel Lamarre, the Executive Vice-Chairman of the board for Cirque Du Soleil, recently gave a presentation at the 2022 Convening Leadership conference. Identifying the seven strategies that a creative leader will use to ensure organizational success, Daniel Lamarre set the stage for leaders in all industries to reevaluate their ability to think creatively.
1. Do not stop recruiting when your team is “full” and do not rest on position titles as a qualification when hiring. You should ALWAYS be looking for highly qualified and creative people to build your team. If you are looking for a project manager, do not exclude applicants who do not have that title reflected on their resumes. Instead, look for individuals with a history of managing projects well in whatever background they may have.
2. Build a creative environment. What is the symbol of your industry that reminds you of what you do? If you are a toy manufacturer, surround yourself with toys and the children who benefit from your product. If you are in event planning, fill your environment with photos and souvenirs that are meaningful from the events that you organized. Always make sure that there is a reminder to keep your environment focused on the goal.
3. Leadership is not a dictatorship. Encourage staff to challenge your ideas and debate in meaningful ways. Complacency and blind trust is not open ended and will only leave you behind. When stakeholders are not comfortable approaching leadership with concerns or ideas, leaders will often become unaware of internal issues and conflicts.
4. Invest in research and development. R&D goes much further than product development. Invest in professional development, team building, communication, and anything that can improve relationships within your organization.
5. Empower and challenge your team. A team requires all to provide an equal amount of effort. A leader should not be the only member suggesting ideas and innovation. Provide your team with a challenge that your organization needs to solve and influence participation through creative opportunities.
6. Be clear about what creativity means to YOUR industry. Challenging your team to come up with creative ideas can be fun, but it also needs to be applied to a current or future problem within your industry. Be clear about what you are looking for so that the creative ideas brought to you are applicable and valuable.
7. Surround yourself with inspiring people outside of your industry. Unique and inspiring people offer many opportunities to expand your network and resources through organic collaboration.
By understanding, embracing, and leveraging your unique and creative capabilities, you can take your brand or organization to the next level. Seize every opportunity to hire and inspire team members who are willing to work with you rather than for you.