Creative leadership is a model of leadership that takes into account the complexity of both an organizational structure and the individuals who serve that organization. It is an approach that considers everyone on the team a leader with a special mission. In this article posted on Forbes by Doug Guthrie and Sudhir Venkatesh, find out more about how Creative Leadership really works.
Creative Leadership
If creative leaders are forged in the day-to-day work of organizations, not simply born or gifted with their strengths and talents, then the organization, both its character and complexity, becomes a critical ingredient in achieving any success as a leader.
That’s why creative leaders are more than individuals with vision. They must be key players in their organizations and take the time to assess the complexity of the organization and the individuals who work there. They must see beyond the apparent limits of complexity to the opportunities it presents.
One of the central tenets of our new theory of Creative Leadership is the importance of complexity and alignment within the organization, as well as its relationship to nurturing and sustaining dynamic organizations and creative leaders.
Creative leadership is built on the idea that everyone at every level in the organization is a leader; that only by mastering complexity – both human and organizational – will leaders be able to achieve alignment; and that leaders must know themselves, alert to their failings and graces, to better serve the organization.
Complexity and alignment have been constants in organizational theory in the past, though often casually dismissed as the duty of managers and not the province of visionary leaders. Recent calls to focus on complexity are welcomed, but they also miss the point by stressing only the inner psychology. In our view, both are ultimately shortsighted. Both are damaging to leaders striving to build great organizations.
Creative Leadership is an approach that sees that transcends the old-school top-down management structure and instead allows everyone in an organization to thrive at what they do best.
