The Art of Leadership - How to Bring Creativity and Innovation to Your Work

The Art of Leadership

Doug ShawOhio SHRM 2014

I Am An Artist

Why Are We Here?

Our objective today is for you to leave here, better equipped to introduce creativity and

innovation into your place of work.

Creativity – It Matters

A major survey of CEOs selected ‘creativity’ as the most critical capability to navigate today’s complex world, rating it higher than‘vision’,‘rigour’or ‘management discipline’.

Design Council - 2013

It Matters – So Why Isn’t It Happening?

We Are All Born Artists

Vulnerability

‘Vulnerability is the path to belonging, to innovation, trust

and creativity.’

85% of interviewees for Brene Brown’s research can recall a

time in school that was so shaming it forever changed how

they thought of themselves as learners – 50% of those

recollections related to art and creativity.

Are You Creative?

I ask people:

‘Can you draw/paint/sketch?’

They say:

‘I am not an artist’

Our work is our art

We are all artists - Never be ashamed to admit it

Overcoming Fear - Draw For The Bin

We get hung up on believing our work is not good enough.

We are not here to createMasterpieces – we are here tostretch our creative muscles.

Draw for the bin – not theRoyal Academy

Relax – and sketch yourselfInto existence.

Ebb and Flow – Tuning up the Environment for Creativity

Creativity isn’t something you just switch on. It ebbs and flows according to the environment and attitude around you. What are the levers and dials you need to be aware of and able to adjust?

Iteration

Creative work is iterative. Once an idea forms, it develops over a period of time. Each attempt, each mistake informs our learning until we realise the final tweaks needed, in order to get close to what we see in our mind’s eye.

Coaching Questions

http://stopdoingdumbthingstocustomers.com/inspiring/leap-day-learning/

Using sketching and non judgmental questioning to help create a coaching culture and improve your work.

Sketching the Future of WorkInviting teams to cocreate a ‘big picture’ future for their work. Here’s just one

example, follow the link to see more. Had we more time, we would have refined and developed our work further – the point was simply to get people

familiar with the concept on the day.

http://stopdoingdumbthingstocustomers.com/learning/visualising-your-work/

Creativity From Constraint

‘Creativity is subtraction – Choose what to leave out’ – Austin Kleon

‘Necessity is the mother of invention’ Anon

‘Drawing is about mark making. Try to use only the marks you need’ – Kit White

Further Reading

Photo CreditsPhotos © Doug Shaw – except:Work Sucks https://flic.kr/p/sFfHK Vulnerable http://www.flickr.com/photos/home_of_dreams/3581920427/ Sunflowers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunflowers_(painting)