Creative Leadership in Today's World
Part I
Foundational Principles for Leaders
1
Change, Leadership, and Creativity
The Powerful Connection
“Leadership is about managing change—whether you’re leading a company or leading a country. Things change, and you get creative.” —Lee Iacocca
CHAPTER AT A GLANCE
What is the relationship between change, leadership, and creativity? How do these three concepts mutually support one another? Can you imagine how leadership effectiveness is dramatically enhanced when someone is able to use imagination when responding to today’s volatile climate and ever-changing conditions? The purpose of this chapter is to examine more closely the three basic pillars of this book—namely change, leadership, and creativity. To that end, we provide some basic descriptions of these concepts and highlight the degree to which change, leadership, and creativity intertwine like the strands of a rope. The chapter begins with a description of change, a concept we believe forms a bond between creativity and leadership. We then examine some contemporary descriptions of leadership that highlight a connection to creativity. Next, we provide
3
4
PART I
FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES FOR LEADERS
a review of some definitions, views, and characteristics of creativity. Building on a brief review of the leadership and creativity fields, we conclude the chapter with a description of the concept we call creative leadership.
CREATIVE CHANGE: IT’S NOT CHANGING THE BABY
Quoting from Heraclitus again, “You can never step in the same river twice.” In that respect, whether you are making something that wasn’t there before or responding to what is already new or different, change is a constant process. The water looks the same, but it is different. In actuality, life and the conditions that surround it are always in motion. For example, as a natural phenomenon, your body is always changing, and this change will occur regardless of whether you want it to or not. Did you know that,
Foundational Principles for Leaders
1
Change, Leadership, and Creativity
The Powerful Connection
“Leadership is about managing change—whether you’re leading a company or leading a country. Things change, and you get creative.” —Lee Iacocca
CHAPTER AT A GLANCE
What is the relationship between change, leadership, and creativity? How do these three concepts mutually support one another? Can you imagine how leadership effectiveness is dramatically enhanced when someone is able to use imagination when responding to today’s volatile climate and ever-changing conditions? The purpose of this chapter is to examine more closely the three basic pillars of this book—namely change, leadership, and creativity. To that end, we provide some basic descriptions of these concepts and highlight the degree to which change, leadership, and creativity intertwine like the strands of a rope. The chapter begins with a description of change, a concept we believe forms a bond between creativity and leadership. We then examine some contemporary descriptions of leadership that highlight a connection to creativity. Next, we provide
3
4
PART I
FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES FOR LEADERS
a review of some definitions, views, and characteristics of creativity. Building on a brief review of the leadership and creativity fields, we conclude the chapter with a description of the concept we call creative leadership.
CREATIVE CHANGE: IT’S NOT CHANGING THE BABY
Quoting from Heraclitus again, “You can never step in the same river twice.” In that respect, whether you are making something that wasn’t there before or responding to what is already new or different, change is a constant process. The water looks the same, but it is different. In actuality, life and the conditions that surround it are always in motion. For example, as a natural phenomenon, your body is always changing, and this change will occur regardless of whether you want it to or not. Did you know that,
Links: Sources: Bennis, Spreitzer & Cummings (2001); Davis (1986); Hesselbein, Goldsmith & Beckhard (1996). Source: Kouzes & Posner (1995). 13 Though the term transformational leadership originated in the early 1970s (Downton, 1973), much elaboration has occurred since then from a variety of sources (see Avolio, 1999; Bass, 1985, 1998; Tichy & DeVanna, 1990; Yammarino, 1993) BOX 1.1 KEY VOCABULARY Some Key Concepts Related to Leadership and Creativity Creativity: making a change that sticks (for a while) (Talbot, 1997); the production of original ideas that serve some purpose