Characteristics of Creative Leader
Leading others is not easy. Because of this, the majority of us wind up following other people’s lead in our careers. However, the number of independent contractors is growing, suggesting that more individuals are becoming more ease with holding themselves accountable. As it happens, anybody who is dedicated to the mission may become a leader—even if it’s only of themselves. A leader is not born with any particular trait. They are just regular folks who make the decision to accomplish amazing things sometimes.
That requires not only guts but also the type of creativity you have to deliberately cultivate and exercise. Since I’m an artist, I prefer to consider leadership to be an artistic endeavour. And I’ve discovered that being a leader requires you to acquire traits that are comparable to those of an artist: you must use your creative intellect to stay ahead of the curve, remain agile, and motivate those around you to strive for excellence as well.
These are the five qualities that the most motivated and innovative leaders—and, by extension, the greatest leaders—generally all share.
They Squeaky Cages
There is always going to be change. The only thing that is constant in the natural world, politics, and business is the reality that nothing stays the same. Some individuals hold off on taking up leadership roles until they are thrust into them by external factors. However, the most effective leaders—like Joan of Arc, Martin Luther King Jr., and Steve Jobs—provoke themselves to act before influencing others around them. They are always thinking of new things to do. Even when others don’t, they initiate the change they want to see.
Maybe the only significant distinction between these exceptional leaders and the general public is that the former are ready to take action rather than letting life happen to them. That usually entails rattling cages and upending established institutions and ideas, which is seldom simple or widely accepted. However, that’s exactly what sets them apart. It’s likely that you’ll need to rattle a few cages as well, beginning with your own, in order to reach your full leadership potential.
They Pay attention to your intuition
There are some truths we believe are real and certain truths we know to be true. Because of our schooling, the majority of us have a tendency to rely our decision-making and problem-solving on our prior knowledge. However, the most effective leaders are those who understand that the possibilities that exist just beyond the known also have a unique significance. Genuine breakthroughs occur when you listen to them.
Most of us struggle to strike a balance between intuition and reason. In actuality, however, such abilities aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, if you want to be a genuinely creative leader, you must learn how to persuade others to collaborate. A person with intellect but no intuition is impactless. A person with pure intuition but no intelligence is aimless and impulsive.
They Go Quickly
Perfectionism—the drive to do anything flawlessly before moving on—is one of the largest obstacles facing anybody attempting to achieve anything. However, the most effective leaders understand that progress is more essential than perfection and that perfection is unachievable. Regardless of the size of the step, leadership demands constant progress. And the more forward motion there is, the faster the stride.
Don’t believe that if you take your time and thoroughly plan everything out, you can make a huge jump. When you finish your planning, someone else will have already surpassed you and made the move you were considering for months. Instead, choose to “just go” and let the sparks to fly. Errors are inevitable. However, you’ll pick things up fast, keep going, hone your abilities, and discover new creative outlets you never knew existed.
They adhere to their beliefs.
“Ask not what the world needs,” famous civil rights activist Howard Thurman once said. “Ask yourself what brings you joy, then pursue it.” Because individuals who have come of age are what the world needs. Whether or not you agree with everything someone with conviction stands for, there’s something appealing about them. However, conviction is unusual because, in our need for security and stability, we often seek outside of ourselves for guidance when we should be searching inside. Furthermore, we are susceptible to losing sight of our true selves and our priorities as time goes on.
However, conviction can be developed, and it begins with you. Even while people who lead very conviction-filled lives might constantly inspire you, they are unaware of your interests and convictions. Why do I come alive? is a question only you can answer. The differences between who you are and who you may still become apparent from there. You could discover that you need to make a significant shift, like changing careers, or the process of responding to that question might encourage you to continue on your current course. The secret is to commit yourself fully to whatever it is you believe is your calling.
They don’t just perform what is required of them.
One quality that sets exceptional leaders apart is their capacity for innovation. They have the ability to see beyond the conventional wisdom and conjure up novel ideas that pave the way for others to follow. Since we are all unique, we all possess a great potential for creativity, however sometimes it might be challenging to bring it to the surface. Why? Because there are so many demands on our lives—jobs, families, and other commitments—we have to spend the majority of our limited time and energy just keeping up.
You must be willing to go beyond doing what is necessary and expected of you in order to unleash your own originality. These are the ideas and projects that you keep putting off until you have more time. However, the truth is that there’s never a good time to deal with them. There will never be a moment when you can be positive that you will succeed if you try. Start working on those items right now, and continue to do so each day after.
In the end, action is what really sets you apart from the innovative leaders who motivate you. You are naturally able to acquire every attribute they have. The most important thing is to get going. Commence right now. Get started right now. Life will always require something of you, so don’t wait around until it does. That is not how leaders behave.o.