Create Like a Leader!

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Why creativity isn’t optional for modern leadership and why you don’t have to be “good” at it to grow.

When most people hear the word create, they think of artists. Painters, writers, musicians, people whose work lives in galleries, on stages, or inside the pages of a book. Leaders, on the other hand, are often imagined as people who execute: focused, strategic, pragmatic.

But here’s the truth:

👉 Good leadership is a creative act!
You’re building culture, designing systems, and crafting narratives. You’re shaping how people feel, think, and move together. That’s art.  Yet, many leaders shy away from creative practice. Why?  Because they think they think they have to be “good” at it.

🎭 The Lie of Being “Good” at Art

Here’s something the world rarely says out loud:
You don’t have to be good at painting to be a painter.
You don’t have to publish a novel to benefit from writing.
You don’t need to “earn” creativity.

We’ve been trained to associate art with performance, with productivity, with proving ourselves. But creativity isn’t about output, it’s about process. It’s about showing up to a blank page, an empty canvas, a lump of clay, and saying, “Let’s see what happens.”  If nothing else, you will gain an appreciation for the work and talent it takes to truly be a master of an art form.  Next time you get the chance, ask a musician how many hours of practice it took to be able to play their instrument, let alone master it.

🧠 Creativity as Leadership Training

When leaders engage in creative practice, they’re developing critical muscles:

  • Visioning: Learning to see what isn’t there yet.

  • Risk-taking: Getting comfortable with uncertainty and potential failure.

  • Adaptability: Changing course mid-project when something’s not working.

  • Empathy: Imagining the world through someone else’s perspective.

  • Presence: Slowing down, focusing deeply, and getting into flow.

You don’t get those skills from a PowerPoint. You get them from making things, badly at first (for most of us), joyfully over time.  Who knows, maybe you'll discover a hidden talent you never knew you had!

✏️ The Creative Leader’s Practice

You don’t need a five-hour painting session or a perfect studio setup. Start small:

  • Doodle in the margins of your notebook.

  • Write a haiku about your day.

  • Build a playlist that tells a story.

  • Paint a miniature figure.  No rules, just color.

  • Write a journal entry from your character in a game you're playing or a book you're reading.

These moments of low-stakes creativity do something subtle but powerful:
They remind you that you can make something new, even when it’s messy.
They reconnect you to imagination as a leadership tool.

If you have some time, I'd love to hear how creative expression has improved your ability to lead!

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