Better understood as the action of Guidance.

A lot has changed recently and learning to adapt at all –let alone quickly– is not always easy. Those that struggle the most are the ones that cling the hardest to old ways. That’s not my theory by the way, that’s Alan Watts and Buddha: Clinging creates suffering. That being said, we all need help letting go, embracing new challenges and creating new opportunities. This need yields a path of leadership for you — if you want it.

Since change is basically the one constant in life, I don’t think I need to make a case for it, but I do think it needs to be said that things can change intentionally.

We change things together. If you don’t believe me, go look at an etymology dictionary. It documents the history of words and their change in meaning over time in various contexts. You think those words adapted themselves? No, Smalls. People changed them. And when enough people do that, the word’s meaning shifts. That process of evolution applies in many areas of our life including what it means to work, what it means to play, what family looks like, what happiness looks like, how success is defined, and so on.

What is Creative Leadership?

Creative Leadership encourages cross-disciplinary thinking and experimentation to solve problems, create opportunities, and utilize change. As one of my mentors, the generous Marta Mrotek, would say, “are you willing to do things in a new way?” Because that’s what this call for creative leadership is about.

First, believe things can change.

Second, if you believe things can change, then believe that things can change for the better.

Third, figure out where you fit amidst this change right now.

Note: the only way to know for sure where you fit best is by using the Cinderella Method. That’s a very fancy, start-up way of saying: try the damn shoe on.

Fourth, ask, “How can I help?” And answer that question with a list of possibilities.

Fifth, pick one of those possibilities to implement and share with those who might benefit from what you’re providing.

Remember, you lead by both the virtue of doing and the virtue of being.

Engaging in Creative Leadership

I’m fascinated with organizations and individuals that have stepped up to provide resources both paid and unpaid to help such a drastic transition in the way many of us work. Notion made a phenomenal remote work wiki, Reginald is releasing a number of toolkits, and we’re building a library of assets to help you think differently. But, that’s only one form of creative leadership. Creative leadership also shows up as the person who lightens up a mood by consciously assessing the situation and understanding that getting people to laugh reduces their stress. It can show up as the poet sharing her work: a poem of hope and reflection. It can show up as a psychologist sharing proven tactics for reducing anxiety. It can be a loan operations manager creating an FAQ for their newly remote team.

Well who the hell am I?

This is a question I think many of us ask ourselves, but I’m going to share with you a philosophy that I’ve carried for many years now: It is better to act more important than you are, and be wrong about that, then the reverse, which is to act less important than you are, and be wrong about that. The first is no big deal; there really isn’t a detrimental consequence. But the latter can hurt people on a grand scale and my dear friends that is because we are meme machines.

Not that kind of Meme. Let me briefly explain:

The real definition of a Meme

A meme is a system of behavior considered to be passed from one individual to another by non-genetic means, especially imitation.

You see where I’m going with this. We often imitate others and it’s usually subconsciously. This is the reason that acting less important than you are can screw with things in a real way:

• If you act less important than you are, you skip voting. Because it doesn’t matter.

• If you act less important than you are, you stay quiet. Because it doesn’t matter.

• If you act less important than you are, you try less. Because it doesn’t matter.

• If you act less important than you are, you risk other people thinking they are less important than they are. And that’s a fucking problem.

Now of course, this isn’t to say that you matter to everybody. You definitely don’t. But it is to say that you matter –in a legitimate, scientific, economical and societal way. And that importance is not to be taken lightly.

So where can you rise up and lead creatively? What’s your sphere of knowledge or expertise? I don’t care if it’s teaching people behavioral economics or how to make the perfect parfait with 3 ingredients, it’s your turn to lead the way.

Welcome to the sharing economy people. What have you got?

If you enjoyed this article, please check out an exciting educational series beginning April 2020: Who Does It Well? An email series analyzing the bright spots in Creative Leadership.