How do you identify Creative Leaders? 

Creative Leaders are people who have worked through their creative blocks, taken ownership of their unique creative expression, and begun walking in power to change the world. They are people who cultivate communities of thriving creatives. Creative Leaders actively and intentionally invest in the lives of people around them. 

Creative Leaders are people who have climbed a mountain of success and then turn to reach out and help others navigate that same trail more quickly and effectively than they did.

Creative Leaders are marked by a distinct set of characteristics. We dive much more in depth into these in our podcast episodes on Creative Leadership but here are a few:

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Creative Leaders Are Generous

Creative Leaders do not have any form of poverty mindset. They know that the more they give away, the more they have space to receive, which in turn gives them more to share.

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Creative Leaders are Legacy-Minded

Creative Leaders consider more than just themselves and their immediate circle. They think in terms of generational impact and leaving a legacy for their children's children's children. They look to the past to glean wisdom and insight from people who walked the path before and they honor heroes and leaders from past generations.

Creative Leaders are also not afraid to raise up young leaders and train them how to be excellent leaders as they walk out their creative journeys. 

Creative Leaders are inquisitive.

Creative Leaders are always learning and growing. Always trying new things. They are not afraid to be beginners and cycle back through their journey of Discovery, Fun & Games, Ownership, and Rising to the Occasion throughout their life. As they explore new creative expressions, Creative Leaders demonstrate lifestyles of curiosity and exploration to their communities.

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Creative Leaders intentionally cultivate diverse communities, rich in a variety of ages, cultures, styles, and ideas. They do not look for echo chambers or even unified agreement on every issue. While standing strong in their own personal convictions and opinions, Creative Leaders are always open to learn from the people around them how to grow and think with new perspectives.

"Creative Leaders intentionally cultivate diverse communities, rich in a variety of ages, cultures, styles, and ideas." @brightideascollective #creativeleadership #brightideas

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How to Become a Creative Leader

Creative Leadership is formed by going through the process and doing the hard work along the way. Creative Leaders do not shy away from areas where they need to grow, instead they press forward, going through every stage of their journey with intention, and championing the people around them along the way. 

If you want to learn more about the other values of Creative Leaders and how to become a Creative Leader yourself, check out our eBook:

10 Tips for 10 Days

I participated in a LinkedIn challenge called 10 Tips for 10 Days and recorded ten quick videos on a variety of topics, including Creative Leadership.  

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  • Say thanks. Look for the Creative Leaders in your life, people who you influenced your creativity and invested in your creative expression. Write them a thank you note or take them to coffee and share how their encouragement has influenced your creative journey.

  • Cultivate community. We all need more community, especially with people who will champion our creativity! If you do not have a thriving creative community available to you right now - start one. Find someone to meet up with in person and share ideas. Start to encourage each other and see how community grows.

  • Get out of your comfort zone. The best creative communities are diverse in ideas, ages, cultures, etc. Go outside of your normal stomping grounds and see what you can find. Introduce yourself to artists at shows and learn about their process. Invest in the creatives in your broader community and watch how much you grow.

  • Stay curious. â€‹Creative Leaders continue to learn, grow, and try new things through their lives. There is not a point where they've "arrived" because there is always something new to learn. If you don't have the bandwidth to learn an entirely new creative expression right now, find a new way to do something you are already comfortable doing.​​

Stay curious! Creative Leaders always find something new to learn or a way to grow and develop themselves and their creative expression. @brightideascollective #brightideas #creativeleadership

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Learn More about Creative Leadership

Bright Ideas: Light Up Your Creativity. If you'd like to learn more about Creative Leadership and expressing your creativity, grab a copy of our book, Bright Ideas: Light Up Your Creativity from our shop or Amazon.

Emily Lewin

Emily Lewin is the founder of The Bright Ideas Collective, co-author of "Bright Ideas: Light Up Your Creativity", host of the Bright Ideas Collective Podcast, speaker, musician, artist, and all-around lover of creativity. She loves long beach days, exploring new cities, drinking good coffee, and being with her people. Emily is passionate about helping other people discover, explore, and express their creativity and building creative communities.

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