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Building Leaders of Tomorrow: Shaping a Global Future, Creative Project Proposal, MCAD 2024.

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Building Leaders of Tomorrow: Shaping a Global Future, Creative Project Presentation, MCAD 2024.

Presentation Link

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Elements

A tale where each element plays its role in perfect balance.

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"Symbiosis - The Blooming" An intricate connection between essence and nature, revealed by gigantic flowers merging with the human figure.

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The Cult of Creativity: Book Review

Part Two

Flash forward to the late 1950s. The landscape shifted, yet again. There was an overwhelming amount of ad saturation. It was clear that creativity was no longer just a nice-to-have; it was imperative for economic survival. Following the significant 1958 Art Directors Club conference in New York, creativity was redefined as universal, urging businesses to tap into the untapped wells of creative potential. ​ However, the post-war period also brought criticism of advertising as manipulative, leading advocates like Bill Bernbach to propose a shift towards viewing advertising as an art form rooted in intuition and creativity. This transformation was pivotal, advocating for a management approach that focused on ideas and meaning. As consumerism surged, this new perspective raised pressing ethical questions about manufacturer desires, artists' exploitation and rent speculation. Consequently, creativity became a bridge connecting the realms of art and business. ​ In understanding this commoditization, Franklin explores a key theme: the dual nature of creativity. On one hand, it serves the interests of capitalism; on the other, it holds the potential to transcend transactional motives and challenge societal norms. The "creative class," encompassing artists, designers and entrepreneurs, often finds itself at odds with the reality of economic precarity. Many, although celebrated for pursuing their passions, struggle to achieve financial stability, revealing the underlying tensions in our understanding of creativity as a societal good. Is it really following your “passion” if your well-deserved reward doesn’t make you enough money to survive? ​ This opens the door for a different conversation entirely—I could publish a few blogs on this subject, but we will jump back to the main point: consumerism. Franklin argues that the narrative surrounding creativity has often favored corporations over individuals, monetizing a fundamental human need for novelty. This perspective invites us to critically examine the ways in which creativity has been harnessed to serve capitalist agendas, often at the expense of community welfare and genuine innovation. ​ Yet amid this critique, there is always a glimmer of hope. Franklin encourages us to embrace the complexities of creativity, advocating for its role as a transformative force rather than a mere tool for consumption. True creativity, he suggests, should challenge the status quo rather than cave into it. While it can thrive within capitalist frameworks, it has the potential to reimagine oppressive systems and empower individuals to seize agency over their lives. ​ To foster such meaningful creativity, we must re-evaluate the motivations driving it. We must prioritize traits such as empathy, communication and care, recognizing them as essential components of our humanity and our systems. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the essential roles of non-creative jobs and our interdependence as social beings. Recent environmental crises further underscore the need for restraint, as the relentless pursuit of novelty and growth can compromise the health of our planet. ​ Franklin's call for a balanced approach challenges us to rethink not only our relationship with creativity but also the broader implications of constant innovation. Collectively, we should advocate for a world where creativity is not merely a commodity but a force for good—where each creative endeavor contributes to the well-being of communities and ecosystems. ​ In summary, recognizing the social and historical context of creativity allows us to unearth its multifaceted dimensions. By endorsing and redefining creativity as a conduit for shared values and collective action, we can aspire to forge a new narrative—one where creativity serves a higher purpose, transforming lives and fostering deeper connections among individuals and with the world around us. In doing so, we may just illuminate pathways that lead to a more harmonious, equitable future.

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The Cult of Creativity: Book Review

Part One

In his engaging exploration, The Cult of Creativity: A Surprisingly Recent History, Samuel Franklin invites readers to reconsider what we understand as "creativity." Franklin argues that our contemporary view of creativity is not a natural human trait but a concept shaped by historical, social and economic forces. This perspective challenges long-held assumptions about who can be creative and what creativity truly entails. ​ As creativity research emerged in the late 1940s, scholars debated elemental questions about creativity and who possessed it. Is creativity reserved for artists and entrepreneurs, or is it something everyone possesses? Is it an innate trait like eye color, or can it be cultivated? Did it come in a to-go container? Could you bottle it up and keep it on a shelf for a rainy day? Were you born with it? These inquiries laid the groundwork for a nuanced understanding of creativity, highlighting its complexity and its potential for expansion beyond traditional boundaries. ​ Drawing on the perspectives of humanist psychologists such as Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow, Franklin emphasizes the developmental aspects of creativity. These theorists provided frameworks that underscored that creativity can emerge from various conditions. Particularly interesting is the contribution of Paul Torrance, who discovered divergent thinking. ​ I find Torrance’s insights compelling. His principle argued that fostering creativity nurtures individual potential and significantly reduces dropout rates in school. His groundbreaking work transformed the perception of creativity from an innate trait to a vital skill that can be cultivated across cultures and ages. Torrance positioned creativity to empower individualism and enhance vital skills like problem-solving, offering hope to struggling students and their families. 

This was not just theory; it was a call to action for a more inclusive educational approach. ​ Once creativity was understood, deeper questions arose regarding creativity's function within a liberal democracy like the United States. Where does creativity fit in, if at all? While some psychologists were skeptical about managing creativity on a larger scale, the notion of the "creative man" emerged, suggesting that creativity could be a central tenet of American life and work. By integrating creativity into the fabric of society, it was believed that overall progress could be achieved.

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Remembering Your Childhood Creativity, Worksheet by Shaun LaRose, MCAD 2024.

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How Our Childhood Experiences Shape Our Leadership Styles

"Not all classrooms have four walls." - Margaret McMillan

When thinking about creativity and creative leadership, I often forget that our “human suit” is never removed. We don’t swap it for a “leader suit”—we are still the same complex creature no matter what job title we hold. We cannot separate our humanity from our leadership.  ​ This week, I had the pleasure of completing Shaun’s Creative Leadership Worksheet. His activity gave me feedback on how my leadership competencies, subconscious beliefs, thought patterns and behaviors often intertwine. The assessment asks you to fill out a Word Bubble Chart and ponder how and where you engaged with your imagination as a child. You are to pick what activities caught your utmost attention and make connections by filling in or adding any blank bubbles that bring out similarities. The purpose of this exercise is to find creative solutions for everyday problems by remembering our childhood. 

"Play builds the kind of free-and-easy, try-it-out, do-it-yourself character that our future needs." - James L Hymes Jr.

Upon reflection, a core story came back to me: riding through the woods with my grandmother. At the spry age of nine, I was small, tough and determined. I wanted to go horseback riding (and badly). I picked out my saddle to help me stay on, yet the saddle weighed almost more than me! I stood on a large box, lugged the saddle onto the frame and pushed it up the horse's side. The time, energy and patience I had were necessary when getting the horse ready to ride. ​ Little did I know then that patience and perspective are the essential ingredients for leadership and transformational change. Once saddled, I was off with my grandmother. We rode swiftly through the Wisconsin pines, but my horse veered off into the brush, scrapping my knees and elbows with her. The branches and dried leaves scuffed my legs from thigh to shin. I started to panic. My horse wasn’t listening or following the herd. My spirit was bruised, as well as my limbs. Subtly, over time, my resilience started to build. I remained brave and persistent. I remained patient, with the same sense of calmness I had back at the stable, and the horse began to follow my grandmother’s mare.  ​ Our experiences in life shape the person and leader we are. Shaun’s worksheet highlighted the importance of childhood experiences, which prepare and attract leaders to the relentless nature of everyday life. We have been learning skills throughout countless life moments to refine and test our intuition. We fail fast, catch ourselves and get back on the horse when it doesn’t work. 

"The outdoors offers limitless potential to young children. It becomes a place where they can go to relax their mind, to be inspired and to deep dive into the world of imagination. It's a place where they can design, create and explore. The possibilities are endless." - Angela Hanscom

Outdoor play is crucial for our children’s and our world’s development. It offers numerous benefits that encourage cognitive growth, social skills and emotional wellbeing. We live in an age where digital screens dominate leisure time. Activities like running, jumping, playing sports and climbing improve muscle strength and motor skills. It can also enhance balance and coordination. Outdoor play stimulates brain molecules and positively affects children's interaction with different textures, sounds and sights. Things can include sandcastle building, forest exploring or gardening.  ​ Studies show that the more time children spend outside, the more their attention spans and academic performance improve. Nature provides countless learning opportunities, which later contribute to the “Adult World” of modern society.  ​ Games like tag, hide-and-seek or team sports require children to communicate with each other, negotiate rules and take turns. This, in turn, helps children resolve conflicts and cooperate with one another. They learn empathy and leadership through PLAY. The freedom to explore and the sense of adventure boost self-confidence and self-esteem. The next step is to extend this high-level thinking and creative problem-solving to our legislation systems, making leadership skills more accessible to diverse communities worldwide. 

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Young Women and Girls Leading Climate Justice

“Climate policy must be equitable, intersectional, multisectoral, intergenerational, decolonial, and feminist to address the climate crisis effectively.” — Yasmina Benslimane

Climate change is one of the defining issues of this generation, and for many, it is a call to action. Women and young girls are disproportionately affected by climate change due to the negligent use and dispersal of natural resources. Female leadership is a transformative power in itself. And in order to face the unprecedented challenges of today’s world, it is essential to mobilize national, regional and global movements that address cultural and stereotypical ideals of women’s capabilities and roles. In Yasmina Benslimane’s article Changemakers, Disruptors, and Protectors of Our Earth, she explains how gender inequality immediately impacts our climate crisis and poses everyday threats to our ways of life, safety and security.  ​ How does climate change impact women and young girls?  ​ Climate change is known as a “threat multiplier, " meaning it can escalate social, political and economic tensions in fragile and conflict-affected areas. In many regions, women and young girls are solely responsible for securing food, water and fuel. When disaster strikes, women are less likely to survive due to long-standing gender inequalities that have created disparities in information, mobility, decision-making and access to resources and training. As a result, women and young girls are less able to access relief and assistance compared to men—creating a vicious cycle of vulnerability for future events. 

Education opens doors and empowers girls to take on leadership roles. 

An intersectional lens is critical to unpacking the complex ways gender interacts with other forms of discrimination. Benslimane notes, “Ensuring that young women and girls have a space to raise their voices and showcase their agency in shaping their future is crucial for driving transformative change.”  ​ How are women and young girls protected in these spaces? ​ There are considerable gaps in research and evidence linking climate change to sexual and reproductive health and rights. Access to education unlocks women’s leadership for policy change that benefits everyone in society. It leads to healthier communities and nations while reducing maternal and infant mortality, malnutrition, malaria and other diseases. Human rights defender and environmentalist Rania Harrara shares, “Before college, climate change wasn’t even on our curriculum.”

When girls are educated safely, everything changes. Investing in the education of young women is proven to improve the health and wealth of entire nations. Studies show that women’s political empowerment is strongly linked to better environmental outcomes, including creating more protected land areas, ratifying environmental treaties, stricter policies and a smaller climate footprint. Providing and protecting women and young girls with green skills enables creativity and adaptation and redefines our economic systems.  ​ How does the transformation of our economic systems take place?

With an intersectional lens and social justice framework, opportunities can strengthen the relationship between gender equality and climate change relief. 

Acknowledging and understanding all layers of disadvantage is essential to understanding the experience of women and young girls vs. climate mobility. 

Governments, international organizations, civil society, researchers, and advocates must collaborate to enhance their work on women’s rights worldwide. ​  

This includes creating safe environments for women and young girls and providing trauma care, particularly in politically unstable regions. 

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Creative Leadership Worksheet, Creative Thinking, MCAD 2024

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“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” —Maya Angelou

Illustration by Alana Peters/WeWork

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Revolutionizing Creativity to Cultivate Transformative Leadership

The first brainstorming study, conducted in 1958, found that group participation inhibited creative thinking. Management set up sessions where workers got together to discuss and throw out ideas. In theory, dialogue without a specific agenda would encourage people to speculate freely and think “outside” the box. The effectiveness of brainstorming was quickly called into question. They found that individuals working alone were more productive and successful than those in a group. The belief was that this was how creative people, like artists and poets, came up with new and innovative things. However, there was plenty of backlash from executives. They argued that true creativity comes from individual minds, not collective ones—which highlights the meaning of the creative process. How has the creative process(es) changed since the late 1950’s? Does every artist have their own? How is one discovered?  ​ Alex Osborn, also known as the “founder of brainstorming,” hoped to solve all kinds of problems through creative thinking. He advocated training students in these techniques through new school programs. He reimagined education to emphasize creativity, which I really admire. It makes me wonder: What is the difference between creative process and creative thinking? Is there a distinction? If so, how is it determined? 

“Advertising is my day job,” he liked to tell people, “but imagination is my hobby.” — Alexander Osborn

Psychologist Carl Rogers saw creativity as an intellectual ability and a fundamental life force tied to human self-actualization and fulfilment. He was concerned about conformity in industrial society and the lack of meaningful work. The power of brainstorming enabled workers to feel ownership of what they created. Instead of simply punching a clock, they were contributing to the creation of something bigger. Now, Maslow’s view of the whole person, not just cognitive abilities, also saw creativity as tied to human excellence rather than just invention. He wanted to address deeper spiritual meaning with creativity.  ​ In essence, creativity was born from a balance between irrational and rational tendencies, and the concept of self-actualization was key to linking creativity to psychological health. It allowed people to reach their full potential and express themselves authentically. It was exciting to see that most postwar psychologists saw creativity as a generally positive personality trait, regardless of its application. 

“By becoming more creative, we can live better with ourselves and with each other… By becoming more creative, we may even find a way to bring permanent peace to all the world.” — Alexander Osborn

Creative exercises are inventive endeavours focused on building creative skills. They are multimodal and can expand creative thinking. I have made a personal worksheet on creative thinking, how it happens, and what individuals can do to harness their own. The worksheet describes idea formulation and explores both accidental and deliberate thinking processes.  ​ Both forms of creative thinking connect unrelated concepts and adapt objects for unique purposes. By practicing both forms, individuals can improve their mental flexibility. For example, if a team has been working in the same field for a long time, accidental or deliberate creative thinking can help them discover entirely new solutions to repetitive problems.  ​ With creative thinking exercises similar to the worksheet I have created, individuals can look forward to a work challenge more as an opportunity for growth rather than a test of delayed progress. It encourages communication, problem-solving and unity.

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The History of Creativity

In his novel The Cult of Creativity, Dr. Samuel W. Franklin discusses the history and rise of creativity after World War II. It was surprising to discover that creativity was driven by those trying to understand and foster creativity in science, technology, and business rather than by artists or countercultures. The term "creativity" became popular partly because it captured a mix of meanings not fully expressed by earlier concepts like imagination, invention, genius, etc. and allowed new ways of thinking about relationships between technology and innovation. 

"Like fantasy, it does not have to leave your head, and it can be utterly preposterous." — Samuel W. Franklin

Interestingly, large corporations began stamping out non-conformity and uniqueness after World War II. However, in that same breath, economic growth depended on innovation. The industry's needs were shifting from efficiency to marketing and product development. Creativity emerged as a way to bond order and innovation, and psychologists began developing tests to identify creative people.  ​ In the 1950s, a major boom in psychological research on creativity emerged. When psychologists asked what habits and choices were markers of creativity, they created "divergent thinking." It sparks the question(s): Why is it imperative to hire creative people? Was it because of the American economy? Was it due to the transformation from manufacturing and making to service, health care, technology and education?

"Just as light can be both particle and wave, creativity somehow manages to exist as simultaneously mental and material, playful and practical, artsy and technological, exceptional and pedestrian."  — Samuel W. Franklin

Fast-forward to a postwar economy, the answer is quite evident with a massive shift in demand: consumerism. Products were on every shelf in supermarkets. This meant that businesses had to develop new ways to operate creatively. Franklin suggests that competition during and after the Cold War drove the country to search for better ways to maximise human resources. In the Chasing Leviathan podcast with PJ, Dr. Samuel W. Franklin points out that our society "needed people who are more individualistic, more freethinking, more exuberant, in touch with their irrational side, in touch with their playful side." He also touches on this idea that people, mostly talking about men in the white collar workplace, to be more in touch with their feminity or "feminine side". What a fascinating point of how the "scientist" and the "engineer" get a makeover during this period of creativity and knowledge! ​ It makes me curious about the anxious debates on ChatGPT since its release. What does AI have to do with the concept of "creativity" in the modern day? Will AI technology be able to distinguish from things made by human hands, minds and hearts? Where will the boundary be drawn? 

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Art and Creativity in Leadership

In his publication Art and the World After This, David Maggs discusses profound transformative change and why it is gripping our world. Power lies in our societies; it takes our relationship with nature to proactively solve our broader challenges. He writes, “…a significant portion of our activity needs to shift from a paradigm of ‘production and presentation’ to one driven by innovation.” Maggs illustrates the complex relationships between art, the cultural sector in society and the disruption of COVID-19 and climate change. In today’s world, is it true we have lost our ability to engage with ourselves? I think Maggs truly pushes this query to the forefront of his work and highlights that we need to change who and what we are to solve our problems, and art has the ability to do so.  ​ Through additional research, I noticed that both David Maggs and Michael Jones are from Canada. How fun! Maggs also started his career as a pianist and shared the similar idea that learning to play an instrument is an excellent way to cultivate a human being. After digesting this week’s content, I kept asking myself why music and music education are essential in today’s society, and the answer can be found in Michael Jones’ TED Talk. As soon as Jones sat at the piano and played his first few keys, I was utterly captivated. I sat in awe and listened to him play. The unpredictability of each note sparked a childlike wonder in me. While Maggs articulates the way in which these disruptions are putting us in a very different reality, Jones sits in and engages with that shift to create something magical.

“To keep the imagination realm fresh and alive, it needs to die and be reborn in a new way each day.” — Michael Jones

One of my favorite quotes from Michael Jones is when he writes, “Artists, even when they work in solitude, have a sense of being connected to the other even if, in their case, this takes the form of being in the presence of a rock that stands outside their window as they work, or of a flower, or a tree.” It reminds me that we always stand at the threshold of significant risk and possibility. We can either step forward and create something brighter that is alive and generative with the inner workings around us, or we can take a step back.  ​ I picture each of us entering a deep wood. We are leaving the familiar ground of home life and human pleasantries to embark into the darkness, into the unknown. We enter to see what lies in front of us, and in turn, we create a new story. Maggs and Jones illustrate in their work that it is now more than ever time to make a choice and re-imagine a new world. A world that no longer has lines and graphs but has circles and spirals—an interconnected place of heart. A place that is alive and harmonious with all living creatures. A place that has deep wisdom, enchantment and delight. A place that binds all language and connects multiple dimensions of human experience, thought and feeling. 

“Where is home, and how do we find our way there?” — Michael Jones

Like critical theory, Maggs and Jones critique the contemporary social world by challenging modern frameworks. Whether it is artists, community builders, social innovators, architects, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, or healthcare leaders, everyone is a changemaker in integrating their services. In creating a community of care and well-being, there needs to be an exploration of ancestral stories of the land to engage in a wider system and discover where humanity is rooted. Where do we sense a shared space to feel most grounded and secure? But most importantly, where is that place we seek to create together in the future? Let's find it.

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Critical Theory and Creative Leadership (Deep Dive)

Leadership itself is a driving force behind organizational culture. It serves as a compass that provides direction on how to approach certain situations, deal with each other and align with overarching goals. ​  ​ Leadership evolution is fascinating! A leader's influence extends beyond the boardroom and shapes today's society's work environment, experiences and culture. Katherine E. McKee discusses the importance of critical theory in shifting and reframing current leadership paradigms. She writes, "Existing literature tells us that many of the leadership theories we teach do not pay attention to social identities and how historic marginalization has impacted who accesses leadership development." Most modern leadership theories have emphasized the narrow view of a white male perspective. This hinders the dynamics of an inclusive leadership environment that has the power to drive organizations forward. ​ ​By bringing creativity and inclusion into traditional leadership models, we can begin to untangle the threads of this complicated discourse and thoroughly explore the nuances of what it means to be a leader in the 21st century.​ ​ But what is critical theory? Critical theory critiques the contemporary social world. It searches for new options and positive implications for social action. It challenges historical and contemporary assumptions and designs new conceptual frameworks. In forms of leadership, critical theory aims to show how and why certain ideas are privileged and become more dominant while others are marginalized. Critical theory is not only about efficiency but also about individual and societal well-being by giving a voice to all.  ​ And how might we improve our current leadership systems? From the ideas of both McKee and the Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy, a deconstruction of the interconnectivity and intertextuality that exists within critical theory analysis. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy disrupts the leadership paradigm by illustrating an attempt to demystify power structures and ideologies and encourages change and action over passivity. The Frankfurt School characterizes critical theory as a set of "methodological aspirations": (1) self-reflexive, (2) interdisciplinary, (3) materialist and (4) emancipatory.

self-reflexive: accounting for its own embeddedness in specific social and historical conditions

​interdisciplinary: integrating philosophical analysis with social theory and empirical social research

​materialist: grounding critical theorizing in social reality

emancipatory: orienting itself toward the goal of social emancipation ​

McKee goes beyond theory and works within the framework of action steps and WAYS to get there. She mentions, "A socially constructed reality must be participatory, intentionally engaging the people who are typically marginalized in setting the desired outcomes, focus, planning, implementation, and use of the research." What linguistic devices and structures create power and reinforce language within the paradigm?​  ​ We can reframe our questions to include everyone, not just a specific group. This starts with gaining trust, assigning roles to people traditionally "positioned as followers", and building a solid foundation of personal understanding, including the power and privilege everyone has access to. This may mean asking for feedback, admitting mistakes or failures, reflecting on social identity, talking about emotions and experiences, or standing up for oneself. ​ ​ Creativity in leadership allows leaders to uncover blind spots by staying curious. Listening is a powerful tool in leadership and business, but it's not about listening to speak; it's about listening to understand. In this way, leaders are better equipped to resolve conflict, increase efficiency, and create inclusivity, communication skills and connections. It's funny that we learn these things as young children, but in these "adult" spaces, we must relearn how to be self-aware and kind to others.

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What is Creative Leadership?

Wow! What an exciting week of readings. I'd like to start with the quote from Brian Eno in which he writes: “Surrender is a valuable thing to do. A lot of our problems come from an excess of control and an absence of surrender.” This concept of chance and John Cage’s indeterminacy has been on my mind lately and I want to pause and reflect on the idea that leadership has the potential to be so much more. ​ When I was 21 years old, I started traveling in Europe and Central America. Through that journey, I was exposed to modern art, poetry, architecture and music that I had never heard of before. I was immediately awestruck. I packed my bags and took the next train to Berlin, Amsterdam, London, Vienna, Krakow… and strolled through the park, met a friendly dog, sipped on a coffee, chatted with a local, ate in restaurants and made my way to the next city that caught my eye—enjoying the magic in the mundane. This reminds me of John Cage’s view that the noise of daily life is a piece of music. In other words, being silent and just existing is an excellent way to listen and tap into something bigger. It allows chance to happen. It allows for inspiration, self-realization, genius and the unknown. In my work, reflection and meditation are a big part of what makes my art meaningful to me. And I think that translates to creative leadership as well. As I travel and photograph, I often take a step back to assess what's working, what's not working and how I can improve. In doing so, I ask myself questions like: Can I capture this in a different way that hasn’t been done before? Have I overlooked something? This practice is not just about looking back and reviewing my previous work, but also about looking forward. It’s about learning, evolving and strategically positioning myself to become a better artist. ​ As a leader, I want to encourage myself and everyone I work with to keep learning and growing. Growth empowers people to take responsibility for their work, learn from mistakes and to further implement ideas from a wide range of voices. Sharing insights and experiences creates a collaborative and creative environment. People are then able to exchange their thoughts openly and find innovative solutions together. A step in the right direction is a step taken together.

“Leadership is a collective capacity, functioning akin to an artist ensemble, and that all players, so to speak, need to be able to step-up and step-back as the moment requires.” — Diane Ragsdale

In her program, Diane Ragsdale talks about the four pillars or foundations of creative leadership:

1. Creativity 2. Culture 3. Equity 4. Sustainability

When it comes to doing, being, knowing, and creating art, I wonder what I would consider the foundation for my own four pillars after completing this course. Would these pillars include imagination? A sense of responsibility? Adaptability? Growth? When I think of my foundation pillars, they look more like vines than columns. I envision something in my head, much like climbing hydrangeas or honeysuckle, that is beautiful and purposeful on its own, but also contributes to other ecosystems. Everything is interconnected, whether it's our interpersonal lives or our global challenges. As Franny Armstrong so elegantly puts it: “Everything I do is all-encompassing.”