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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.”

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We are ALL leaders.

Images sourced from Resurgence Magazine 2011

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