Reimagining Creative Leadership
When the world went virtual in March 2020, design and innovation teams moved into new tools and remote working, initiating a profound shift in what it means to be part of a creative organization. This change is still being felt today, and raises the question: what does the future of creative leadership look like?Ā Ā
We gathered a group of experts in business, design, HR and talent acquisition to debate the ways that this shift has emerged, and to explore new strategies leaders can use to move forward. Now weāre revisiting this rich debate for reminders on how creative teams can evolve and enjoy human-centric collaborations today, tomorrow and beyond.Ā Ā
Watch the panel below and read on for our top takeaways.
Play videoThe creative leadership of the future is:Ā
Authentic: Leadership has many facets. Leaders must ensure their teams have the necessary resources, as well as confidence in themselves and what theyāre doing. A key way to achieve both aspects is to maintain open communication. People want to connect: authentic bonds between leaders and teams results in increased trust, better working environments and stronger output.Ā
Purpose-led: Jenna Freed, from ACRES Capital, said that employees are increasingly seeking bigger purpose in their roles. Freed explained: āWithin our organization, we are focusing on helping [employees] see themselves as part of something larger.ā She added, āWe are constantly challenging our leaders to be part of this as well.āĀ
Communicative: āHigh-performing, creative teams need autonomy,ā noted People on Pointās Erika Duncan. āThey also need to be āfedā individually and as a team. A regular cadence of communication in person and virtually, as well as opportunities to physically connect one-on-one or in a group, is essential.ā Duncan continued, āWe all knowāpeople don’t leave people. They leave jobs.āĀ
Rather than demand your place in the business, command your place within it. Go out and show your team what you can do, proactively demonstrating your skillset to your team and encouraging them to do the same.
Getting to grips with collaborative tools is essential, especially for the success of hybrid and remote teams. Ensure your foundational tools and systems enable good flow and communication within the teamāthen periodically take the time to check in, reflect and troubleshoot.
Be intentional and set rituals that reinforce the behavior you want from your team. Encourage your team members across levels to respect the orgās values. A ālead by exampleā approach is crucial for success.
Open the conversation between your team and HR. By bringing HR into the picture, when it comes to hiring prospective talent, HR will have an in-depth knowledge of workflow and needs. If you’re hearing feedback such as, āOur design team loves HR!ā you’re doing something right.
Getting to grips with the business as a whole will help put your work in context, and better enable you to bring new ideas to the table. Be intentional and set an example for how you want your team to show up in your organization.
Hosting the panel was an inspiring experience. All six incredible leaders focused on different variations of the same goal: ensuring that their teams felt inspired to do their best creative work for themselves, their organizations and their clients. That core will drive the future of creative leadership wherever it may lead.Ā
To learn more about how frog can help you lead your team towards doing its best work, reach out to us.
This article was written with input, suggestions and strategies from our panelists:Ā
Aric ChestonāVice President, User Experience, PowerSchoolĀ
Mariela SotomayorāSr. Director of Design, LoadsmartĀ
Cory McCrudenāManaging Director, Technology, Banking, Wealth & Asset Management, EYĀ
Jenna FreedāChief Human Resource Officer, People & Infrastructure, ACRES CapitalĀ
Erika DuncanāCo-Founder and Human Capital Advisor, People on PointĀ
Liz Kiehnerā Chief Growth OfficerChief Growth Officer, NortalĀ
Turi McKinley focuses on developing frogās design research, participatory design and creative collaboration skills. She partners closely with companies seeking to develop new skillsets and capabilities for user-centered design and innovation.
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