Creative work is important for leaders. This encompasses everything from innovating new offerings and business models to crafting a new process or marketing campaign. There is pressure with this work to “get it right” the first time. However, final-form solutions are rarely the result of the first draft. Innovation involves drafting and re-drafting. This is a tough reality. The pride of authorship may also lead to defensiveness toward feedback.

It can be liberating to know we don’t have to create perfect. Soliciting challenging input earlier typically yields a stronger solution while saving time, energy and money.

Create working solutions and iterate.

“The essential part of creativity is not being afraid to fail.” Edwin H Land

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Leaders of renown have used one ability to great effect – instilling hope. Hope is a powerful agent of perseverance and improvement which stems from holding up an inspiring vision. God designed humans with the unique ability to hope for something better in the physical and spiritual future – a better future pulls us through any present season of difficulty and uncertainty. We should work to connect with common hopes people share – safety, autonomy, good health, satisfaction from productive work, whole relationships, better opportunities, greater justice, equity, and freedom.

Tap into themes of hope and draw people with you through challenging times.

“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness.” Desmond Tutu

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There is a reason for the adage, “don’t go to extremes.” It is especially difficult for us to gauge risk on problems we have not experienced. When fear increases leaders may begin reacting strongly and severely causing over-correction.

Over-correction can stunt improvement or create new negative consequences. Here are three guards against over-corrective choice paths:

1. Strong teams – experience and trust matter. Surface different perspectives for an informed, balanced view.
2. Decision frameworks – document trade-offs, required resources, and expected outcomes for key options. Note: include “do nothing” in the option set.
3. Faster feedback loops – compare actual to expected outcomes.

“The things we fear most in organizations – fluctuations, disturbances, imbalances – are the primary sources of creativity.” Margaret Wheatley

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Phase changes of elemental substances happen at the edges. The edges are dynamic. For example, lava cools, ice melts and water evaporates at the edges. Conversely, the center is static – insulated and isolated.

Yet, leaders typically spend most of their time working close to the internal center of the organization. Consequently, they primarily interact with others inside the same environment – people with similar values, ideas, and assumptions.

Market dynamics shape organizations at the edges. People at the organization’s edges interact with outsiders – customers (or non-customers), vendors, community representatives and competitors. Get into the action – spend more time at the edges.

“When spring comes, snow melts first at the periphery, because that is where it is most exposed.” Andy Grove

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The current COVID-19 health crisis has people, homes, communities and organizations managing inside a vortex of change. Government restrictions have mandated restrictions by some organizations which in turn are rippling out and negatively impacting most organizations.

In this environment of accelerated change, I hope you can focus on remaining:

• Bold – Clearly lead.
• Healthy – Stress takes an extra physical and mental toll so maintain disciplines that will keep you healthy.
• Genuine – It is okay to not have all the answers.
• Human – Be gracious; realize changes are cascading rapidly, and sometimes severely, into people’s lives.
• Positive – People will feed off your energy.

“Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm.” Publius Syrus

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