A leader is someone who knows the way to success and goes through it with his followers and conquers the success. Right this second can you come up with one global leader name who positively inspired your life? There are so many people but yet one particular person who has flashed in your mind. No need to say it out loud, but think what is that about this person that draws you towards them Some call it charisma, some say you must be born with it. What is it that you believe in?
A leader is born or made?
Tricky question, it depends on your beliefs. You can become a leader if you build a set of skills learned through perception, training and experience. Leadership is not a one-day activity, it is a lifetime activity. Behavioural Theories show that people can be leaders through a disciplined process of learning, observation and teaching.
Creative leaders in present day
There are many thought leaders and creative leaders in our present-day who took the reins of their business into their own hands and drove them towards success. Every day you come across companies that flourishing in their respective industry and other toughen up to market changes and emerging as winners. As you can see behind every successful company there is a creative leader, who put his blood, sweat and soul in shaping it. Some of such leaders are not far they are right in front of your eyes. From Apple to Facebook aren’t all these companies once a startup’s driven to success by its leaders. What more do you need to feel inspired?
Is being a leader easy?
Being a leader is easy on paper, but it takes a lot of discipline and practice to become one in reality. Being a leader is difficult, that is the reason most of them settle for following. But the thing about being a leader is, a right one can walk you towards success. In the past decade, people’s way of thinking has seen a drastic change and most people are willing to take the risk of starting something on their own. And the number of self-employed people has also increased, so are the success stories. To become a leader only courage is not enough they also must have creativity. Leaders are just ordinary people like you but what makes them special is their willingness to learn and improve themselves.
Why creative leadership is important for the business?
Creativity is the most important trait for a modern business leader. It helps them in seeing things through a new light and come up with solutions to any queries. Creativity can be innovation, vision, resourcefulness, progressiveness etc. A business leader needs to be creative to survive this ever-changing market.
There are many advantages of creative leadership in organisations such as improving productivity, achieving growth, problem-solving, improving teamwork and lastly it can help businesses unlock new perspectives within the business. When you become a creative leader on whom your employees can place their trust then your business will automatically walk through the right direction.
Remember a creative leader will not take decisions all by himself, he will involve his team, brainstorm with them, ask for their perspective on an idea and lastly create a platform for them to share their ideas and views. When you’re open with your employees you never know from whom you will get the next best or innovative idea that could turn the market upside down. A leader has to always shoulder the most important responsibilities i.e., keeping the team together, see that the ideas are implemented properly to reach all the goals timely.
If you also want to be a creative leader then these are the important traits that you must develop.
Always up for changes
In this world, be it business, politics, they always undergo through changes. Don’t you agree? Nothing is constant or the same in the market or your business everyday one thing or the other changes. If you take a look at all the great leaders in history, they took a stand or step towards the change, they provoke themselves first and then the people around them towards the change. What makes creative leaders different from ordinary people is they always imagine new possibilities and they instigate the change even when people are against it. They don’t wait for situations or circumstances to dictate them. They always stand their ground even when they know that rattling those long-standing institution or beliefs is not easy. But still, they go with their full force to bring that change in the system or institution.
Intuitive
Not everyone has the guts to follow their hunch, this is where creative leaders are a step ahead. When they have a hunch or vision they step on it quickly. One of the most important traits that most leaders possess is intuitive thinking. Most people base their education to solve problems or make any decisions. But leaders believe in things they sense and they hold such possibilities and make them a reality. Many people don’t believe in the intuition as it doesn’t support logical thinking. But they forget that intuition is also a possibility that can unlock a door to changes or success. When you have an intuition, listen to them, use your intelligence to make it into a reality. That is how some of the greatest companies in history were built. They had an intuition made it their vision and worked hard to make it a reality.
Progressive
Leaders don’t work for perfection, they work for progress. Perfectionism is something that everybody tries to accomplish, but it is not that easy. Your progress may get affected when your overly obsessing over perfection and leaders know that this habit is not to be encouraged. Rather than perfection leaders look for progress even if it is a little. Progress shows that you’re going to reach what you’re aiming for.
It doesn’t have to be a long leap, it can also be small but consistent strides. The quicker your strides are the faster your progress is. Create a map to achieve a goal and then proceed with your plan. You may make mistakes along the way but you must learn from them and proceed. The thing that makes leaders decision right is they are ready to take a leap of faith at the right time. They learn quickly, refine their skills and improve themselves constantly to become better versions of themselves.
Stick to your convictions
There is something so charming about people with a conviction or vision don’t you agree? They have this vision or idea that they are trying to drive home. They believe in what they’re doing and try their best to make it work. It is rare to see people follow their convictions in this race for security and stability. If you want to be a creative leader then you must search for your conviction within you and it is important to stay focused as it is easy to lose sight of your goal. Conviction starts with you and then inspire people around you. And the true leader will try to find their conviction, answer all the questions relating to it and they bring the gap and help people understand what their dream is.
Team Player
If you want to become an exceptional creative leader then you must be a team player. Have you ever seen a leader who is a one-man army? Rare, right? You must be a team player, understand them and involve them in your success. As a leader, you must identify the strengths and weaknesses of your team and work on them to improve your team. Success will be lonely when you enjoy it alone and as a leader, you must see that every person gets credit for their work. As a team, you will go through many highs and lows so you need to have built trust with your team. Encourage them to share their ideas and correct your mistakes that is your team and business will grow. When your team provides you with all the backup you need, as a leader it becomes your responsibility to champion their ideas.
Conclusion
There is no such thing as a perfect leader without committing any mistakes. It’s a myth. What makes you the best leader is understanding your mistakes and willing to correct them. Leaders are not extraordinary people, they’re ordinary people who believe in their conviction and work hard to achieve their goals. Leaders know they’re not perfect and they’re willing to learn, observe and adapt.
They’re also humans and makes mistakes, what makes them special is that they embrace the mistakes and try to change them and reach their goal. In a world where people are longing for stability, they have the guts to take the risk and bring the change they want. Encourage diverse ideas and opinions and always accept criticism. So if you want to be a creative leader, remember leaders are made so do your best to improve yourselves and lead your company and team towards success.