Perhaps the most challenging aspect of leading creatives is relinquishing control.
Creative professionals have success when they are in control, perfecting their craft to make great work. Yet, the best leaders are the ones who are humble enough to realize that their team members need the freedom and autonomy to take risks and grow. The trick is to lead with influence, to elevate everybody else’s game and inspire your team to do the best work of their lives.
But how exactly do you do that? How do you transition from a mindset of control to one of influence?
Today, Jeffrey sits down with Todd Henry, the founder of Accidental Creative and self-described ‘arms dealer for the creative revolution.’ Todd is an acclaimed author, international speaker and respected consultant in the realm of creativity, productivity and passion for work. Todd shares his experience as a ‘free-range kid’ growing up in a rural area as well as the health crisis that sparked his creative journey in music—and how those events shape his work today. He speaks to the idea of leading with influence rather than control and the reason why so many creatives resist leadership roles. Listen in for Todd’s insight around the leader’s aim to do the right thing—even when it’s difficult—and learn how you are a leader by virtue of putting creative work into the world.
[4:01] Todd’s young genius
[9:24] Todd’s transformation through music
[15:17] Mortality as a source of inspiration
[17:38] How Todd become an intentional leader
[20:31] The structure of Todd’s current team
[23:13] Why creatives resist positions of leadership
[28:27] How to lead with influence rather than control
[34:31] The motivational archetypes
[39:49] Todd’s insight around leading remote teams
[43:35] Todd’s view of the global leadership crisis
[48:00] Todd’s take on accidental leadership
[51:13] What Todd is pursuing now
The Accidental Creative Podcast
Accidental Creative on Facebook
Accidental Creative on Twitter
Resources
Herding Tigers: Be the Leader That Creative People Need by Todd Henry
The Herding Tigers Creative Leader Course
The Accidental Creative: How to Be Brilliant at a Moment’s Notice by Todd Henry
The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever by Michael Bungay Stanier
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