If you asked me to draw a landscape or compose a symphony, you’d be met with a blank stare and some very tragic-looking stick figures and music that hurts your ears. For years, I told myself, “I’m just not a creative person.” I viewed creativity as a gift reserved for painters, musicians, and poets.
It took a mentor pointing out the obvious for me to realize I was wrong. Creativity in leadership isn’t about the arts; it’s about imagination in action. It’s the ability to see a solution where others see a dead end, to whiteboard a complex strategy, or to pivot a business model when the market shifts.
The Energy Audit: Skill vs. Genius
Many leaders are incredibly good at tasks that actually drain them. You might be a wizard at spreadsheets or a master of logistics because you had to learn those skills out of necessity. But just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean it’s your Zone of Genius.
Gay Hendricks, in his book The Big Leap, describes the Zone of Genius as the place where you operate in a state of “flow.” These activities are energizing rather than exhausting. When you lead from this space, your unique contribution feels like magic to others, even if it feels like “just another Tuesday” to you.
Don’t Kill the Idea Before It Breathes
One of the fastest ways to stifle creativity in your organization is to judge too early. When a leader pushes back on an idea before the sentence is even finished, they aren’t just critiquing a thought; they are training their team to stop thinking.
This creates a “yes-man” culture where people stop contributing because it’s safer to be silent than to be shut down. To lead with imagination, you must suspend judgment. Let the conversation flow until everything is on the table. You can sort the data and make the hard calls later. First, let the ideas breathe.
The Power of “What Do You Want?”
When I sit down with a client at a whiteboard, I always start with one question: “What do you want and why?” Most leaders give a surface-level answer first. But when we dig deeper, asking “why” three or four more times, the real vision emerges. This is where you “remember your future.” By envisioning your life or business 5 years from now in vivid detail, you can work backward to create an effective action plan today.
Your Contribution is Unique
Your imagination is one of your most valuable leadership assets. Whether you are solving staffing challenges or developing new marketing strategies, you are creating. Don’t let your “bad stick figures” convince you otherwise.
Until next time, make today GREAT!
P.S. Are you feeling stuck in a “zone of necessity” rather than your Zone of Genius? Let’s find your clarity. Visit www.mcclurecoaching.com/free-strategy-session for a free call where we’ll go to the whiteboard and map out your next best step.
P.P.S. I’d love to connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube, where I share more leadership tips.
