Creative teams are bendy, with a solid core
Amsterdam, Netherlands. Photo by Giulia May on Unsplash.
According to Stacy D’Erasmo, sustaining creativity requires that artists have bold flexibility, a solid core, and, for those of us with day jobs, “the deep stamina of a double agent.”
Like artists, creative teams are bendy, with a strong core. The core ensures continuity and stability—think strong ethics, clear mission, solid financials, good communication, and stable infrastructure. The bendy parts reach, stretch, and explore beyond known success—dismantling outdated work, testing new methods, exploring opportunities, then trying and failing and trying again.
Leaders of creative organizations must cultivate this yin and yang (hello, double agent!). You probably have intuition for which is your organization’s dominant strength, and where you could stand to bulk up. Trust that and seek input to confirm, challange, and/or nuance your assumptions.
From there, decide how you want to dial it all in. Leading creativity will be an effort of discernment and balance—amplifying and quieting each element at the right levels for the right goals at the right time.
Remember, there is no single “right” setting. (This is where it’s tricky and why I emphasize discernment.) Creativity is a mindset and a flow, not a problem to solve once and for all. Uncertainty is normal; keep going.
Finally, do not expect yourself or any person to check every box. Your goal is to activate the group’s diverse capabilities for the good of the whole. Think mosaic, not machine.
It’s going to be beautiful.
On Substack, I share 5 Things to Consider every other Friday. On the Friday’s between I mix things up. Subscribe here (it’s free).
