The ‘X-Factor’ of creative leadership. 8 of 10. Know the difference you want to make.

If you’re taking on a creative leadership role, those who are giving you the opportunity will be expecting you to make an impact. You’ll probably have been given a list of KPIs that need hitting – and you’ve be confident of hitting them. These things are a given. 

These things should also be arrived at collaboratively. If you are ready to lead, you should have your own strong ideas about your current company, or the one you are moving to, and how it can progress creatively. As a purposeful leader, you must know the difference you want to make and be prepared to take a strong stance around the steps required to get there. Write these things down and refine that list constantly. Repeat them to yourself again and again.

Because, you must be able to articulate these steps both into the ownership of the business and to your team. Both sets of people must be equally energised by your vision. They will do so because your conviction and energy will be palpable and infectious.

But you must define these things ahead of time with the rest of your leadership team, particularly those at the very top of the tree, before your leadership tenure starts. One of the most deflating things as a leader is to walk into a role with vim, vigour and a twist of swagger, only to discover in meeting one, that your creative vision doesn’t align with the wider company one.

It doesn’t matter how many zeroes and benefits are attached to your package, if you don’t have this alignment you are going to struggle and there will be friction from the get-go.

This might sound obvious, but it’s easy to get carried away with the kudos of the title, the extra money in the bank and all the other trimmings that come with a leadership role. 

But if I were you, I’d be putting ‘alignment’ at the very top of your creative leadership wish list.