I spoke these words at the 10th Annual 3% Conference in Atlanta in 2021. It was the first time I publicly shared my belief about the connection between leaders who create psychological safety and creative excellence. Many people have told me these words stunned them at first. We have so internalized that one type of personality – big and bold – equals leadership. Quiet, internal people were to play supporting roles, not lead ones.
Yet the power of suggestion did its thing. People started to question if their natural disposition – not traditionally deemed leadership material– could be a superpower and an invitation to rethink what’s possible for their future.
Since then, several people have stepped forward to ask me to be their coach. What an honor.
I don’t finish their sentences.
I don’t assume that if they’re not talking they’re not thinking.
I don’t coach them to be louder or more outwardly confident.
What I do is help them identify their values and see them as non-negotiables.
I help them get in touch with their body compass (that little internal GPS that signals what’s happening before the brain gets involved).
I help them see the connection between their ability to make people feel seen and valued and the kind of teamwork that is catnip to creativity.
And leader by leader, I believe we’re changing the face of the creative industry.
This is not just good news for brands, it’s good news for humankind.
At a moment when the world is staring down massive inequities and livability challenges, we need our best ideas more than ever. Our original thinking can’t be outsourced or algorithmed. It will solve the world’s most vexing problems and be the life-force that sustains and evolves us as a species.
One of my favorite quotes comes from a Canadian entrepreneur named Vicki Saunders. She says “Everything in the world is broken. What a wonderful time to be alive.”
Those who will lead us forward in healing what’s broken, and imagining something better, are those who create cultures of belonging. Solutions come from places of safety. And introverts and empaths are the ones who build the safe spaces where creativity flourishes. What a time to be alive, indeed.
