Most people know that my favorite leader was Walt Disney. I had the privilege of working at Disneyland while I was in college, and to this day, I still look back with fond memories of the time spent in the Magic Kingdom, and with huge admiration for the man who began it all. There are many things which Walt Disney is remembered for, but one of the top characteristics is certainly his imagination. Creativity was a way of life for Walt, and he encouraged everyone with which he came in contact, to keep thinking, keep dreaming, and stay in the creative stage. Walt is quoted to say,
“Some people believe that creativity is a talent you are either born with or not. I’m convinced that creativity is a skill that can be learned and nurtured. All people are essentially creative because we are all made in the image of a creative God. Creativity is our birthright; imagination is the essence of our being. Only when we are dreaming big dreams are we truly fulfilling our God-given purpose in life.” (From the book, How to Be Like Walt, Williams, 2004)
As leaders, I believe it is extremely important that we stay in a creative mindset regardless of how routine the tasks before us may appear. You may not see yourself as a creative person or in a creative position, but the moment we stop innovating we will surely see our organizations begin to lose their edge, and watch the level of enthusiasm and commitment of our team slip. As leaders, we must innovate. By staying personally creative it helps us to keep our zeal and energy level high, which rubs off on those whom we lead, and as Walt has stated, tap into “the essence of our being.”
Lead well.