Creative Leadership

The changing realities of our time - especially the unprecedented situation in 2020 - calls for leadership that moves beyond outdated models or frameworks that are driven by the tired rhetoric of management, business or patriarchal notions of commandment.

There is a need for new forms of leadership that are more empathetic and expansive, conversational and communal, and above all, creative. This informative and accessible book examines whether designers can actually be leaders and, if so, whether they can be better leaders because of their creative capability. It then examines how the tools of design, particularly in its most human-centred and collaborative form, might actually hold the key for the next generation of leadership.


Creative leadership is based on three values that give everyone leadership potential: creativity, clarity and empathy. Creativity is a universal ability to develop solutions that positively impact ourselves and others; empathy is the hallmark of a 21st century leader; and clarity is the missing link in aligning vision, direction, and communication. Whilst the term 'Creative Leadership' has existed on the sidelines for decades, the articulation of it in this book is unique. The ideas grew from the author's experience in leading over 100 design projects with government, business and the third sector - from small, medium enterprises, to large multinationals. They have been tested out internationally through workshops and research conducted with individuals and organisations.