E16. Cultivating Creativity as a Modern Leader

Boi Carpenter

Welcome back to Inquisitive Leader. My name is Boi Carpenter. I am a visionary, advisor, strategist, and executive coach, bringing over thirty years of professional experience as an individual contributor, manager, and leader of large-scale teams. I'm also the creative architect of this podcast. It is such a pleasure to welcome those of you who are new and to extend my thanks to those of you who are returning.

Boi Carpenter

Today's episode is about creativity, something that's so often pushed into the background when we think about leadership. We tend to put it in a box, right? I mean, when you hear the word 'creative,' you might picture artists with paint-splattered jeans, writers hunched over laptops in quirky coffee shops, or maybe, I don’t know, social media influencers hopping around the globe. But creativity in leadership? That gets skipped over all the time in traditional frameworks, almost like it’s some quirky side dish instead of the main course.

Boi Carpenter

But here’s the kicker—a growing body of research is turning that old myth on its head. Creativity isn’t something you’re born with, saved for a “chosen few.” Really, it’s something every one of us can access. Like, it's a skill, not a lottery ticket. And it gets even more interesting—recent studies, published by McKinsey, report that creativity isn’t just a nice-to-have in leadership. It’s directly tied to results, especially when you combine it with things like purpose and actionable data. So, leaders who embrace creative mindsets aren't just sitting around doodling or daydreaming; they’re driving tangible business outcomes.

Boi Carpenter

I might be jumping ahead, but think about it: innovation, engagement, fulfillment—these aren’t vague buzzwords. Creativity is the engine that drives all of them. And if you listened to some of our earlier episodes, you might remember how we’ve tackled wellness, self-awareness, even systemic alignment as tools for effective leadership. Creativity dovetails right into that. It's not a luxury, it's actually foundational for authentic impact.

Boi Carpenter

So, let’s dig into what happens when we actually put creativity to work as leaders. What does that look like? Well, creative leaders tend to drive innovation by getting comfortable with experimentation, new ways of thinking, letting their teams try stuff—even when failure is, you know, kind of likely. It’s not about chasing after reckless ideas, but carving out space for people to see problems differently and maybe, just maybe, stumble onto something totally new.

Boi Carpenter

In fact, teams that are encouraged to try unconventional strategies—like test out new approaches, or hack together a workaround when the usual thing just isn’t cutting it—they often see their key performance indicators, or KPIs, improve. That’s not speculation. Multiple teams I’ve worked with, when leadership said, “Yes, bring your wildest ideas; mistakes are part of the process,” productivity and morale just went up. Sometimes dramatically. Like, that sense of ownership and permission to try? It’s golden.

Boi Carpenter

It’s funny, we touched on this idea of tolerating failure a bit in our episode about the messy middle—embracing uncertainty. Because, honestly, rigid routines and fear of looking foolish, those things poison creative thinking more than anything else. But what about in your organization, right? What are those barriers to creative thinking you notice? Maybe it's a culture of perfectionism, maybe it's a habit of rushing for easy answers. And here's one for you: how might you gently disrupt those? Maybe it's asking a "what if" question instead of launching right into problem-solving. Or giving someone permission to try something small and weird just to see what happens. Food for thought, right?

Boi Carpenter

Now, let's talk about making creativity more of a regular habit than a once-in-a-blue-moon thing. If you want to strengthen your creative muscles, it may be time to step outside your comfort zone a bit. I mean, the research says locking yourself in a room with blank paper—sure, it might help, but real creativity? It tends to take root when you shake up your routine. Think about taking a class on something you know absolutely nothing about, or picking up a new hobby, or even just spending an hour hiking in nature where your mind can wander a little.

Boi Carpenter

For me, learning to be an executive coach was this huge beginner’s-mind moment. Let me be honest—I was used to being the expert, the one with answers. Suddenly, I’m the one asking questions I don’t even know the answers to, and embracing not-knowing as part of the growth. It was both humbling and electric—and, well, it’s still ongoing! I really believe bringing curiosity-based inquiry into our routines—those days when you let yourself slow down and get genuinely interested, not just in solutions, but in new questions—that's what creates fertile ground for true innovation.

Boi Carpenter

One more thought for you: how might you reframe your own or your team's so-called “flaws" as hidden strengths that could drive creative solutions? We've talked a lot about this in our “Edges of Brilliance” episode—not every quirk or offbeat tendency is a liability. Sometimes, that’s exactly where your next big idea is hiding. So, maybe it’s time to get curious about those rough edges.

Boi Carpenter

Alright, that’s a wrap for today’s conversation. If any of these ideas sparked something or you want to share your creativity journey, send me an email or a DM on LinkedIn. And stay tuned—there are more conversations on leadership growth ahead. Until next time, keep leaning into curiosity and, as always, progress—not perfection.