I have written a lot in these newsletters about my creativity journey and about how to reignite your creativity and keep it burning brightly. I’ve written about how rediscovering my creativity was my path to uncovering my authentic voice. What I haven’t written about here, but have started talking about elsewhere is the relationship between creativity and authentic leadership.
I have a corporate job that pays my bills and keeps me in fabric. Over the last five years, I have ascended in leadership and I believe that to be squarely the result of my creativity journey. The voice that I found through my creativity hasn’t just allowed me to be more honest in my art, opening me up to create the Victims Quilt Project and my Protest series, but it has also helped me to find my voice at work and to be more honest. I’m speaking up and speaking out more and being so vocal has made others aware of my ability to lead in a way they didn’t when I was the strong, silent type.
Creativity has also restored my confidence, which had really taken a hit. Years ago, I was failing miserably in a job. I was trying to fit myself into a mold that didn’t fit at all and tactics I had used in the past were no longer working. I began to feel that even though I was celebrating my 40th birthday and was at midlife, I had no clue what I was doing. But, as I explored my creativity and began to feel successful in that area of my life, I began to think that maybe I wasn’t an idiot after all. I realized that I did know what I was doing; I had just been doing the wrong things.
The restored confidence in myself that came with my restored creative confidence brought me a strong sense of self that achievements and titles never had. I was able to go to work without any of my masks on because what other people thought of me no longer mattered. The vulnerability that I was able to show created a culture of trust and open communication on my team that improved the way we worked together and our ability to get things done, which made me look like a great leader. Maybe all of this leadership was latent within me but I don’t think it would have emerged without my creativity journey and the confidence, voice, and strong sense of self that came with it. Leadership may not be an aspiration of yours, but lean into your creativity for the confidence and courage that can come from it. Life is so much better without the masks.
If you are ready to leverage your creativity to build confidence and ascend in leadership, book a 30-minute intro call with me.
