Creativity and leadership

Abstract

This paper analyses the relationship between leadership and creativity by comparing the characteristics of a successful leader and a creative person and finding out how they may be linked. It is hypothesized that creativity represents one of the most important traits a successful leader should have. It is presumed that creativity unites originality, openness, sensibility, flexibility, fluency of ideas, fantasy, tolerance of uncertainty, creative generalization, and creative differentiation and can be recognized through them. This qualitative study is based on analysis and comparison of the results of different studies in leadership and creativity. Our analysis has shown that creativity is not listed among the key characteristics of a leader (e.g., intelligence, self-confidence, decisiveness and integrity). It should, however, be recognized as such. The main contribution of this study lies in acknowledging creativity as a component sine qua non of successful leadership. The main implication of our results is related to the thesis that encouragement, development and implementation of creativity in every part of the leadership process should result in greater success in every business domain where leadership is necessary. The main recommendation from our results is to encourage and enhance creativity in every business domain, especially leadership. Moreover, empirical exploration regarding the relationship between creativity attributes and a successful leader's characteristics is recommended.