creative problem solving leadership

The Critical Leadership Skill of Creative Problem-Solving

Dr. paul schempp.

• June 1, 2017

There is a common misconception that leaders merely manage creative efforts; rather than become active participants in the process. Recent research indicates quite the opposite (Friedrich, Mumford, Vessey, Beeler, & Eubanks, 2010).  Leaders, it seems, play a crucial role in the creative problem-solving process.  The leadership skills they possess can significantly affect the quality of the innovative outcome. Consequently, as organizations increasingly depend on new products and processes to fuel their future, creative problem-solving stands as a critical leadership skill.

For leaders, the creative thought process is sequentially different than for individual contributors. Specifically, successful leaders initiate the process by soliciting and evaluating others’ ideas for solving a particular problem.  The clearer the problem to be solved, the easier for team members to produce potential solutions and a leader to evaluate the quality of those solutions. Seeing and clarifying problems, either solo or in collaboration thus becomes the first challenge to a leader’s creative skillset.

The second progressive task is identifying potential solutions to be analyzed and evaluated.  Evaluating proposed solutions normally ignites the leader’s creative thinking and they begin to generate additional ideas, discover alternative perspectives, and redefine the original problem. Sharing their alternatives, insights, and additions stimulates team members to continue solution generation and development. At this phase, solution standards are appraised, potential solution outcomes predicted, old ideas revised and new ideas put forth by leaders and contributors collectively.

As potential and probable solutions surface, the third challenge for the leader becomes identifying and encouraging buy-in by the multiple stakeholders within the organization. As a result, the leader not only evaluates the potential logistical implications of solution implementation but also the social and political implications as well. Consequently, a leader needs to be skilled in evaluating creative ideas, as well as forecasting the varied outcomes associated with the different areas of the organization involved in the innovation.

A leader’s creative problem-solving skills vary, however, depending on the type of problem being solved.  Evaluative and judgment skills are in high demand if the problem requires a process innovation.  When the solution is intended to result in a product innovation, a leader’s skill in generating clear problem definitions and workable solutions will influence the ultimate success of the innovative outcome.

For an organization to grow and prosper, fresh products and efficient processes are constantly needed. What worked yesterday is not guaranteed to work tomorrow.  Leaders with creative problem-solving skills have the ability to stimulate, challenge and inspire others to continually pursue prominent problems and devise creative solutions to feed future organizational growth and success.

Our guest blogger is Professor Dr. Paul Schempp , a professional speaker managed by The Persimmon Group Speakers Agency . Dr. Schempp directs a research laboratory at the University of Georgia where he has spent more than two decades studying the characteristics and development of expertise and human performance. Paul has dedicated his professional life to helping people reach their full potential through award-winning research, testing what it takes to achieve greatness.

He is the author of six books including the award-winning, 5 Steps to Expert: How to Go from Business Novice to Elite Performer . 

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Problem-solving in Leadership: How to Master the 5 Key Skills

The role of problem-solving in enhancing team morale, the right approach to problem-solving in leadership, developing problem-solving skills in leadership, leadership problem-solving examples.

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What’s the Role of Problem-solving in Leadership?

• Getting to the root of the issue:  First, Sarah starts by looking at the numbers for the past few months. She identifies the products for which sales are falling. She then attempts to correlate it with the seasonal nature of consumption or if there is any other cause hiding behind the numbers. 
• Identifying the sources of the problem:  In the next step, Sarah attempts to understand why sales are falling. Is it the entry of a new competitor in the next neighborhood, or have consumption preferences changed over time? She asks some of her present and past customers for feedback to get more ideas. 
• Putting facts on the table:  Next up, Sarah talks to her sales team to understand their issues. They could be lacking training or facing heavy workloads, impacting their productivity. Together, they come up with a few ideas to improve sales. 
• Selection and application:  Finally, Sarah and her team pick up a few ideas to work on after analyzing their costs and benefits. They ensure adequate resources, and Sarah provides support by guiding them wherever needed during the planning and execution stage. 
• Identifying the root cause of the problem.
• Brainstorming possible solutions.
• Evaluating those solutions to select the best one.
• Implementing it.

• Analytical thinking:   Analytical thinking skills refer to a leader’s abilities that help them analyze, study, and understand complex problems. It allows them to dive deeper into the issues impacting their teams and ensures that they can identify the causes accurately. 
• Critical Thinking:  Critical thinking skills ensure leaders can think beyond the obvious. They enable leaders to question assumptions, break free from biases, and analyze situations and facts for accuracy. 
• Creativity:  Problems are often not solved straightaway. Leaders need to think out of the box and traverse unconventional routes. Creativity lies at the center of this idea of thinking outside the box and creating pathways where none are apparent. 
• Decision-making:  Cool, you have three ways to go. But where to head? That’s where decision-making comes into play – fine-tuning analysis and making the choices after weighing the pros and cons well. 
• Effective Communication:  Last but not at the end lies effective communication that brings together multiple stakeholders to solve a problem. It is an essential skill to collaborate with all the parties in any issue. Leaders need communication skills to share their ideas and gain support for them.

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Why Problem-Solving Skills Are Essential for Leaders in Any Industry

• 17 Jan 2023

Any organization offering a product or service is in the business of solving problems.

Whether providing medical care to address health issues or quick convenience to those hungry for dinner, a business’s purpose is to satisfy customer needs .

In addition to solving customers’ problems, you’ll undoubtedly encounter challenges within your organization as it evolves to meet customer needs. You’re likely to experience growing pains in the form of missed targets, unattained goals, and team disagreements.

Yet, the ubiquity of problems doesn’t have to be discouraging; with the right frameworks and tools, you can build the skills to solve consumers' and your organization’s most challenging issues.

Here’s a primer on problem-solving in business, why it’s important, the skills you need, and how to build them.

Access your free e-book today.

What Is Problem-Solving in Business?

Problem-solving is the process of systematically removing barriers that prevent you or others from reaching goals.

Your business removes obstacles in customers’ lives through its products or services, just as you can remove obstacles that keep your team from achieving business goals.

Design Thinking

Design thinking , as described by Harvard Business School Dean Srikant Datar in the online course Design Thinking and Innovation , is a human-centered , solutions-based approach to problem-solving and innovation. Originally created for product design, design thinking’s use case has evolved . It’s now used to solve internal business problems, too.

The design thinking process has four stages :

• Clarify: Clarify a problem through research and feedback from those impacted.
• Ideate: Armed with new insights, generate as many solutions as possible.
• Develop: Combine and cull your ideas into a short list of viable, feasible, and desirable options before building prototypes (if making physical products) and creating a plan of action (if solving an intangible problem).
• Implement: Execute the strongest idea, ensuring clear communication with all stakeholders about its potential value and deliberate reasoning.

Using this framework, you can generate innovative ideas that wouldn’t have surfaced otherwise.

Creative Problem-Solving

Another, less structured approach to challenges is creative problem-solving , which employs a series of exercises to explore open-ended solutions and develop new perspectives. This is especially useful when a problem’s root cause has yet to be defined.

You can use creative problem-solving tools in design thinking’s “ideate” stage, which include:

• Brainstorming: Instruct everyone to develop as many ideas as possible in an allotted time frame without passing judgment.
• Divergent thinking exercises: Rather than arriving at the same conclusion (convergent thinking), instruct everyone to come up with a unique idea for a given prompt (divergent thinking). This type of exercise helps avoid the tendency to agree with others’ ideas without considering alternatives.
• Alternate worlds: Ask your team to consider how various personas would manage the problem. For instance, how would a pilot approach it? What about a young child? What about a seasoned engineer?

It can be tempting to fall back on how problems have been solved before, especially if they worked well. However, if you’re striving for innovation, relying on existing systems can stunt your company’s growth.

Related: How to Be a More Creative Problem-Solver at Work: 8 Tips

Why Is Problem-Solving Important for Leaders?

While obstacles’ specifics vary between industries, strong problem-solving skills are crucial for leaders in any field.

Whether building a new product or dealing with internal issues, you’re bound to come up against challenges. Having frameworks and tools at your disposal when they arise can turn issues into opportunities.

As a leader, it’s rarely your responsibility to solve a problem single-handedly, so it’s crucial to know how to empower employees to work together to find the best solution.

Your job is to guide them through each step of the framework and set the parameters and prompts within which they can be creative. Then, you can develop a list of ideas together, test the best ones, and implement the chosen solution.

Related: 5 Design Thinking Skills for Business Professionals

4 Problem-Solving Skills All Leaders Need

1. problem framing.

One key skill for any leader is framing problems in a way that makes sense for their organization. Problem framing is defined in Design Thinking and Innovation as determining the scope, context, and perspective of the problem you’re trying to solve.

“Before you begin to generate solutions for your problem, you must always think hard about how you’re going to frame that problem,” Datar says in the course.

For instance, imagine you work for a company that sells children’s sneakers, and sales have plummeted. When framing the problem, consider:

• What is the children’s sneaker market like right now?
• Should we improve the quality of our sneakers?
• Should we assess all children’s footwear?
• Is this a marketing issue for children’s sneakers specifically?
• Is this a bigger issue that impacts how we should market or produce all footwear?

While there’s no one right way to frame a problem, how you do can impact the solutions you generate. It’s imperative to accurately frame problems to align with organizational priorities and ensure your team generates useful ideas for your firm.

To solve a problem, you need to empathize with those impacted by it. Empathy is the ability to understand others’ emotions and experiences. While many believe empathy is a fixed trait, it’s a skill you can strengthen through practice.

When confronted with a problem, consider whom it impacts. Returning to the children’s sneaker example, think of who’s affected:

• Your organization’s employees, because sales are down
• The customers who typically buy your sneakers
• The children who typically wear your sneakers

Empathy is required to get to the problem’s root and consider each group’s perspective. Assuming someone’s perspective often isn’t accurate, so the best way to get that information is by collecting user feedback.

For instance, if you asked customers who typically buy your children’s sneakers why they’ve stopped, they could say, “A new brand of children’s sneakers came onto the market that have soles with more traction. I want my child to be as safe as possible, so I bought those instead.”

When someone shares their feelings and experiences, you have an opportunity to empathize with them. This can yield solutions to their problem that directly address its root and shows you care. In this case, you may design a new line of children’s sneakers with extremely grippy soles for added safety, knowing that’s what your customers care most about.

Related: 3 Effective Methods for Assessing Customer Needs

3. Breaking Cognitive Fixedness

Cognitive fixedness is a state of mind in which you examine situations through the lens of past experiences. This locks you into one mindset rather than allowing you to consider alternative possibilities.

For instance, your cognitive fixedness may make you think rubber is the only material for sneaker treads. What else could you use? Is there a grippier alternative you haven’t considered?

Problem-solving is all about overcoming cognitive fixedness. You not only need to foster this skill in yourself but among your team.

4. Creating a Psychologically Safe Environment

As a leader, it’s your job to create an environment conducive to problem-solving. In a psychologically safe environment, all team members feel comfortable bringing ideas to the table, which are likely influenced by their personal opinions and experiences.

If employees are penalized for “bad” ideas or chastised for questioning long-held procedures and systems, innovation has no place to take root.

By employing the design thinking framework and creative problem-solving exercises, you can foster a setting in which your team feels comfortable sharing ideas and new, innovative solutions can grow.

How to Build Problem-Solving Skills

The most obvious answer to how to build your problem-solving skills is perhaps the most intimidating: You must practice.

Again and again, you’ll encounter challenges, use creative problem-solving tools and design thinking frameworks, and assess results to learn what to do differently next time.

While most of your practice will occur within your organization, you can learn in a lower-stakes setting by taking an online course, such as Design Thinking and Innovation . Datar guides you through each tool and framework, presenting real-world business examples to help you envision how you would approach the same types of problems in your organization.

Are you interested in uncovering innovative solutions for your organization’s business problems? Explore Design Thinking and Innovation —one of our online entrepreneurship and innovation courses —to learn how to leverage proven frameworks and tools to solve challenges. Not sure which course is right for you? Download our free flowchart .

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What is Creative Leadership? Theories and Best Practices

Creative leadership is a type of leadership that emphasizes innovation, collaboration, and risk-taking. It is the process of inspiring and motivating people to develop new ideas and creative solutions to their problems. Researchers in different fields have identified this type of leadership, which has been studied through various leadership theories.

Here, we’ll explore what creative leadership is, how it differs from other types of leadership, and examine some of the popular leadership theories associated with it.

Creative leadership is an essential part of being an effective leader. It requires thinking outside the box, creating creative solutions to problems, and motivating and inspiring others. 

We will also discuss how these theories can enhance creative leadership. Finally, we will discuss the importance of creative leadership and how it can be implemented in any workplace.

Table of Contents

What is Creative Leadership?

Creative leadership is a type of leadership that focuses on cultivating a creative environment, encouraging out-of-the-box thinking, and solving problems with innovative solutions.

Creative leaders understand the importance of inspiring their team members to think creatively, be innovative, and embrace change. They view the process of problem-solving as a growth opportunity rather than a challenge.

Creative leaders are fearless in taking risks and challenging the status quo to reach the desired outcomes. They strive to foster a positive work environment where team members can collaborate effectively, learn from mistakes, and develop new ideas.

Creative leadership also involves developing skills that help you motivate and engage your team members. Creative leaders know how to create a safe space for their team members to express their ideas and be heard.

They also can recognize potential, both in terms of ideas and individuals, and nurture it into something that can contribute to the organization’s success. 

Creative leadership aims to promote a culture of creativity and innovation within an organization, which can lead to better results and improved efficiency. This type of leadership focuses on creating a positive environment that encourages everyone to share their unique ideas and perspectives.

Different Types of Leadership Theories

Creative leadership refers to a leadership style involving creativity to solve problems, make decisions, and drive innovation. Creative leaders are typically open-minded, flexible, and willing to take risks, which allows them to identify and capitalize on new opportunities.

Various leadership theories explain different styles of leadership. In this response, we will explore some of the most popular ones:

Trait theory

This theory suggests that leaders possess certain inherent traits that make them influential leaders. According to this theory, leaders are born with intelligence, confidence, and charisma that enable them to lead successfully.

Behavioral theory

This theory argues that leaders are made, not born. It suggests that anyone can become an effective leader by learning and applying certain behaviors. Behavioral theory focuses on what leaders do rather than who they are.

Situational theory

This theory proposes that the effectiveness of a leader depends on the situation they are in. Situational theory suggests that leaders must adapt their leadership style to fit the situation. A leader in one situation may be less effective in another.

Transformational theory

This theory suggests that influential leaders inspire and motivate their followers to achieve more than they would. Transformational leaders are charismatic and have a vision for the future. They use their vision and passion to inspire followers to achieve a common goal.

Servant leadership theory

This theory proposes that leaders should prioritize serving their followers. Servant leaders are committed to helping their followers grow and develop. They focus on the needs of their followers and work to create a supportive and inclusive environment.

Authentic leadership theory

This theory suggests that influential leaders are authentic and genuine. Authentic leaders are self-aware and act by their values and beliefs. They are transparent and build trust with their followers by being open and honest.

Situational leadership theory

This theory proposes that influential leaders must adapt their leadership style to fit the development level of their followers. Situational leaders must be able to identify the needs of their followers and adjust their leadership styles accordingly.

Path-goal theory

This theory suggests that influential leaders must provide their followers with a clear path to achieving their goals. Path-goal leaders must be able to provide direction and support to their followers. They must also be able to remove obstacles that may prevent their followers from achieving their goals.

Creative leadership is a leadership style that involves the use of creativity to solve problems, make decisions, and drive innovation. Various leadership theories explain different styles of leadership, including trait theory, behavioral theory, situational theory, transformational theory, servant leadership theory, authentic leadership theory, situational leadership theory, and path-goal theory. Each theory offers a unique perspective on what makes an effective leader, and understanding these theories can help individuals become better leaders.

The Importance of Creative Leadership

Creative leadership is a leadership style that emphasizes the use of creativity to solve problems, make decisions, and drive innovation. Creative leaders are typically open-minded, flexible, and willing to take risks, which allows them to identify and capitalize on new opportunities.

The importance of creative leadership can be seen in various ways, such as:

Encourages Innovation

Creative leadership promotes a culture of innovation within an organization. Leaders who encourage creativity and experimentation can inspire their team members to develop new and innovative ideas. Fostering an environment that encourages taking risks, creative leaders can drive innovation and help their organization stay ahead of the competition.

Boosts Employee Morale

Creative leadership can also boost employee morale . Leaders encouraging creativity and open communication can foster a work environment where employees feel valued and appreciated.

Employees who feel supported and encouraged are likelier to be engaged and productive.

Improves Decision Making

Creative leaders are often skilled at making sound decisions quickly. They can think outside the box and devise solutions others may not have considered.

Creative leaders can use creativity to solve problems to improve organizational decision-making and help their team members make more informed decisions.

Builds Resilience

Creative leaders are often more resilient than other leaders. They can adapt to change and overcome obstacles using creative thinking and problem-solving skills.

This resilience can be critical in times of uncertainty or crisis, as creative leaders can help their organizations navigate difficult situations and come out stronger on the other side.

Enhances Teamwork

Creative leadership also promotes teamwork and collaboration. When leaders encourage creativity and open communication, team members will likely collaborate and share their ideas.

As a result, this can lead to a more collaborative and supportive work environment where everyone feels part of the team.

Increases Flexibility

Creative leaders are often more flexible than other leaders. They can adapt to changing circumstances and pivot their strategy when necessary.

This flexibility can be essential in today’s rapidly changing business landscape, where organizations must adapt quickly to survive and thrive.

Encourages Continuous Learning

Creative leaders are often committed to continuous learning and development. They constantly seek new ideas and ways to improve themselves and their organizations. This commitment to learning can inspire their team members to do the same, creating a culture of continuous improvement and growth.

Creative leadership is an essential leadership style that uses creativity to solve problems, make decisions, and drive innovation. Creative leaders can encourage innovation, boost employee morale, improve decision-making, build resilience, enhance teamwork, increase flexibility, and encourage continuous learning.

Creative leaders can use creative thinking and problem-solving skills to help their organizations succeed in today’s fast-paced business world.

How to Develop Creative Leadership Skills

Developing creative leadership skills can be important for individuals who want to lead their teams or organizations to success. Here are some strategies to help develop creative leadership skills :

Foster a culture of creativity

Creating a work environment that encourages creativity and innovation is essential as a leader. This can be done by setting aside time for brainstorming and idea-sharing sessions, allowing employees to experiment with new ideas, and rewarding innovative thinking.

Encourage risk-taking

Creative leaders are willing to take risks and try new things. Encourage your team members to take calculated risks and experiment with new ideas. This can foster a culture of innovation and lead to breakthrough ideas.

Practice active listening

As a leader, it’s essential to actively listen to your team members and be open to their ideas and feedback. This can help you identify new opportunities and find innovative solutions to problems.

Embrace diversity

Creative leaders embrace diversity and encourage different perspectives and ideas. By building a diverse team and encouraging open communication, you can bring together various ideas and experiences that can lead to innovative solutions.

Develop creative thinking skills.

Creative thinking is a critical component of creative leadership. To develop your creative thinking skills, try new things, explore new ideas, and look for ways to connect seemingly unrelated concepts.

Take a step back

Sometimes the best ideas come when you step back and give yourself space to think. Take a break from your work and engage in activities that inspire creativity, such as reading, painting, or listening to music.

Embrace failure

Failure is a natural part of the creative process. As a leader, embracing failure as an opportunity to learn and grow is essential. Encourage your team members to learn from their mistakes and use them as a springboard for future success.

Develop your emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence is an essential component of creative leadership. By developing your emotional intelligence, you can better understand and connect with your team members, leading to more creative and productive collaborations.

Collaborate with other creative leaders.

Collaborating with other creative leaders can help you learn new skills and gain fresh perspectives. Attend industry events, join professional organizations, and network with other leaders to expand your knowledge and skills.

Practice creative problem-solving

Finally, practice creative problem-solving regularly. Look for ways to solve problems in new and innovative ways, and encourage your team members to do the same. This can help you develop a mindset of innovation and creativity that can drive success in all areas of your work.

Developing creative leadership skills requires a commitment to fostering a culture of creativity, encouraging risk-taking, embracing diversity, developing creative thinking skills, taking breaks to recharge, embracing failure, developing emotional intelligence, collaborating with other creative leaders, and practicing creative problem-solving.

Incorporating these strategies into your leadership style can drive innovation and lead your team or organization to success.

Key Takeaways

• Creative leadership is critical for driving innovation and fostering a culture of creativity within an organization.
• Effective creative leaders possess various skills, including thinking outside the box, challenging the status quo, and inspiring and motivating others to generate new ideas.
• To foster creativity and innovation within a team, leaders should create a safe and supportive environment that encourages risk-taking, experimentation, and learning from failure.
• Leaders should also provide their teams with the necessary resources, such as time, budget, and technology, to support their creative endeavors.
• Effective creative leadership requires a deep understanding of team dynamics and the ability to leverage the strengths and diversity of team members to drive innovation.
• Finally, creative leadership should be aligned with the overall business strategy, and leaders should be able to effectively communicate the value of creativity and innovation to stakeholders and gain their support.

Conclusion 

Creative leadership is an essential skill in the modern world. By understanding the different leadership theories, it can be possible to develop creative leadership skills and apply them in different situations.

Creative leadership can be an invaluable asset for any organization, whether small or large, as it encourages innovation and change. 

The importance of creative leadership lies in its ability to create value, foster collaboration, and ultimately produce successful results.

With a clear understanding of the various leadership theories, it is possible to become an effective leader and develop creative solutions to complex problems.

More To Explore:

• What Is Transformational Leadership: Unleashing The Power Of Influence
• Innovative Leadership: Strategies, Skills And Key Steps
• 20+ Creative Thinking Techniques And Benefits
• Top 10 Qualities of A Great Leader For Organization Success
• Emergent Leadership: Definition, Theories & Characteristics

“Vision, strategy, and inspiration – these three words describe me the best. I am the founder of “TheLeaderboy” dedicated to leadership and personal development. As a self-taught practitioner, I have been studying the principles of effective leadership for the past decade and my passion lies in sharing my insights with others. My mission is to empower individuals to become better leader

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The Power of Leaders Who Focus on Solving Problems

• Deborah Ancona
• Hal Gregersen

Can you get people excited about the problems that excite you?

There’s a new kind of leadership taking hold in organizations. Strikingly, these new leaders don’t like to be called leaders, and none has any expectation that they will attract “followers”  personally  — by dint of their charisma, status in a hierarchy, or access to resources. Instead, their method is to get others excited about whatever problem they have identified as ripe for a novel solution. Having fallen in love with a problem, they step up to leadership — but only reluctantly and only as necessary to get it solved. Leadership becomes an intermittent activity as people with enthusiasm and expertise step up as needed, and readily step aside when, based on the needs of the project, another team member’s strengths are more central. Rather than being pure generalists, leaders pursue their own deep expertise, while gaining enough familiarity with other knowledge realms to make the necessary connections. They expect to be involved in a series of initiatives with contributors fluidly assembling and disassembling.

In front of a packed room of MIT students and alumni, Vivienne Ming is holding forth in a style all her own. “Embrace cyborgs,” she calls out, as she clicks to a slide that raises eyebrows even in this tech-smitten crowd. “ Really . Fifteen to 25 years from now, cognitive neuroprosthetics will fundamentally change the definition of what it means to be human.”

• Deborah Ancona is the Seley Distinguished Professor of Management at MIT’s Sloan School of Management and the founder of the MIT Leadership Center.
• Hal Gregersen is a Senior Lecturer in Leadership and Innovation at the MIT Sloan School of Management , a globally recognized expert in navigating rapid change, and a Thinkers50 ranked management thinker. He is the author of Questions Are the Answer: A Breakthrough Approach to Your Most Vexing Problems at Work and in Life and the coauthor of The Innovator’s DNA: Mastering the Five Skills of Disruptive Innovators .

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Strategic Leadership

Senior level managers must tackle complex problems using creative problem-solving and a portfolio of skills and styles. Here’s a look at how being a strategic leader can move an organization—and your career—forward.

Pamela Reynolds

On any given day in a large organization, managers make dozens if not hundreds of decisions, both large and small. How many units are getting out the door? How well are employees performing? Are there supply chain issues or problems recruiting new hires? Is distribution functioning smoothly?

While some leaders spend their days immersed in these day-to-day, short-term operational issues, strategic leaders focus on the big picture — where the organization is going and how to best utilize talent to get there.

In this blog, we’ll look at exactly what it means to be a strategic leader. We’ll examine the top skills and qualities associated with senior-level leadership, as well as how you can become a strategic leader in your own right. 

Defining Strategic Leadership

Strategic leadership is when managers use their creative problem-solving skills and strategic vision to help team members and an organization achieve long-term goals. 

More specifically, according to Margaret Andrews, instructor of Strategic Leadership , a Professional & Executive Development program in the Harvard Division of Continuing Education, strategic leadership is not so much a clear-cut leadership style as a mindset — “that you want to be strategic about your leadership.”

“ Strategic leadership is about understanding yourself and your goals,” she says. “It’s about understanding the situation, considering options, and deciding. It’s also about getting the best out of people, the best out of the situation, so that the organization does well. Leaders who lead strategically have done the inner work necessary to lead with integrity, vision, and purpose.” 

The concept of strategic leadership is not always straightforward . Leading strategically actually requires a manager to choose from among a variety of leadership styles depending on the situation and the people involved. Such leadership styles might include:

• Authoritarian leadership : when a leader imposes expectations and defines outcomes
• Participative leadership : when a leader involves team members in the decision-making process
• Delegative leadership : when a leader delegates tasks to other team members
• Transactional leadership : when a leader rewards or punishes team members in an effort to complete a task.
• Transformational leadership : when a leader uses a vision to inspire and motivate others
• Servant leadership : when a leader serves others by putting the needs of employees first, helping them develop to perform at higher levels

“It’s about using the leadership style that fits the situation at hand,” notes Andrews. 

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What Are the Top Skills and Qualities of Strategic Leaders?

Adept strategic leaders have cultivated a special skill set beyond the obvious ones—being trustworthy, developing a strategic plan, and delegating—often cited in business textbooks and blogs. 

Skills centered around emotional intelligence, the soft “people skills,” are the traits that allow strategic leaders to successfully adapt to an ever-changing economic and technological climate, remaining forward-looking and able to see industry trends and directions long before others in an organization do. 

Passion, purpose, and conviction are what make strategic leaders “visionary.”

Some of the most important characteristics of someone who leads strategically include: 

They Know Who They Are

“They really understand themselves, who they are and what matters,” says Andrews. “They know their values.”

They Are Interested in Others

Strategic leaders want to hear from team members, and they listen attentively as part of their leadership strategy. As a result, team members naturally feel more invested. Andrews references a famous quote of Theodore Roosevelt: “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” 

“There’s an element of truth in that,” she says. “People want direction. They want to be part of something bigger than themselves. They want to have their own ideas for how to achieve great things considered as well.”

They Are Good Communicators

It goes without saying that leaders who think strategically speak clearly in ways that others can easily understand. But there is an added dimension — good listening skills, the second trait in our list. Good communicators listen closely enough to hear the reservations of those wavering on the fence and are able to create buy-in by addressing those concerns. 

In addition, they are aware how their words, actions, and moods affect their teammates, and can calibrate their words and actions accordingly.

Because they’re good listeners, with a good dose of empathy and compassion included in the mix, they can be very effective at motivating team members. Engaged employees are more likely to do good work, persist through problems, innovate, and contribute to the overall strategy.

They Are Open-Minded 

Strategic leaders encourage and seek out diverse points of view.

“The easy problems are solved, and we’re left with the harder problems which need new ways of thinking, which often come from a diverse team,” says Andrews. “We need different points of view, which come from different vantage points, educational paths, and personal and professional experiences.”

Who Are Some Examples of Strategic Leaders?

Leaders who exemplify some of the qualities found in great strategic leadership abound. Below are four different types of leaders who demonstrate at least one of the traits of a strategic leader.

Oprah Winfrey @Oprah :The Great Communicator

Winfrey started off as the first black local news anchor at a Nashville television station, only to become one of the wealthiest businesswomen in the world as CEO of Harpo Inc. a multimedia production company. Although she has been hailed as the most powerful business woman in the world by Forbes thanks to her business acumen, she is best known in her more humble role as a day-time talk show host. In 25 seasons on the set of “Oprah,” she displayed a down-to-earth, relatable communication style that embodied attentive listening, empathy, compassion, and the ability to connect with people from radically different backgrounds. 

Howard Schultz @HowardSchultz : Knowing His Purpose

Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, made the radical decision to offer benefits for workers at the end of his first year as CEO of the coffee chain. At the time, it was virtually unheard of in the fast-food industry. Schultz, however, had grown up with a truck driving father who had no health insurance after breaking an ankle. Schultz was able to use his passion and sense of mission to persuade the Starbucks board to offer health insurance to baristas, even those working part-time. 

Jacinda Ardern @jacindaardern : Interested in Others

Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, has been applauded around the world for her substantial leadership skills and steady hand during a crisis. She is often praised for her handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, in which she was able to keep levels of infection in the country relatively low. According to industry professionals, she “focuses on ‘we’ not ‘I,’” listens to expert advice and acts on what she hears, and acknowledges both her strengths and weaknesses, engendering trust.

Jeff Bezos @jeffbezos : Open to Big Ideas

Chairman and former CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos was able to transform his online bookstore into the world’s largest internet company by revenue, and the largest provider of virtual assistants and cloud infrastructure services. His vision was indeed of Amazonian proportions and has consequently changed the world. His innovation mindset and willingness to embrace bold new ideas means that his empire continues to grow, from moving Amazon into providing streaming movies to taking on sub-orbital spaceflight with his company Blue Origin. 

How to Become a Strategic Leader

By now, it should be obvious that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to strategic leadership . 

People who lead strategically come in all shapes and sizes and can be found in every arena, from politics, to entertainment, to business, and beyond. 

But despite their variety of backgrounds, interests, and styles, there is one basic thing strategic leaders seem to know: “Leadership is the human side of business,” says Andrews. “That’s how we get things done, through other people, and that’s what leadership is about, since no two situations are alike.” 

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On Leadership

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How to leverage creative problem-solving to deliver value

Teresa Lawrence, a UB alumna and instructor, shares how leaders can improve their project management and problem-solving skills .

“My mission is to help people become underwhelmed by the perceived enormity of the problem,” says Teresa Lawrence, a University at Buffalo alumna, and president and owner of International Deliverables, a New York State-certified Woman-Owned Business Enterprise.

Lawrence provides training and consultation to organizations seeking to develop a project-oriented mindset and establish a problem-solving culture. Since 2017, more than 75,000 individuals and teams have participated in Lawrence’s workshops, presentations and webinars.

Now, she’s returning to her alma mater as an instructor for the UB School of Management ’s newly updated Project Management Certificate program. Students in the program will gain skills in creative problem-solving to provide greater value in project deliverables, increase stakeholder engagement and satisfaction, and be more efficient responding to the challenges that projects bring.

Here, Lawrence shares her advice for leaders on becoming successful problem-solvers and project managers.

On Leadership: One concept you often talk about is having a “project-oriented mindset.” Why is that important to an individual or team’s success?

Teresa Lawrence: A project is defined as a unique deliverable—a product, service or result. It could be an enormous, time-consuming project or a short-term project, but it has a beginning and an end.

Without a project-oriented mindset, we tend to have multiple, often overlapping to-do lists. But when we begin to see our work as projects, it allows us to frame our work and think through the stakeholders, risk, timeline and resources involved in each project. It’s a more comprehensive way to keep us organized, and ultimately, research shows our work will be higher quality and more likely to be delivered on time.

On Leadership: How does creativity play into the success of a project or in fueling innovation?

Teresa Lawrence: When you think about creativity and innovation, it’s really the only time we can answer the question: Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? Creativity always comes first. And, where creativity fits into projects is problem-solving.

Typically, when teams hit a wall against something in our work, you may come up with an idea or two to solve it and run with one of those. Instead, let’s develop a process to identify and clearly understand what the problem is, generate and develop ideas to solve it through divergent and convergent thinking, and implement those solutions.

Creative problem-solvers can identify problems they can solve on the spot to avoid going up the chain, and can empower their employees through a proven process to generate solutions and bring projects to completion.

On Leadership: You mentioned using divergent and convergent thinking. Why are these both important to creative problem-solving, and specifically, why is it critical to do them separately?

Teresa Lawrence: Most people have been in a meeting when someone gives an idea and somebody else says, “That will never work.” It just saps the energy from the room, and you potentially lose out on finding a breakthrough idea. Instead, by separating divergent and convergent thinking, we can be more productive.

So, first we diverge and generate numerous, varied ideas—we’re talking hundreds of ideas. Then, we make the conscious choice to converge, transition into editing and narrow down to the best ideas.

On Leadership: Once a team goes through that process, what advice or strategies do you have for leaders to put those ideas into practice and ensure success moving forward?

Teresa Lawrence: In project management, we have our stages of initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and we should be diverging and converging throughout.

In the planning stage, we do a risk assessment to identify all the things that could go right or could go wrong, and we discuss stakeholder engagement, resources, evaluation, procurements. There’s a tool called sequencing—what might be all the things that we need to do, and who’s responsible for them? You map it out.

Then, the sophisticated project manager simply works the plan and asks, “What did we say we were going to do if XYZ happens?” Or, “What’s the problem behind this issue?”—which gets back to creative problem-solving.

On Leadership: Overall, what qualities make someone a successful team leader?

Teresa Lawrence: The best team leaders strive to increase team synergy. They intentionally use tools that increase participation and have a process that creates a level playing field, where nobody is the smartest in the room and everyone is generating ideas that count. They hire for skill and then use the right people based on the problem or project at hand.

A skilled team leader creates an affirmative judgment culture, saying “yes, and,” instead of “yes, but.” And, I think a good team leader gives feedback on ideas in a way that doesn’t crush the originator, and pushes teams to move from talking about problems to actually solving problems.

Teresa Lawrence, PhD, PMP, CSM, is an industry leader in integrating creativity and creative problem-solving into project management. President and owner of International Deliverables, she provides training and consultation to organizations seeking to develop a project-orientated mindset and establish a project management and problem-solving culture, and to individuals seeking PMP certification training.

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Transformational Leadership and Creative Problem-Solving: The Mediating Role of Psychological Safety and Reflexivity

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As rules change, your best friend is an entrepreneurial mindset

Entrepreneurship isn’t just good for individual real estate pros, PR and marketing expert Molly McKinley writes. It’s good for organizations and for the industry as a whole.

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In the ever-evolving world of real estate, chaos is often the only constant. Market fluctuations, technological advancements and shifting consumer preferences create an environment that is both challenging and ripe with opportunity.

The recent Sitzer | Burnett lawsuit has created a meaningful moment for the real estate industry, particularly regarding the role of buyer’s agents. The case challenges traditional commission structures and brings to light the necessity for agents to rethink how they communicate their value, the services they offer and how they are compensated. This disruption underscores the need for agents to innovate and adapt.

As professionals navigate this dynamic landscape, one principle stands out as a beacon for success: the entrepreneurial mindset. According to Entrepreneurship: The Practice and Mindset   by Heidi Neck of Babson College, this mindset is not only teachable but essential for every professional in the industry. Agents who embrace an entrepreneurial mindset distinguish themselves from those who merely focus on sales.

E ntrepreneurial real estate agents see beyond the immediate transaction; they identify opportunities, innovate and create value in ways traditional salespeople do not.

These agents continually seek to improve their strategies, utilize technology and adapt to market changes to stay ahead of the curve. They build strong networks, understand the importance of branding  and are adept at problem-solving, ensuring they offer tailored solutions to their clients. This proactive approach not only enhances client satisfaction but also drives long-term success, setting entrepreneurial agents apart as leaders in the industry.

The teachability of the entrepreneurial mindset

Neck emphasizes that entrepreneurship is more than starting a business; it is a way of thinking and behaving. This mindset can be cultivated through education and practice, enabling individuals to identify opportunities, innovate solutions and create value in any context.

For real estate professionals, adopting an entrepreneurial mindset means approaching challenges with creativity, resilience and a proactive attitude.

Buyer’s agents must now clearly articulate their value to consumers, demonstrating the unique benefits they provide. This might include offering comprehensive market analyses, negotiating expertise and personalized property search services. Agents should also explore new compensation models , such as fee-for-service or hourly rates, to offer greater transparency and flexibility.

By adopting an entrepreneurial mindset, buyer’s agents can turn these challenges into opportunities to differentiate themselves and build stronger client relationships.

Listing agents, too, must embrace an entrepreneurial mindset to reinvent traditional practices like open houses. Instead of relying on buyer’s agents to bring in potential buyers, listing agents should explore new ways to market homes. Virtual tours, immersive 3D walkthroughs, and interactive online listings can attract a wider audience.

Additionally, leveraging social media and targeted digital marketing campaigns can generate more interest and engagement. By thinking creatively and utilizing modern tools, listing agents can enhance the visibility and appeal of their properties.

5 key features of the entrepreneurial mindset

Adaptability and resilience.

Real estate markets are notoriously volatile. Economic downturns, regulatory changes and unpredictable events can drastically impact the industry. Professionals with an entrepreneurial mindset view these disruptions not as obstacles but as opportunities to adapt and thrive. They develop resilience by learning from setbacks and continuously seeking ways to pivot and innovate.

Opportunity recognition

At the heart of entrepreneurship is the ability to recognize and seize opportunities. Real estate professionals who cultivate this skill are adept at spotting trends and gaps in the market. Whether it’s identifying underutilized properties, understanding emerging consumer needs or leveraging new technologies, the entrepreneurial mindset allows agents and brokers to stay ahead of the curve and offer unique value propositions to their clients.

Innovative problem-solving

In an industry where no two transactions are the same, problem-solving skills are crucial. An entrepreneurial mindset equips real estate professionals with the ability to think outside the box. This means developing creative solutions to complex issues, such as navigating financing challenges, negotiating deals or enhancing property value. Innovation is not just about technology; it is about finding new ways to meet client needs and exceed their expectations.

Proactive leadership

Leadership is a key component of the entrepreneurial mindset. Real estate professionals who embody this trait take initiative, inspire their teams and lead by example. They are proactive in seeking knowledge, building networks and staying informed about industry trends. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, they position themselves and their organizations for long-term success.

Ethical entrepreneurship

Neck also highlights the importance of ethics in entrepreneurship . Real estate professionals must navigate complex transactions with integrity and transparency. An entrepreneurial mindset grounded in ethical principles ensures that decisions are made with the best interests of clients and communities in mind. This builds trust, enhances reputation and ultimately leads to sustained success.

Applying the entrepreneurial mindset in real estate

• Continuous learning: Embrace lifelong learning to stay abreast of industry trends, technologies and best practices. Attend seminars, pursue certifications and engage with thought leaders to sharpen your skills and knowledge.
• Networking: Build and maintain strong relationships with industry peers, mentors and potential clients. Networking can open doors to new opportunities and provide valuable insights and support. The upcoming ICLV event is a perfect opportunity to put this into practice.
• Technology adoption: Stay current with technological advancements that streamline operations, enhance marketing efforts and improve client experiences. Embrace tools like robust backend and CRM systems, and data analytics to gain a competitive edge.
• Client-centric approach: Focus on understanding and meeting the unique needs of your clients. Offer personalized services and solutions that address their specific challenges and goals.
• Strategic risk-taking: Don’t shy away from calculated risks. Evaluate potential opportunities and weigh the risks and rewards carefully. Be willing to step out of your comfort zone to achieve significant gains. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset

One effective technique to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset is the practice of “ opportunity recognition.” This involves regularly scanning the environment for changes, trends and gaps that can be turned into potential business opportunities.

Real estate professionals can develop this skill by staying informed about market developments, engaging in continuous learning, and maintaining an open and curious attitude.

By actively seeking out new information and being receptive to innovative ideas, individuals can train themselves to identify opportunities where others see obstacles, ultimately fostering a proactive and entrepreneurial approach to their work.

Design thinking for creative problem-solving

Design thinking is a powerful methodology for creatively solving current problems in the real estate industry. This approach involves five key stages: empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test. By starting with empathy, professionals can gain a deep understanding of their clients’ needs and pain points. Defining the problem sets the stage for ideation, where diverse solutions are brainstormed without judgment.

Prototyping allows for the creation of tangible representations of ideas, which can then be tested and refined based on feedback. This iterative process not only encourages innovative solutions but also ensures they are practical and user-centered, enabling real estate professionals to address challenges effectively and deliver exceptional value to their clients.

The entrepreneurial mindset, as articulated by Neck, is a powerful framework for navigating the complexities of the real estate industry. By fostering adaptability, recognizing opportunities, solving problems creatively, leading proactively and upholding ethical standards, real estate professionals can thrive amidst the chaos.

Embracing this mindset not only enhances individual success but also contributes to the growth and innovation of the industry as a whole. As the real estate landscape continues to evolve, the entrepreneurial mindset will remain a vital tool for professionals seeking to make a lasting impact.

Molly McKinley, co-founder of  Redtail Creative , Intentionaliteas and author of The Intentional Business: A Path to Purpose & Prosperity, is an expert at connecting the dots. She is a serial entrepreneur, public relations and integrated marketing strategist with over 25 years of experience launching new products and brands.

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How to solve a problem like a leader.

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Often leaders will think they are driving a problem-solving culture by insistent, or even just encouraging, team members to utilize the tools and templates of problem-solving.

However, most organizations then respond with either sterile and uninspired efforts or at worse, malicious compliance. Shaping the culture of good problem-solving behaviors will naturally encourage people to pick up those same tools with the right intent.

After nearly three decades of coaching at every level, from entry-level employees to experienced CEOs of multi-billion-dollar corporations, author and advisor Jamie Flinchbaugh has worked with over 300 companies worldwide in Lean transformation, including Intel, Harley-Davidson, Crayola, BMW, and Amazon. In his new book, People Solve Problems: The Power of Every Person, Every Day, Every Problem , Flinchbaugh shifts the conversation and argues that organizations focus too much on problem-solving tools and templates and miss other critical elements that make a more significant difference: getting the right behaviors and building the right capabilities.

Problem-solving is not usually completed in a straight line, with fixed questions and predetermined ... [+] answers, say experts

Problem-solving is not usually completed in a straight line, with fixed questions and predetermined answers. Instead, it requires learning, agility, curiosity, and intuition. “This is certainly the case as problems are not puzzles. Whereas a puzzle may have a correct answer, a problem is often unbounded, requiring firstly, the need to understand its scope before exploring solutions, more accurately, different solutions”, says Lebene Soga of Henley Business School. While each problem may not be unique, each requires its own line of inquiry. And each situation solver cannot just follow a script but must leverage their strengths and overcome their weaknesses. “The formulaic approaches to problem-solving may be useful elsewhere but not when we are confronted with wicked problems.”

Attempting to solve or “solutionize” wicked problems requires an understanding of complexity, risks, and more importantly, people,” Soga adds. This is where the right coaching becomes necessary as you do not want leaders rushing to solve problems which often leads to more significant problems. The flexibility and personal engagement that coaching enables to make it the most powerful leverage point for improving problem-solving.

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In a similar vein, the head of the management discipline at the University of Newcastle Australia, Ashish Malik, reflecting on his two decades of research on the global information technology industry, noted, “the essence of leadership is to take decisions on a range of problems—which may vary on a continuum from simple to complex, for some there are known solutions, while for others there is no known solution or a script ready. Therefore, decision-making is a courageous exercise, and for the first-time leaders, it is a watershed moment.” Leaders often employ many systematic and less planned tools and techniques to solve complex problems, such as using evidence-based and metricized approaches to solving known and unknown issues. In his research, Malik, Sinha, and Blumenfeld found that the use of Six Sigma or Lean Six Sigma methodologies was very prevalent in offshore outsourcing call centers , BPOs , and IT Industry in India as a useful tool for approaching complex tasks operational and leadership problems.

Problem-solving is not a recipe with known inputs, established steps, and a predictable outcome. Curiosity allows us to enter problem-solving as a learning process because we must close our knowledge gaps before closing our performance gaps. Intuition is helpful because when trekking through uncharted territory, as most problem solving is done, it requires making essential adjustments such as when to go slower, when to start over, and even where to start. Analytical and data-driven methods are critical but insufficient when navigating such a journey as problem-solving.

In summary, excellent and practical tools help us perform better in most domains, and problem-solving is no exception, however, much like many of those exact domains, the skill, capability, and talent that we bring to the task far outweigh those tools in their impact on performance.

Disclosure:  One source mentioned in this article, Lebene Soga, is employed by the same University as this article’s author, though both reside on different campuses

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