11/20/2023

Here's How to Tell if You're a Creative Leader

Leaders who are creative encourage creativity in others

Are you a creative leader? And do you encourage and draw out creativity in the people who work with you? If you can answer yes to both these questions--especially the second--then congratulations! You are the type of boss people for whom most want to work, according to research by leadership expert and bestselling author Mark Murphy.

There are four types of leaders, he said. Pragmatists are competitive, driven and "value hitting their goals above all else," Murphy writes in a blog post about leadership types. Idealists want to learn and grow, and they want the people who work with them to learn and grow along with them. Stewards are dependable and "provide a stabilizing and calming force." Diplomats value relationships above all, are good at avoiding conflict and "typically build deep personal bonds with their employees." You can find out which kind of leader you are, according to Murphy's framework, by taking the five-minute Leadership Style Quiz.

Based on a million responses to the quiz, Murphy estimates that more than half of American leaders are diplomats. (That very much includes me--when I was president of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, people nicknamed me the "Queen of Diplomacy.") While Murphy says Diplomats can be the most fun for whom to work, it doesn't seem to be the most effective management style. Despite being by far the most common leadership style, he writes, "top-level executives have a lower percentage of Diplomats than other groups [such as managers and directors]."

Please select this link to read the complete article from Inc.