Innovative Leadership for Creative ways of Doing Business – Becoming a Social Architect

Many people view leaders as those having a vision that they use to inspire their team, who will be responsible for actually creating it, by instructing them on what they need to do in order to create the vision as a team effort. And while this is probably a somewhat affective method for a corporate, drone-like mentality, or those who imagine their role as someone’s boss is to micromanage and rule over them in an authoritive manner with a stern face, but for the more innovative and creative enterprises, a leader is one who organizes the talents and personalities of every team member to form a dynamic vision as the integration of multiple ideas to come up with a unique and specialized idea that incorporates the full participation of everyone involved. It’s a creative process, that even when developed into an organizational practice, remains a work in progress where new ideas and creative solutions are consistently being experimented with as a means of constantly improving whatever service, product, or process the business provides.

 I often get asked what my method or model is that I practice by, usually anticipating an answer as a tried and proven method handed down by someone considered an expert in the business of leadership (whatever that means) that everyone will recognize and therefore trust. I always find this question a bit confusing and often draw a blank in response to it, because the only method I use is the creative process and the scientific method of experimentation. While the combination of these is somewhat of a method, how it’s formulated and utilized varies with every situation, dynamic group of people operating as a team within that business, and the basic vision and intention for the business of the person most responsible for organizing and overseeing the operation of the team as a whole. Every situation has a unique idea they’re creating, with a unique group of talent and varying levels of expertise, and a unique style as their personality, service or method of delivery, and vision. My job is simply to help them realize what this is, embraced it in the practical sense, and put into place the basic processes for creating it as a reality while keeping it as simple as possible.

I don’t walk in with a preconceived idea about what needs to happen, or a cookie-cutter method that I impose on them under the facade of being an expert with ready made solutions to every problem, but rather I help them to begin thinking about things in a new way, learn how to operate as a whole rather than as fragmented and disconnected parts, and elicit participation of each individual, and their ability to capitalize on the talents of every team member, while developing a portfolio of diverse ideas that can be strategically integrated to form new and possible solutions, or to come up completely novel methods. I teach Entrepreneurs to begin thinking in new ways and maximizing the talents of their staff and associates. I provide them with the skills for learning to think and operate as a dynamic team with a shared goal as a desired outcome. Where every member is valued for their unique perspective and expertise and contribution to the daily operations and how that enhances and enriches the experience of everyone involved. The best way to get buy-in and accountability from everyone involved is by utilizing their ideas, while taking an attitude of perfecting them as you go based on feedback that allows you to shape them through the actual application into an efficient system.

 I teach business owners how to develop a business plan as an overall vision that’s an integration of different visions to form a working collaboration. When people’s ideas are actively employed and used to help form the standard procedures of the business, there’s a strong investment to make sure they succeed and an increased accountability to make sure they’re adhered to. When everyone involved is a valuable part of the whole and necessary to make it a success, they perform at much higher levels, and with an attitude of enthusiasm, sincerity, and commitment. When they’re an active part of the creation, and a necessary part of the equation, your staff and business becomes a family, and the commodore and quality of life for everyone involved is greatly enhanced, where loving their work is the norm, and the company as a whole can achieve a state of excellence in what they do, and every member grows and learns within their daily experiences.

 Dr. Linda Gadbois

Transpersonal Psychologist, Personal Transformation Coach, and Spiritual Teacher