What Kind of Leaders Do We Need to Be?
- Oct 23, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 24, 2024
Australia's creative arts sector is one of the most vibrant in the world. Yet, a real threat to the sector is our mental health and wellbeing. This could jeopardise the future of the industry, raising the question: how will it affect Australia’s creative identity in the longer term?
Australia's creative arts sector is one of the most vibrant in the world. It includes globally acclaimed performing arts and entertainment, art and design, digital, media, and communication industries. We produce some of the best and most unique work ever. Yet, a real threat to the sector is our mental health and wellbeing (see 2024 report for our performing arts sector and 2024 report for our design sector). We need it to maintain our capacity to sustain optimal creative function. The absence of creative talent could jeopardise the future of the industry, raising the question: how will it affect Australia’s creative identity in the longer term?
Creative leaders are highly skilled and possess strong emotional intelligence. Most of all, they actually care for their teams. However, they frequently face challenges when it comes to dealing with people, especially in navigating the complexities of team dynamics and organisational management.
Based on the questions that are being asked, there seems to be a leadership knowledge gap in creative organisations. This isn’t to suggest that creative leaders lack competence. On the contrary—creative leaders are highly skilled and possess strong emotional intelligence. Most of all, most leaders actually care for their teams. However, they frequently face challenges when it comes to dealing with people, especially in navigating the complexities of team dynamics and organisational management. Knowing how to manage client demands, clearly communicating vision and expectations, consistently modelling values, handling bad behaviour or drawing boundaries are all part of leadership dexterity.
Let me first say that leadership is DIFFICULT. I have experienced it as a team leader, an organisational leader and a parent. I am not an expert as a leader by any means. But no one is born knowing how to lead. Many assume leadership roles because we are good at producing work. After a few years of being the expert technician, we have either stepped into the leadership role to meet a need or it was simply the next step in our careers. How can we be expected to know how to lead when no one taught us? If we are lucky, we'd learn from our parents, teachers or predecessors. If we are not, many of us are left to figure it out on our own. Which is why, years ago, after leaving an organisation led by a toxic leadership team, I set out to find examples of great leadership. I dove into books, sought mentors, and closely observed those who led with integrity and empathy.
How can we be expected to know how to lead when no one taught us? If we are lucky, we'd learn from our parents, teachers or predecessors. If we are not, many of us are left to figure it out on our own.
I was talking to a fellow mental health flag-bearer in the design sector, Andy Wright, director at Streamtime, and we agreed that there is a need for more effective leadership programs to support leaders in the creative industry. But when I asked, 'What kind of leaders do we need to be?' Andy recommended that I should watch a series called New Amsterdam on Netflix. After tossing whether to commit myself to a TV series, I decided to give it a go. By the end of the first episode, I was hooked and binge-watched the first season (22 episodes, 40-mins each) within ten days and took notes. It was a hundred times better than Coursera because I got to see what good leadership looks like.
When I asked, 'What kind of leader do we need to be?' Andy recommended that I should watch a series called New Amsterdam on Netflix. After tossing whether to commit myself to a TV series, I decided to give it a go. By the end of the first episode, I was hooked...
New Amsterdam is a medical drama centered on department leaders at a public hospital, but its leadership lessons are adaptable to any workplace. It comes with a trigger warning for medical procedures and psychological incidents. The show portrays leaders as imperfect—they stumble, wrestle with challenges, and make significant mistakes. At the helm is a medical director who prioritises treating staff and patients as people first, sometimes at the expense of the hospital's reputation. The series highlights how these leaders, despite their flaws, embody essential leadership qualities that influence workplace culture. It shows that leadership is about caring for others, even amidst imperfection, crises and situations beyond their control.
The series highlights how these leaders, despite their flaws, embody essential leadership qualities that influence workplace culture, showing that leadership is about caring for others, even amidst imperfection.
I won't give the story away, but here's what you'll learn from season 1:
How empathy plays out in the workplace
What does deep listening mean when approaching team members and clients
How to communicate with compassion and authority
Demonstrating care even at times of pressure
Working ethically and with integrity despite temptations to take the easy way
Taking responsibility for mistakes, apologising to team members and forgiving others
Giving your team autonomy to make decisions
Building trust among colleagues and team members
How it's ok not to be perfect and ask for help
Changing a broken system by BEING the change at one leverage point at a time
**Please note that I have not yet connected these points to specific evidence-based leadership research. If you decide to implement any of the leadership interventions mentioned above, please do so at your own discretion.
Interested to chat about this? I am open to having a leadership discussion. For now, I will leave you with Dr Max Goodwin's famous words: 'So, how can I help?'
Watch the trailer for New Amsterdam below:
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