Creativity and mental health support are two leadership skills you can’t do without
Companies large and small need to harness the creativity of their people in order to respond to changing circumstances. Unfortunately, many organisations have systems and workplaces that stymie creativity rather than develop it. Creativity and innovation expert and author Mark Simmonds shares simple behaviours we can all adopt to boost creativity while also supporting mental health.
Why you should listen: learn useful leadership skills for boosting creativity
How to use ‘combinatorial play’ to facilitate creative ideas
Interesting leadership frameworks that include how to ‘move with the mood’ and get the most out of our own natural cycles
Check your own mental health ‘banisters’, or handrails, to ensure you stay healthy
We explore leadership skills for mental health and brain science
Flow cycles and brain science to enhance creativity
How to let your own kitchen become a Starbucks creativity stimulating space
Essential leadership skill of how to spot the red flags of failing mental health
How to respond to someone who is showing mental health challenges: ask ‘are you ok’ twice
Leadership framework for using the language of the irrational - the emotions - first to connect with someone struggling with mental health in order to help them take action to get better
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Shownotes:
About the Flow Cycle with Steven Kotler
About Mark Simmonds:
Creativity and innovation expert and author Mark Simmonds
Mark Simmonds is a co-founder of GENIUS YOU. An early career in brand management at Unilever has been followed by almost 30 years in the world of management training and facilitation.
His focus is Innovation and Creativity and he has worked with some of the world’s largest companies, including HSBC, GSK, Pernod Ricard, Tesco and Unilever. Mark also champions mental health in the workplace.
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Related episodes on leadership skills and creativity
207 Leadership skills for developing others with best selling author Liz Wiseman
132 Creativity is a leadership skill that you can learn with Kieran Flanagan
124 Why leadership strategies need to be good enough rather than perfect with Lynne Cazaly
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About your host, Canberra leadership expert Zoë Routh:
Zoë Routh is one of Australia’s leading experts on people stuff - the stuff that gets in our way of producing results, and the stuff that lights us up. She works with the growers, makers, builders to make people stuff fun and practical.
Zoë is the author of four books: Composure - How centered leaders make the biggest impact, Moments - Leadership when it matters most, Loyalty - Stop unwanted staff turnover, boost engagement, and build lifelong advocates, and People Stuff - Beyond Personalities: An advanced handbook for leadership. People Stuff was awarded Book of the Year 2020 by the Smart WFM Australian Business Book Awards.
Zoë is also the producer of The Zoë Routh Leadership Podcast.