#166: Herding Tigers

Leading talented people in creative fields requires a different skill set than what many management books teach. How do you ensure your team consistently delivers a brilliant work product from an inherently unpredictable creative process? How do you manage pushback from your team of super-smart, headstrong creatives? As a consultant to creative companies, Todd Henry knows firsthand what prevents creative leaders from guiding their teams to success. In his latest book, Herding Tigers: Be the Leader that Creative People Need, Todd provides a blueprint to help you be the leader your team needs to produce awesome work. In this episode, Jesse and Todd discuss: •The unique challenges of leading a team made up of creative people •The two things that creatives need most in order to do great work •A three-part framework for the true role of a creative leader •What to focus on when coaching creative staff •How to build time and attention buffers to protect your team's ability to do its best work •Why you should still "get your hands dirty" sometimes, even as you remove yourself from the work. Todd Henry teaches leaders and organizations how to establish practices that lead to everyday brilliance. He is the author of three previous books (The Accidental Creative, Die Empty, and Louder Than Words) which have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and he speaks and consults across several industries on creativity, leadership, and passion for work.