Let’s be honest — leadership today isn’t just about hitting numbers, it’s about hitting notes. And not just any notes… I’m talking about the kind that resonate through the hallways of your company, that ripple through your culture, that spark applause not because you crushed a quarterly goal — but because you dared to lead creatively.
In this rapidly changing world, traditional thinking is a slow dance on a burning floor. If you’re a corporate leader, a motivational keynote speaker, or someone tasked with sparking innovation in your organization, then creative thinking isn’t just a skill — it’s your superpower.
As a spoken word poet who turned poetry into a 7-figure business and a passport to the biggest stages in corporate America, I know the power of creativity. The same mental muscles I use to craft metaphors that melt resistance are the ones I teach leaders to flex when they’re stuck in the mud of “how it’s always been done.”
Here’s what I’ve discovered: innovation often begins not with a plan, but with a poem. It begins with the audacity to see your challenge differently — to reframe it, reshape it, reimagine it. When you stop asking “How do we fix this?” and start asking “What if this isn’t broken but becoming?” — that’s when your imagination opens the door to solutions strategy never saw coming.
Metaphor becomes more than just a literary device — it becomes a mindset tool. Comparing a business challenge to a symphony, a wildfire, or a rollercoaster allows leaders to unlock new connections, fresh strategies, and unexpected insights. It’s this poetic lens that helps teams shift from panic to possibility.
And don’t sleep on the power of performance. One of the things I teach in my Stage Might trainings is how to physically embody your message. Because when leaders stand up, move with intention, speak with passion — they not only awaken their own creativity, they awaken it in their audience. That’s when a simple idea becomes a standing ovation.
But perhaps the most underrated technique is one I call “successful failure.” That’s right. In my world, failure isn’t a step backward — it’s a launchpad. Creative leaders create cultures where it’s safe to stumble, where failure is seen as feedback, not defeat. When people know they won’t be punished for trying something bold, they become bolder. And boldness? That’s the birthplace of innovation.
So, if you want your leadership to be remembered — not just for what you accomplished, but for what you ignited — start thinking like a poet. Speak from your soul. Move from your mission. Let your ideas dance and dare and disrupt.
Because creative thinking isn’t just a technique.
It’s a transformation.
