This issue of 5RW is sponsored by: ThePlaybookx.com
As New and Emerging Leaders, our problem isn’t a lack of ideas. It’s finding the TIME, SPACE, and CONFIDENCE to bring them to life. Discover practical tools and frameworks to Think Smarter. Move Faster. Lead with Confidence.
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TL;DR:
- The Trap → Step into a new role and you’ll default to scarcity.
- The Conditioning → Decades of “one right answer” thinking make you believe you’re different.
- The Drug → Scarcity feels safe but drains you, your team, and your org.
- The Shift → Creative leadership flips scarcity into abundance (use the 3x3).
- The Transformation → Abundance is contagious—curiosity spreads and cultures change.
😳 It works every time…
Not long ago, I was advising a newly promoted CEO. Bright. Talented. Hungry to prove herself.
I asked her one simple but devastating question:
“Do you want compliance or proactivity?” She smiled: “Both.”
I smiled back: Sorry. You can’t have both. It doesn’t work that way.
Her smile collapsed. Eyes wide. She whispered: “F**k.”
That’s when it hits most leaders: no matter how prepared you think you are… You will fall into the scarcity trap.
Here are Five Reasons Why… You Should Lead with Creativity
01 The scarcity trap
The moment you step into a new role, your brain quietly flips into survival mode.
Scarcity sneaks in:
- There’s not enough time.
- Not enough people.
- Not enough money.
- Not enough talent.
So you grab tighter. You want the quick win. You cling to being right.
Because if you’re not right, you’re wrong, and if you’re wrong, you’re incompetent.
That’s the scarcity mindset speaking.
02 Life isn’t binary
Every new leader swears, “That won’t be me.”
But it will. Always.
Why? Because we’ve all been trained to operate from scarcity. Rewarded for chasing the one right answer.
We were taught to value certainty above all else: clear rules, fixed answers, predictable outcomes. It worked in classrooms and in predictable markets. But the world today is anything but predictable.
In the dynamic, volatile world we live in, complex problems can’t be solved in one dimension. A Scarcity mindset shrinks options, kills curiosity, and drives teams into compliance.
03 Compliance will seduce you
Compliance feels safe. Deadlines get hit. Tasks get ticked.
But it’s a trap:
- You → burn out, always feeling like something’s missing.
- Your team → gets quiet, waiting for permission.
- Your org → shrinks into short-term fixes and safe bets.
Compliance is a leader’s drug. It gives you a quick high, then leaves everything emptier than before.
04 Creativity will save you
Creative leadership flips the script.
From scarcity → to abundance:
- With creativity, ideas, and possibilities are infinite
- There isn’t one correct answer—there are many
- If you win, others can win too
When you lead with creativity, you stop hunting for the “right” answer.
You start building the conditions where multiple answers can emerge.
Fueled by curiosity and initiative.
Here’s how to start today. I call it the 3X3:
- Pick one problem. (e.g., How do we make meetings less painful?)
- Ask at least 3 people to write down 3 possible solutions. (e.g., Shorten them. Change the format. Cancel them.)
- Ask your team to vote, giving each member three votes for their favorite solution. ()
That’s it. You’ve shifted from one “right” answer → to many possibilities.
From scarcity → to abundance.
Form compliance → to creativity
05 Abundance is contagious
When you lead with creativity:
- Fear drops
- Pressure eases
- People stop waiting and start acting
Curiosity spreads. And the root of the word curiosity is cura—to care.
Imagine leading a team where people don’t just complete tasks, but genuinely care. That’s the power of creativity.
These are FIVE Reasons Why...You Should Lead with Creativity
Something I wish I had.
When I stepped into my first leadership role, I defaulted to scarcity (like everyone).
I demanded compliance, and all I got was silence. It was painful.
That’s why I built the Creative Problem-Solving Playbook—the guide I wish someone had handed me.
It’s designed to help new leaders shift from scarcity to abundance, and from compliance to creativity.—So you can spark curiosity and lead with confidence from day one.
1 Million Creative Leaders by 2030
Our mission is to enable and empower a new generation of leaders. To do so, we have created a community, workshops, a podcast, and…
4 Playbooks to Help You Lead with Clarity & Confidence
Every new role brings the same challenges: time, decisions, focus, and complex problems. These Playbooks are the tools I wish I had as a new leader.
1. Own Your First 100 Days → Start strong, set the tone, and build confidence fast.
2. Take Control of Your Time (TMXI) → Reclaim 10–20% of your week and protect deep creative work.
3. Make Better Decisions (DMXI) → Cut through complexity and move from hesitation to action.
4. Solve Complex Problems (CPSXI) → Reframe challenges and spark ideas that drive innovation.