I’ll confess that I have more than a little bit of envy for those I know personally who have actually been able to publish a book. As I suspect you’ve surmised if you’re reading this for me the writing part is easy, and having discussed this with the many I know who actually have their name on a cover and spine we share the passion and gift for desiring to tell a story we believe is worthy for consumption. But wanting something is one thing; actually being able to deliver on it is another. It means being able to sell someone else on your ability to do so in a way they believe is worthy of their investment of time and money. It’s at best an inexact science, and a process I’ve learned the hard way benefits from one’s ability to open one’s mind enough to at least consider how others have succeeded at it.
So when I learned that someone I’ve known for more than half a century had authored a book entitled THE CREATIVE LEADER I had to find the time and patience to read it, mostly out of curiosity and respect. The subject matter is historically something I would have eschewed, being both the skeptic and zealotic believer in real-world proof-of-performance that I am. BOOKLIFE gives us this blurb:
In The Creative Leader, UCLA Professor Dr. Rob Carpenter and Emmy-nominated producer Bob Boden explore how visionary leaders—from business pioneers to top Hollywood producers—harness creativity to drive innovation and inspire change. Blending insights from history, entertainment, and psychology, this book reveals the mindset shifts and strategies that empower leaders to break boundaries, solve complex problems, and foster originality within their organizations. Through compelling case studies and behind-the-scenes stories from the entertainment industry, The Creative Leader offers a blueprint for executives, entrepreneurs, and storytellers to navigate uncertainty and lead with purpose. Whether launching a startup, shaping corporate culture, or producing groundbreaking content, this book equips readers with the tools to merge imagination with effective leadership in today’s fast-evolving world.Having shared many of the same friends and connections with Boden over lo so many years, I knew full well the experts and expertise he brought to this endeavor, including the prolific producers Jonathan Murray, Stephanie Drachkovitch, Harry Friedman and Alison Grodner, unqualified legends in the production of unscripted television with dozens of Emmys and hundreds of successful seasons of content between them. So as they told their tales of what makes them tick and therefore what has made them such successful leaders I had enough first-hand knowledge of their track records and their reputations with their numerous underlings and progenies to allow these were chapters worth reading. Carpenter brought along some additional success stories employing many of the skill sets and life lessons he describes on his website. And aside from his overuse of capitalizations, his own story is pretty darn compelling as well:
After miraculously surviving a near-fatal hit-and-run, Dr. Robert Carpenter – known simply as Dr. Rob – decided to dedicate his life to helping empower others to transform themselves and society through storytelling, creative leadership, and teaching and training around the world. As a part Black, part White, part Native American individual who grew up with two White parents in a mostly Latino neighborhood with Jewish and Asian best friends, and as someone who spent formative years gaining a diversity of experiences and skills – interning at the White House, running a tech startup, serving as Transportation Commissioner of Los Angeles, working on numerous Hollywood sets, earning a doctorate from the University of Southern California, and living in various parts of the U.S. and Middle East – Dr. Rob uses his unique background to help individuals, families, and organizations embrace new perspectives so that they can become who they are called to be.As you can see from a recent interview Dr. Rob conducted with ABC’s Portland, Oregon affiliate, his ability to connect and engage effortlessly is self-evident. And BOOKLIFE’s favorable review cited some specific examples that connected and engaged with moi:
Promoting the idea that “there is no one right way to lead,” the authors explore a multitude of leadership qualities, from the importance of storytelling to Jeopardy! producer Harry Friedman’s quick problem solving that found crew members, filming in New Orleans in the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina, a safe way out of the city. Thinking outside the box—and nurturing a desire to have fun—are critical leadership components, the authors assert, and they encourage readers to be curious, incorporate play, and engage in healthy competition with themselves and their teams. To boost performance, they include several examples of “intangible details” that can have a big impact—like Trader Joes’ Joe Coulombe pushing for Hawaiian shirts and entertaining product names, or producer Allison Grodner’s creative use of food to unite her staff.
Based on all of that I’m certain that whatever secret sauce Dr. Rob may be peddling is more than worth your time and, should you have it to spare, your money. It’s a proof-of-performance that’s similar to the kind of inspiration by example that I saw first hand from someone who forever changed my life who shared with me the secret to their success. I’ve previously mused about Dr. Rhadi Ferguson and how they were able to unleash a physical and emotional tiger in someone who had struggled to maintain the path to success they seemed predestined to achieve; so much that this person has now found more creative success and personal growth than they ever thought was possible. And when I allowed him and his coaching team into my own troubled world, I had my own breakthrough, reinforced by the then-daily presence of one of his prize pupils. His coaching program includes many of the workshop exercises that THE CREATIVE LEADER employs to allow readers to interactively insert their own life journeys into the narrative and see for themselves how these teachings can apply to their own lives and be battle-tested in real life.
Ferguson’s own work, which includes numerous YouTube videos and a breezy tome entitled COFFEE WITH RHADI, is easily accessible and digestible. The Boden/Carpenter work is reasonably priced and, if you happen to already be a prolific reader, could be the same entry point that Boden and I gravitate to.As the authors exclaim at the outset to their closing chapters, “life is a series of conclusions, each one leading to another beginning”. If I hadn’t lived that truth myself I wouldn’t be able to embrace this one’s as emphatically as I do. You’d be well advised to do same.
Until next time…