What Are Your Thoughts On Clarity and Creativity?
Leonard Sweet and I had a rather interesting twitter conversation today.
If you don’t know who Leonard Sweet is, he is only one of the most brilliant, sharp, Jesus lovers on the planet.
He called me out on a tweet that I sent out in the middle of the day. The tweet was as follows…
“As a leader of creatives, remember, they don’t necessarily want you to be right, as much as they want you to be clear.”
Follow the stream of conversation starting from the bottom to top here…
The thing is, I completely agree with everything Leonard is saying.
I have just sat on projects and teams where the objective was not clear and the opinion of the leader WAS.
So in honor of the fascinating conversation I was able to have…
I’m here to learn…
How can we apply this particular style of teaching that Leonard is tweeting of to a create on demand environment?
I’ll go first…
I think brainstorming meetings are the place to do this.
I have, countless times, begun a creative meeting with a question or story and not a definition.
Discuss the conversation…
I’d love to hear your thoughts…
Los
RAIN IT DOWN
I got to witness this conversation and was apart of it in my mind. I loved it though.
I think you are both dead on (kind of a paradox there).
I like your idea loswhit about having this time of parables and more quantity than quality type ideas inside of the initial brainstorming time. Probably the most frustrating times come inside of a brainstorming meeting and someone is trying to clearify and over detail something instead of just giving the idea and letting it be birthed and nurtured by the group. We all know the leaders that try to over manage their people by trying to micro-manage and work things to be their own instead of the group.
Where also agree with Mr. Sweet (I have to agree with him, I don't want him to get mad at me and beat me down) I think that Jesus was very confusing. When you tweeted about the cross being very clear I think it was one of the most confusing times in history. People didn't know what to do. Jesus was always 5 or 6 steps ahead of everyone and constantly was changing things up. Answering questions with questions, not giving into what others wanted, rebuking his disciples, not establishing an earthly kingdom, saying things like "you have heard it said, but I say" It might be a little clear as to what he was doing to us today, but at the time I would be so confused as to what was going on I don't know if I could see straight.
Often times he would tell parables and end them with "those who have ears let them hear."
What a great conversation that took place on a day that no one was suppose to work.
I think much like the conversation the subject is very gray and hard to really get a ton of clarity on.
I am a very practical and step by step routine type guy, so I like clarity in my projects and creativity.
I love the convo though, thanks for letting us all have a little sneak peak inside it as well.
sorry for the book I just wrote. As you can tell I am unemployed and don't have a whole lot to do.
i think you answered it.
the point of clarity in the environments you are trying to create is always the cross.
what else needs to be defined?
Doesn't the cross mean so many things to so many people?
exactly. so why should we define it for them?
Good point. I see where you are coming from now.
We are trying to get people to the moment of clarity, but not tell them what clarity is, is that correct?
i think we are trying to personally exist in what we know is clear.
the rest follows. i don't think *we* need to try to "get" people anywhere.
Got it and I like it
Fascinating. Some of the best creative meetings I’ve had started with prayer & just listening to the Spirit. Seriously. The leader was clear in the direction of an idea/ a possibility/the reason we were meeting and then we brought our thoughts and ideas in prayer. God being the Creative Director of the meeting. It was fun. Cohesive. We walked away everyone knowing what we needed & wanted to do next. Wasn’t form prayer. No one needed to be heard. Just heart prayers. A beautiful, creative dance. Very womb-like. Birthing ideas and action. Perhaps too feminine for some, I guess. Got great results.
Is there a homiletics course taught in USAmerica that Jesus could pass? I ask my students, “Who was the greatest communicator who ever lived?” and they all say “Jesus” and I say,”No, you don’t really believe that. Tell me who you really think is the greatest communicator. Because not one of you is preaching like Jesus . . . but you are preaching like who you think the greatest preachers are.”
zing.
Um………….
Your students may try and preach like Andy Stanley and not Jesus but the point is still out there that clarity in leading a group of creatives towards a common goal is essential.
Let's dive in a bit.
And I know this is dangerous, seeing you are a PHD and I'm a OGG.
I look at the gospel of Mark.
I see the parable of the sower.
I see the teaching style that you are talking about.
Brilliant.
Unclear.
Jesus.
He does this over and over again.
Mark 4:1-33. Exactly this.
Just like you are referring to.
Then I run into Mark 4:34.
Clarity.
I have to imagine that this was a normality.
That clarity was essential in his leading of his disciples.
And your line to your students…
Anne is right…
Zing.
bam.
well, i don’t think they “preach” like jesus because well what we know of the gospels anyway, jesus’ identity wasn’t about his preaching. it’s the most you see of some pastors, on a sunday when they preach, where else are they all week? from what i read in the gospels, jesus did a heck of a lot more than “prepare all week” for his sunday schpeel. sadly i don’t think most pastors even have the slightest clue about living like jesus, or if they do, they choose not to. AND… i will add that i don’t really either. so i’m NOT singling out pastors. jesus was SO radical, as were his followers i just don’t think we can grasp it, when we sort of do, it’s a bit scary as THEY seem to have been total radicals of their time.
so, yes, “zing” but “zing” not just to up and coming preachers, but to us all?
that being said, i’d totally show up EARLY to any church where the pastors “sermon” was just a tiny part of how he lived like jesus all week. i’d LOVE to listen to that man’s stories of his week, that would be so exciting.
to hear just some LONG sermon on what he studied all week? not so interesting.
hope that doesn’t offend anyone. but being a “creative” myself i’d like a pastor who “lived” not just studied to ‘preach’ or lived a ‘rock star” pastor life.
Creativity can ask questions as well as answer them. Sometimes creative elements are used to start a discussion rather than ending it, and I personally have found those instances very thought provoking and enriching.
I think that from an organisational behaviour perspective, creativity thrives where it exists within a framework. Being creative for the sake of being creative can get to the point where the focus is on the one doing the creating. However if the creative activity has direction and purpose, then the creative endeavour is most effective…the creative person/team is affirmed in using their gift, and those receiving/experiencing the creative endeavour are blessed because it is not pointing at the creator, but in the case of a church…to THE Creator.
I agree with Carlos that a creative team needs clear direction, but they certainly don’t need to be micro managed.
an after thought // creativity within the bounds of a church also needs to consider the people experiencing the creative endeavour. The point of the creativity is communication…if our people aren't understanding what we are putting out there…it's worthless…so that kind of clarity and guidance is important too.
Christ always engaged his listener by relating to them and evoking a response. He didn’t specify their response, but had clarity in his objective and would provoke the listener to discovery and action. This allowed the discovery and action to be unique to each person listening.
Clarity in how I want to affect (provoke) my audience always helps me as an artist – especially when leading other artists. But giving clarity in the methods or words that should be used or specifying a response generally limits the artist and the creative process. It limits the audience too.
Leading your creative team with a metaphor or story to evoke an emotional response in them or present a principle to them helps, but allow the artist to be free to create / recreate that response in their audience. Just be sure they have a clear objective – which is to capture the imagination of the audience and provoke them to the point of discovery.
Using parables helps to lead others to a place they facilitate getting themselves to. It isn’t obligatory that you get to the same place, or even by the same way, the journey through the parable brings a creative to a self proclaimed truth as opposed to an imposed truth. see John Stahl-Wert & Ken Jennings 10,000 Horses.
Cathy, I am a little confused and maybe a little concerned about your response to this discussion. Maybe I misunderstood. It seems like you are saying something like (please give mje grace here, I’m trying to be honest and clear):
1) People’s response to the creative endeavor (Let’s call it art. That’s shorter) is their own, and they will arrive at their response in their own way to their own degree and filtered through their own experience and understanding.
2) Because (1) above is true, we should not try to corral/chanel/guide people’s experiences or responses, but let them experience it and come to their own conclusions. If we push a response, we are overstepping our bounds as artists.
3) And if (3) above is true, then people’s “self-proclaimed truth” is more real/honest/authentic than any “imposed truth” we can impose/push/foist upon them.
4) And if (4) above is true, then what the heck is the role of ART in church at all? (this is my question) Because, is there not ONE TRUTH that we are trying to help people discover? I hope the Church imposes truth. That’s what we’re called to do.
Art in church can be so bad. Because Kingdom creatives often take such a heavy-handed, force-it-down-your-throat approach to their art. That’s not what I’m advocating. But I’ve gotta side with Carlos on this. Start with purpose. Clarity. Truth that doesn’t move. Then let people respond in their own way to that truth. Self-proclaimed truth is only truth if it’s true.
I think Jesus brought clarity when he needed to. (I.E. http://www.youversion.com/bible/niv/matt/21/2) There were obvious times where he gave a clear direction and not a metaphor.
My opinion is that leadership is about handling the tension between the two.
that verse url is: http://www.youversion.com/bible/niv/matt/21/2
Los, it seems like the distinction you are trying to make is the difference between LEADING creatives and GROWING creatives. I think clarity in leadership is imperative. However, @lensweet’s points seem more directed toward growing the capacity of creatives.
I think both are important, but seem to serve different functions within the leadership spectrum.
An initial thought on the clarity, or lack of, in Jesus’ teaching: while Jesus parables and teachings were often times confusing, admittedly so by Jesus himself, He was always clear about the cost of following him. “if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” or for another quick example, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave.”
i would summarize that while Jesus taught on multiple levels of understanding he never curted the cost.
how’s my thinking?
If I'm getting your original tweet, Los, "they" is the creatives you're leading, right? So, "The creatives you lead don't necessarily want you to be right in how YOU think the message should be delivered, they just want to know WHAT you want delivered." (RFB translation)
That is a statement I can agree with wholly. The people who are working to present THE message (Jesus) to those who are looking for that "something" they aren't getting anywhere else need to understand with complete clarity what the messenger (pastor/preacher/speaker) is trying to communicate whether he/she has an idea of how to do it that is right or not.
Or am I completely lost in out here?
You got it.
It was meant to be a simple 140 character leadership lesson.
But who wants that?
Yes. They = the cr8ives I'm leading.
Yes. It is true. They want to know where to go and in what direction to create.
One thing that has been left out of the discussion so far is that Jesus explained to his disciples why he taught in such enigmatic forms in Mark 4:
10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that
“they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.”
13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?
Jesus taught the crowds in parables, but explained the meaning to his followers, those who had accepted his call of "Follow me."
So if we are going to emulate Jesus' teaching style, we should teach in parables and riddles when we are preaching evangelistic messages. Instead of dumbing it down and making it easy for the non-believers ("putting the cookies on a low shelf" as my pastor says) we should make it as hard as possible.
But with those who have chosen to respond to Jesus' call we should unlock these mysteries of the kingdom and explain everything plainly.
But does anyone do this? This is like the polar opposite of the seeker-sensitive approach; its more like hide-and-seek.
That is an aside though, to the original discussion. When leading his disciples, Jesus was quite often crystal clear:
1. He told them on a number of occasions that he was going to Jerusalem to die and be raised on the third day. They didn't understand, but the gospel accounts claim he told them plainly. So plainly that Peter tried to rebuke Jesus (and yeah, that didn't go so well for Peter).
2. Jesus gave his disciples explicit instructions for dealing with conflict among themselves in Matt. 18. Nothing enigmatic here at all. Two parables are used to drive home the point, but their meaning is very clear.
3. Jesus used non-verbal teaching methods as well, like having a child stand in front of the disciples to show them what they must become, or washing their feet to show them the true nature of authority in His kingdom.
The washing of the disciples feet in John 13 is what I take Carlos' original tweet to have been about. By choosing "clear" over "right," the Christian leader moves closer to the authority Jesus modeled: servant leadership. The leader of creatives who must have it his or her own way fails to lead them because he or she fails to serve them. Authoritarian rule stifles creativity; not coincidentally it violates the form of leadership Jesus calls his followers to employ.
Remember, it is not the teaching style of Jesus we are called to emulate, any more than his hair style, manner of dress, or homelessness. We are called to emulate how Jesus lived his life, how he treated others, how he loved, served, healed, and delivered them.
Sorry for the long post.
Mike
You got it.Ha. Mike. Looks like we were typing at the same time.
You just explained my comment below in 2wice as much detail.
Well done
Here is a response to Len and Anne I wrote above that might be hidden beneath the fold of that comment stream…
Um………….
Your students may try and preach like Andy Stanley and not Jesus but the point is still out there that clarity in leading a group of creatives towards a common goal is essential.
Let's dive in a bit.
And I know this is dangerous, seeing you are a PHD and I'm a OGG.
I look at the gospel of Mark.
I see the parable of the sower.
I see the teaching style that you are talking about.
Brilliant.
Unclear.
Jesus.
He does this over and over again.
Mark 4:1-33. Exactly this.
Just like you are referring to.
Then I run into Mark 4:34.
Clarity.
I have to imagine that this was a normality.
That clarity was essential in his leading of his disciples.
It seems pretty simple. Jesus communicated to the masses in parables. But to His team he spoke clearly. I hope I am not over-simplifying it.
Hi,
I can agree with both points of view, but in a different time.
If we are to consider the way Jesus talked to his disciples, we must also consider the situation they were living.
During the 3 years he walked with his people, he was teaching them, preparing them and letting them learn. The reason he gave parables and metaphors was, as said, to challenge them, to teach them. Even at that time, when they came to Jesus and said, “we just don´t get it”, he gave them a moment, apart, to show them the meaning of his words.
We can read John 6 and see the confusion on his own disciples and what he answers.
But then we also have some times when Jesus was totally different. He was very specific, clear, using his authority and strength.
And we have a Great example of this difference in Acts 1, before he ascended.
4And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
5For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
And He explains that there is a different season for each way of speaking:
Acts 1
6When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
John 6
25These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
So I believe, a wise leader will communicate in both ways.
Anne said, “the rest follows. i don’t think *we* need to try to “get” people anywhere.”
I think this is where we miss it.
Jesus was very clear on His overarching purpose.
“I have come to seek and save the lost” This is where we need to “Get” people, it is our desired destination. A restored right relationship with our creator.
The way Jesus went about doing that was unclear for all involved. The way He delivered people to that destination was again, ambiguous at best.
As a leader of creatives I have found that my purpose or “intended destination” for our audience must be clear. The clearer the better. The “course or route” that will get us to that destination is the purpose of creativity. Creativity is designed to deliver all of us to our intended destination in the most impacting, fresh, and unexpected ways.
Anywho, I love this conversation.
Where can we apply this style of teaching? Big picture items. That's often where creatives thrive.
However, it is important to provide boundaries once that big picture is established. Otherwise, the longer you release a creative to get funky with something, the greater the likelihood that they will continue to change, tweak, alter, create. Unless you are completely open to an end result that looks nothing like what you had in mind, clarity is quite important.
Let me recap my point… Jesus teaches to teach, at different levels, for different purposes and for different people.
The main teaching, I believe, is being open and able to teach anyone who is thirsty, guide those who are ready, and place the people who follows you in the right place.
Tell you, this is a good topic and good people exposing their thoughts, I´m honored to comment here.
If…
1. I believe that the Word of God is Jesus
2. That all of the OT and NT was about Jesus
then…
I can point everything back to Jesus no matter where I am at in the text.
I am teaching Romans at the moment. If it wasn't for what Jesus said and taught, there is no way I could clarify what Paul, John, James and Peter wrote. His apostles taught in their respected epistles but it was always based on what Christ did and said.
Peter said of Paul in 2 Peter 3:16, that what Paul wrote was hard to understand.
I thank God that Jesus was so brilliantly clear in his teaching. Without Him, the rest of the OT and NT would be a wash.
Clarity is important with creatives, but don’t dismiss the value of boundaries as well.
Some of the best music created is created within the bounds of musical theory. When I was taking music theory in college, my professor lived by the statement, “You have to know the rules before you can break them” That was true, but what you soon discover is that even the ones who break the rules follow them to some extent – it’s programmed into our very beings. Bach, Beethoves, Brahms.
Shakespeare proved it – writing some of the strongest, most beloved prose in English history within a set rhyme and meter.
I can also point to the recent film “District 9″ It was based on a 6-minute film, expanded into a full-thength feature script. Then once the actors and filmmakers had an idea of where they were going with the story and characterizations and whatnot, they set it aside and improv-ed (I nearly missed my own irony there) almost the entire movie, discovering more depth and a more vibrant story in the telling.
Just don’t lose your purpose in your clarity or your fuzziness.
I think we are just supposed to "be"…
The difference between Jesus being clear and us being clear is …. he was Jesus.
We are not.
We are to reflect Him.
And SOMETIMES (keyword SOMETIMES) we can over strategize and plan and direct and that turns into manipulation and passive proselytizing.
I would just LOVE to see an atheist or someone of a different faith sit in on our "programming" and "brainstorms" … I wonder what we would say differently?
But when people simply BE like Christ
That is often the clearest message of the Gospel.
His name is Tyrone.
He sits in all my brainstorming meetings.
He works at Starbucks across Piedmont.
And you are right.
He is invaluable.
I"m just enjoying watching this right now…who would have thought this type of convo. was possible in microblogging format just even a few months ago?
night….
Interesting conversations. I found some cool Jesus tshirts if anyone is interested. http://www.cafepress.com/jesusteesplus
Interesting conversation.
I may be seeing this a bit too simplistically.
When a team of creatives is being led in order to create something in a people-of-God-gathered/church situation, it usually is in order to present an idea or thought in a way that doesn't fill in all the blanks…that doesn't answer all the questions… almost becomes a parable.
it's just that if you add up all the creatives we know, we still don't equal Jesus. So when we get in a room, we need to know where our fences are as we collaborate to try to bring His truth in a way that mimics him.
I don’t think it’s either/or…I think it’s both. The key is to be discerning and listen to the Spirit. Sometimes Jesus was clear and sometimes He spoke in parables. He knew, in each situation, what was best for where His audience was. The key is listening.
nice point! according to the need of the moment…
Very educational. I am learning and loving it. Tks.
Clarity about what? Purpose? Vision? Strategy? Direction? Objective? The exact approach that should be followed? The 3 steps they are to take to complete a project? The specific colors that must be used?
Just throwing this out there because I'm not 100% convinced of this myself but it seems to me that the higher up the task food chain of sorts (purpose, vision, strategy), the more important clarity is. The lower down the task food chain (tactics, style, "say it this way", etc), the less important clarity is and, in fact, might even hinder individual creativity.
So I guess I'd say that clarity is categorically critical but specifically hindering. On an X and Y axis, ideal clarity would start off high with purpose and vision and tail off as it moves toward tactics and specific actions.
Wow… I am late to the discussion. My 2 cents: "LEAD SOCRATICLY!" It's important for the leader to first be clear on where the team needs to go, even if the team never is. Jesus knew where He was going and desired for others to follow. All the team really needs to be clear on is in "trusting the creative cultural process that you the leader create." I hope that makes sense.
Second, the leader must spend her/ his time, through probing questions, stories, and intelligent push back, draw out the best in the creative team allowing creatives to personally and professional evolve as creatives and value added contributors.
Lastly, leaders of creatives are charged with the role of antagonist, creating healthy dissonance, and tension that fosters new, unexpected combustion's that produce brilliant and remarkable stuff.
Wow… I am late to the discussion. My 2 cents: "LEAD SOCRATICLY!" It's important for the leader to first be clear on where the team needs to go, even if the team never is. Jesus knew where He was going and desired for others to follow. All the team really needs to be clear on is in "trusting the creative cultural process that you the leader create." I hope that makes sense.
You have a good one here Los: would the REAL ENFJ please stand up…. joking
bummed…I had a good response but since it took me an hour to mull over my session expired (grrr) okay:
applying Jesus' form of teaching to a create on demand environment might look like someone providing an opportunity to dream and create outside of any sort of limit EVEN THOUGH the leader might have a specific direction or goal. Then, applying some sort of direction and allowing people to work within the goal or definition so that creativity is bread in both ways. It looks like the conversation was a "creativity vs. clarity" debate and I would argue that Creativity invites both clarity and ambiguity.
I would add one thing to your above statement Byron and would say: Leaders of creatives are charged with the role of a LOVING antagonist, creating healthy dissonance, and tension that fosters new, unexpected combustion…
As a leader of creatives AND more linear people, I think you have to know what your people need and give that to them. In most cases I find it is a little of both creativity and clarity. I find that I work best that way myself. Clear on the end point with enough room to be creative with how I get there. It gives the upber creative a fence to play in and challenges the linear to new places.
I believe that freedom of movement is the early stages of creativity, but there should be a continual growth towards clarity as you move forward. As you mentioned, the brainstorming stage could be a great place for this. I tend to think that this could be very useful in an area where you cast the vision or story to someone who is an expert where you aren't and let them run. If there are necessary parameters like, you'll have this much space on stage, or it must fit in this amount of time or be set to this song, then these are points of clarity that should be added as well. But outside of that, their interpretation of the story/metaphor/idea and subsequent communication, even within those boundaries, will take form within the bounds of God's wiring of their creativity rather than your over-management leaving it wide open for discussion/conversation. The end result, done well, communicates the vision or story, leaving the audience with a clear picture but also room to enter into the conversation of ideas.