In this episode of The Accidental Creative podcast, we dive into the topic of approval addiction and how it can hinder our effectiveness as leaders and creative professionals. Whether you have a formal leadership position or not, we all have the capacity to lead and influence others. However, when we prioritize being liked over making progress and speaking truthfully, it can negatively impact our ability to lead effectively. Host Todd Henry shares insights and strategies from his book Herding...

On this episode, we dive into two powerful tactics to help you approach your career more meaningfully. First, we discuss the power of writing a resignation letter as a means to self-awareness. Then, we discuss the concept of "unnecessary creating" and how it allows for skill development, experimentation, and self-discovery. Todd shares insights on identifying unnecessary creating activities and the importance of having creative outlets outside of our jobs. Key Learnings from this episode: 1....

In this episode, we explore the misunderstandings and tension that often exist between creative pros and their organization. We explore how the two sides often speak different languages and have different perspectives, which can create waves within organizations. Drawing from Todd Henry's book, Herding Tigers, we present ten things that creative pros wish their managers knew. These statements aim to spark dialogue and understanding between managers and their creative teams. From the...

In this episode, Todd discusses the dynamics that often go unseen and can hinder our creativity, which he refers to as the "assassins of creativity": dissonance, fear, and expectation escalation. Todd shares insights on where these assassins come from and how we can effectively deal with them. Key Learnings from the Episode: 1. Creative professionals often face tension between their creative instincts and the practical expectations of their job. 2. The assassins of creativity, such as...

In this episode, we dive into the topic of what to measure when it comes to complex work and personal goals. Host Todd Henry shares his insights on how to determine what is worth tracking and what is not. He emphasizes the importance of starting with your desired outcomes and objectives instead of focusing solely on the activities. Todd introduces two types of metrics to consider: tactical metrics and time metrics. He provides a practical example of how he used different metrics to measure...

In this re-visit of a 2016 conversation, we dive into the concept of deep work with special guest Cal Newport. He believes that deep work is the solution to the problem of perpetual shallowness and frustration with your creative output. Deep work is when you intensely concentrate on a cognitively demanding task without any distractions. It's a skill that is becoming increasingly valuable in our current economy, yet it is also becoming more rare. Cal explains that deep work needs to be trained...

In this episode of The Accidental Creative, we revisit our 2019 conversation with Liz Bohannon. Liz shares her journey of moving to Uganda without a plan or job after college, and how that led her to start a socially conscious fashion brand. We dive into her book, "Beginner's Pluck," which challenges the narrative of being special and encourages action on small dreams. Liz's practical and authentic approach to entrepreneurship and leadership shines through as she shares her experiences and...

In this episode we delve into the topic of expectations and leading indicators during times of transition. Todd Henry provides practical strategies for establishing stability by clarifying expectations and creating new cultural principles. Additionally, he highlights the importance of identifying leading indicator behaviors that align with those principles. By defining expectations and reinforcing them through these leading indicator behaviors, teams can successfully navigate times of...

In this episode of The Accidental Creative, we sit down with Taylor Lorenz, author of the book Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet. Taylor discusses the revolutionary impact of the social Internet and how it has disrupted traditional notions of fame and power. We dive into the early days of e-celebrities, the evolution of platforms like YouTube and TikTok, and the current state of monetization for content creators. Taylor shares her insights on the...

In this episode of The Accidental Creative, we sit down with Amos Heller, the touring bass player for Taylor Swift, to discuss his craft, gamifying growth, and the importance of living in the moment. Amos shares how his exposure to different genres and the enthusiasm of others has influenced his interests and knowledge. We dive into his journey as a musician and his experiences working with Taylor Swift, exploring the balance between staying true to his strengths while collaborating in a...

In today's episode, we will be exploring three career investments that every creative professional should be making. Todd brings a unique perspective on the topic, emphasizing the importance of making small investments now that can lead to significant dividends in the future. The first investment he discusses is the flexibility of focus and engagement. He encourages listeners to take a broader view of their career and seek out roles that offer increasing levels of flexibility as they grow...

In this episode, Todd Henry interviews Liz Elting, the co-founder of billion dollar translation solutions company TransPerfect, about her new book Dream Big and Win and her entrepreneurial journey. Liz shares her experience of leaving her job at a finance company and starting TransPerfect, a language solutions company, in an NYU dorm room. She discusses the concept of perfecting existing ideas rather than inventing something entirely new, highlighting the importance of identifying gaps in the...

In this episode, I'm diving into a game-changing technique that's been a total game-changer for me—time chunking. You know, it's one of those simple concepts that can make a world of difference when it comes to getting stuff done and unleashing your creativity. We all know the struggle, right? You sit down to work, and before you know it, your day's hijacked by emails, calls, and endless meetings. It's a tough challenge to overcome, but here's the thing: dedicating specific time slots to your...

Today we have an absolute treat for you. We are revisiting a conversation from a few years ago with a legend in the world of music, a man who has continued to define, then re-define the art of DJing—none other than DJ Z-Trip. Z-Trip is considered one of the founding fathers of the mash-up movement, seamlessly blending genres from rock to hip-hop, jazz to electronica. His ability to read the room and adapt in real-time is almost supernatural, and it's a skill that not only puts him in high...

There is nothing more frustrating to those doing creative work than hearing feedback from a client or manager that is vague, imprecise, and lacking any sense of direction. In order to effectively perform, talented people need clear boundaries within which to operate. That’s the role of the leader – to specifically challenge them within clear guide rails. As I wrote about in Herding Tigers, this is bounded autonomy – freedom within limits. But giving feedback about creative work can be a...

If you’re paying attention at all, you’ve probably become very aware of the advent of AI tools and have probably heard something about how they are going to transform the world of knowledge and creative work, or even possibly replace knowledge workers. But what if there’s a different way to think about it? Is it possible that these tools might actually massively accelerate your capacity to produce brilliant work? Today I am thrilled to chat with Gavin Purcell. Gavin is a powerhouse in the...

What’s the first thing that goes through your mind when I say “creative person”? Depending on your experiences, your initial thoughts may inspire warm ideas like “collaborative, open, possibility thinker” or maybe, on the other side, some less positive ones like “difficult, prima donna, or snobby.” In my book Herding Tigers I wrote about five persistent myths about creative people that often lead to challenges in the workplace. On this episode, we’re going to address and bust these...

Some ideas are so crazy that “moonshot” doesn’t even do them credit. “Loonshot” seems more appropriate. On this episode, physicist and entrepreneur Safi Bachall is here to teach us how to nurture the crazy ideas that win wars, cure diseases, and transform industries with insights from his book Loonshots. This episode is a replay from 2019.

Many of the best innovations are the ones we create to scratch our own itch. I started this very podcast back in 2005 because I was struggling as a Creative Director to find decent conversations about how to help my team stay healthy and productive over the long-term. Today’s guest also scratched an itch, and its now helped countless people around the globe better organize their thoughts and their days. I am a paper addict. I am. I’ve relented somewhat and now use an iPad Pro for some of my...

I have been speaking to a lot of organizations lately, and whenever I have a speaking engagement, I always ask the leaders of the organization about the kinds of dynamics they are experiencing or problems they might be encountering. One phrase that continues to come up over and over is "imposter syndrome". This is a psychological phenomenon that particularly affects people who have achieved some kind of success in their field, who then doubt their accomplishments and have a persistent fear of...

What is the worst thing that you think somebody can call you? I think that one of the worst things, or at least one of the most painful things that somebody can call you is naive. When you say that someone's naive, what you mean is that they just don't understand, they don't get it in the same way or that they're Pollyanna. They're overly optimistic, naively optimistic. And when somebody calls you naive, it can sting. And so the natural reaction of a lot of people is to go the opposite...

Talent alone is not enough to guarantee that you'll make a living. Regardless of your chosen career, you have to figure out how to translate your skills into something marketable - something others will pay you for. Is it possible to make a good living making art you love? Lisa Congdon says "YES!", and she shares specific strategies for how to do so in her book Art, Inc. Over the summer, we are re-visiting the podcast archives, dating back to 2005. This interview originally with Lisa...

Great work isn’t enough on its own. Whether you lead, design, write, strategize, or sell, if you want your idea to be heard, you have to go the extra mile to ensure that it’s framed to resonate with the right audience. In this episode, you'll learn some strategies for ensuring that your idea is best positioned to succeed with the people you are trying to reach. The concepts and strategies in this episode are from my book Louder Than Words. Mentioned in this episode: Please Support Our...

It seems like every week someone is predicting the disruption and ultimate death of an entire industry due to technological advancement. With the advent of AI, many are predicting that the creative industries will be disrupted in ways that will leave creative pros clamoring for work. But, is that really true? Yes, disruption is real, but maybe we can learn from those who have experienced this kind of turmoil and apply their insights to the current marketplace. Today’s guest is Don Donahue....

At some point in your career, you’ve probably had “that boss”. You know… the one who’s either obnoxiously aggressive and issues orders from on-high like the ruler of a small kingdom, or the one who wants so desperately to be liked that they refuse to speak the uncomfortable truth. Maybe – just maybe – you’ve even been guilty of being that boss from time to time. Kim Scott is here to help. She’s the author of Radical Candor, and on today’s show she will show you how to avoid Ruinous Empathy,...