Sustaining creativity and innovation: the role of leadership

Research Focus Sustaining creativity and innovation: the role of leadership 1 Leaders of creative people who produce innovations in goods and services ‐ and consequent customer delight and sustainable competitive advantage ‐ share certain characteristics. These characteristics concern an understanding of creative, innovative and leadership processes and an ability and desire to develop a culture of creativity and innovation. Creativity is the generation of new and original ideas, associations, methods, approaches and solutions in relation to a problem or need. Innovation is changing something by implementing or applying the outputs of creativity. Creativity and innovation have become the new competitive advantage, driving organisational performance, growth, survival, success and value. It is leadership that enables creativity and innovation and the corporate culture that sustains it.