It’s funny how often people say, “I’m not creative.” I’ve had so many CFOs and CEOs walk into a room and say, “I don’t know what this is. I read the pre-work, I thought about it, but I’m not creative. I don’t know anything about this artsy stuff.” And then they go on to share the most powerful, impactful, wise, and grounded vision—full of meaning, legacy, and depth.

At this point, I’ve learned to tune it out when someone says, “I’m not creative.” My response is usually, “Okay.” Because the way I see it, creativity is about freedom within a frame. You need structure, practicalities, and boundaries—otherwise, ideas spin too far into the abstract and never become something real. But within that frame, creativity has to be unleashed.

When I work with leaders, it’s about setting those boundaries and then exploring how to be free within them—how to brainstorm, innovate, and problem-solve. Sometimes that looks like rapid prototyping, sprint teams, mock-ups, or market tests. In some cases, it’s clinical trials or structured experiments. No matter what, there’s always a framework—deadlines, benchmarks, specific goals—but within that, there’s room to think differently.

A lot of my work also focuses on the individual—helping people find their own version of freedom within a frame. I call it "Team Why" and "Team How." They have to work together. I’ve always been on Team Why—I’m very creative. And I often talk to people who assume creativity means being artistic. That’s where their mind goes first, so they say, “I’m not creative.”

But creativity isn’t just about art. My brother-in-law and his wife are a scientist and an engineer, and they constantly think in ways that are incredibly creative—but they don’t see it that way. I’ll tell them, “You’re thinking outside the box, you’re approaching water systems in a completely unique way—that’s creativity.” But because their work is so technical, they don’t recognize it.

When I work with archetypal models, there are 10 key archetypes. One of them is the Strategist—very much "Team How," focused on mechanics and execution. Then there’s the Sovereign, which is "Team Why"—all about purpose and vision. There are others, too: the Nurturer, the Dreamer (who can sometimes spin off into the clouds), and the Transformer—the renegade who breaks the rules to make space for new ideas.

The core idea behind this work is that we all have all 10 archetypes within us. It’s not a typology like Myers-Briggs, where you’re labeled as one thing—INFP, ENTJ, or whatever. Those can create a sense of “otherness.” But with archetypes, it’s more fluid. We all have access to these energies—some are just more front-and-center, while others are in the background, maybe even waiting in the wings. The work of a leader is learning how to call on the right energy when it’s needed.

I like this approach because traditional personality tests often tell me, “You’re a rebel,” or “You’re an arsonist,” or “You’re a sovereign.” And while those insights can be useful, they also create separation—like, “Okay, I’m this, and you’re that.” But in reality, we’re all working from the same palette. Maybe I gravitate toward purple, and you lean more toward green, but you still have purple within you. That makes for a much richer conversation—why does green resonate with you? Which energies are you most comfortable calling on?

And this directly connects to leadership and communication. One of the archetypes is the Warrior. The Warrior doesn’t waste words. They speak with intention—grounded, powerful, direct. You can hear it in my voice when I shift into that energy—slower, lower, more deliberate.

In my coaching, if someone is presenting to a board but their energy is stuck in their head—too high, too uncertain—we’ll work to get them into their Warrior. We’ll bring them back into their body with movement, grounding exercises, whatever helps them access that power. And then, I’ll have them present again. The shift is always noticeable.

I think you’re touching on emotional intelligence again. If you're stuck in your head, even the best ideas can get lost. And if an idea is weighing on you, it can be hard to communicate it effectively.

When it comes to methodologies and frameworks that help leaders evaluate and adapt their approaches—especially in rapidly evolving environments like climate change or global issues—communication is always at the forefront. Becoming a better communicator is the goal, and there are different ways to get there.

One of the most powerful tools I use is the archetype framework. It’s transformational—personally, professionally, and organizationally. We often analyze an organization’s dominant archetype. For example, if a company has a strong Warrior energy, it might need to make space for the Dreamer—allowing for more visionary work. The question then becomes: how do we shift the culture to create that balance?

Another framework I highly recommend is the Decker communication model. It breaks communication down into bite-sized, actionable steps, helping leaders articulate a vision clearly and effectively. There’s a structured grid where you fill in key elements, and when it comes time to present, everything flows naturally and lands powerfully. It’s simple but incredibly effective.

Communication happens everywhere—writing an email, sending a text, talking to a colleague on the phone, engaging in a conference room, or navigating a hybrid meeting with people in different time zones. However you're showing up—virtually or in person—how you speak and listen plays a huge role.

Listening is just as important as speaking. Are you being an active, empathetic listener? Are you reinforcing to the speaker that you’re engaged—or signaling that you’ve checked out? Because if you’re just sitting there faking it, they’ll assume their message landed, and later, you’ll find yourself wondering, Wait, what just happened?

Communication is all-encompassing. It comes down to the verbal, vocal, and visual—the three Vs. It’s about eye contact, hand gestures, voice inflection, pacing. Sometimes, people unintentionally use up speak, making statements sound like questions, and part of the work is helping them ground their voice.

Then there’s the challenge of communicating in a second, third, or even fourth language. It’s tough to bring in things like humor when you're not speaking your native language. But if someone wants to build that skill, we help them get comfortable with it.

And beyond how you communicate, there’s also what you’re communicating—the content itself. There’s the message, and then there’s you as the messenger. Both matter.

Systems thinking is about understanding the whole by examining both the big picture and its individual parts. It’s a holistic approach to seeing how systems and solutions function. Personally, I like to visualize it as an ecosystem—where everything is interconnected, working together in a network or matrix.

As leadership evolves, our systems are becoming increasingly complex, with more layers and interconnections than ever before. The challenge is knowing how to leverage strong and weak ties.

Strong ties are the key relationships within and outside your organization—partners you actively work with to achieve a goal. Take Netflix, for example. They partnered with Disney and brought in the Rocky Mountain Institute for innovation. That was a strategic, system-level decision—building the right relationships to drive results.

Then there are weak ties—people or organizations on the periphery of your network that you can call on when needed. Being proactive about identifying and nurturing both types of connections is crucial.

It’s like the difference between having a morning ritual versus waking up and letting the day hit you. The more intentional you are with systems thinking and relationship-building, the more successful your organization will be—no matter the industry.