Arts-based learning uses artistic expression like poetry, drama, dance, and visual art to improve business performance. It is typically used in leadership development by drawing parallels between art and leadership, or having participants directly create art. This helps achieve learning objectives. The document discusses how creativity and the arts can help organizations and leaders innovate, engage employees, and envision new possibilities. Artists are seen as able to spark creativity needed for organizations to adapt to changing environments.

1. Nicholas Tancredi  Independent Research  PUB 302

2. Arts-based learning is defined as the use of
artistic expression, which includes poetry,
drama, dance, film, literature, music, as well
all forms of visual art, which acts as a
catalyst for improving business
performance. This artistic creativity can
occur at a conventional program or
workshop setting, or beyond the walls of the
training room, such as a concert hall,
photography studio, or museum (Brenner,
2014).
Arts-based learning typically is used in
two ways in the context of leadership
development: parallels are drawn
between the artistic process itself and
leadership, as well as the engagement
of participants who create the artwork
firsthand. Both of these techniques can
be useful depending on the objective of
the initiative (Brenner, 2014).

3. “Creative leaders invite disruptive innovation, encourage others to
drop outdated approaches and take balanced risk. they’re open-
minded and inventive in expanding their
management and communication
styles, particularly to engage with
a new generation of employees,
partners and customers.”
–Lombardo & Roddy, 2011
http://dupress.com/articles/rising-tide-
platform-leadership-as-a-key-to-success-
in-the-era-of-ubiquitous-connectivity-
video/?coll=6232

4. Artists, such as musicians, performers, painters, and poets, have rarely been in a position to speak
directly to those that are engaged in business or government. For most of human history, artists have
been employed to basically serve in authoritative institutions, usually by bringing a level of emotional
truth to established principles (Adler, 2006, p. 490).
However, the radical shift in the structure
of the world needs creativity, because it
asks us to rethink who we are as human
beings. It may even be the case that
writers, painters, and musicians have an
unprecedented opportunity to be co-
creators with society’s leaders in setting a
path. After all, art is about rearranging us,
creating surprising juxtapositions ,
emotional openings, startling presences,
flight paths to the eternal (Adler, 2006, p.
490).

5. “Envisioning possibility means maintaining hope and not
descending into cynicism even when colleagues and friends
misinterpret
one’s
aspirations and
disparagingly
label them as
naïve” (Adler, 2006, p. 495).

6. According to Google’s Chairman and
CEO Dr. Eric Schmidt, an organization
needs to let the artists within the company
explore and create the next great thing,
which they will do well if the culture of the
organization allows it. Harvard’s Rob
Austin also states that managers, as well as
management students do not understand
how to create on cue, how to innovate
reliably on a deadline; artists are much
better that managers are. It’s something
that theater companies do all the time
(Adler, 2006, P. 490).
“The essence of practice for leaders and
performing artists is the same: to
constructively provoke thought and evoke
emotion in their audiences.”
–Asbjornson, 2007, p. 24

7. “Go to the local
kindergarten and watch
the children play. They
are masters at rapidly
building coalitions –
before they get ‘educated,’
that is.” –David Kayrouz, Painter
and CEO of Creative Pathways
Leadership is not always clear cut. Good
leadership is abstract. Leadership needs
to be moldable to the certain individual.

8. Acting to design, build and improve systems, requires some form of change at the point of
greatest leverage. Creating a culture with a bias for action takes having rewards aligned with
the taking of considered risks in an environment where failure is a necessary and mutually
defining opposite of success.
Confident of the foundations
laid in the seeing, mappings,
understanding and believing
stages of new endeavors,
creative leaders take into
consideration competitor
reactions, and are prepared to
adjust tactics as required,
maintaining their core values
and primary strategic intent
until the vision is realized.
–Lombardo & Roddy, 2011, p. 7

9. http://dupress.com/articles/tech-trends-2015-
amplified-intelligence/
Companies such as Deloitte have been piloting creativity, by using 21st
century research and advisory services to over 20 different sectors, “with one
purpose: to deliver measurable, lasting results” (Deloitte, 2015).
The following are technological and creative ventures from Deloitte for
government and technology:
http://dupress.com/articles/future-of-government-
video/?coll=6232
http://dupress.com/articles/future-digital-education-
technology/
http://dupress.com/articles/rising-tide-open-
innovation-as-a-pathway-to-growth-
video/?coll=6232

10. Former U.S. President John F. Kennedy realized the role of the arts, in particular, poetry,
in going back to their humanity: “When power leads…[people’ toward ignorance, poetry
reminds…[them] of…[their] limitations.
When power narrows the areas
of…[people’s] concern, poetry
reminds…[them] of the richness
and diversity of…[their] existence.
When power corrupts, poetry
cleanses, for art established the
basic human truths which must
serve as the touchstone of our
judgment” (Adler, 2006, p. 493).

11. Concert pianists must both tune their voices and tone to anticipate, as well as gauge the impact of
their voices on others. Leaders can dramatically increase their ability to influence others by putting
together what they have to say with their tine of voice and their actions. For example, it’s hard to
inspire people to be excited about an initiative if you sound bored by it. Listening is an art that
requires attentiveness, openness to new perspectives, as well as the ability to draw connections among
various elements (Asbjornson, 2007, p. 24).
Listening with intention increases
the capability for emotional
intelligence. It engages both the
intellectual and the emotional
components of a person and
integrates the heart, head, and
soul of leadership.”
-Asbjornson, 2007, p. 23

12. http://cw39.com/2014/10/30/woma
n-pretends-to-order-pizza-actually-
dials-911-to-tell-of-domestic-abuse/
“If you have a hard decision, I respectfully suggest that it is
because you have not done sufficient creative thinking…
How can you make the
best decision if you
haven’t got the best
option?”
–Bob Galvin, former CEO of Motorola

13. • Adler. N.J. (2006). The arts and leadership: Now that we can do anything, what will we do? Academy of Management Learning &
Education. 5 (4). P. 486-499. Received: 6 February. 2015.
• Asbjornson, K. (2007). Making the connection between art and leadership. Issues & Observations. 22 (4). pp. 22-24. Received: 6
February. 2015.
• Brenner, M. (2014 November). Incorporate arts-based learning in leadership development. TD Magazine. Received: 7 February. 2015.
• Deloitte. (2015). About deloitte us. http://www2.deloitte.com. Received: 6 February. 2015.
• Deloitte. (2014). (Video) inspiring disruption. Received: 8 February. 2015.
• Deloitte. (2015). Digital education 2.0: from content to connections. Received: 8 February. 2015.
• Deloitte. (2014). (Video) gov2020: envisioning the future of government. Received: 8 February. 2015.
• Deloitte. (2014). (Video) rising tide - II: open innovation as a pathway to growth. February. 2015.
• Deloitte. (2015). Amplified intelligence. Received. 8 February. 2015.
• Deloitte. (2014). (Video) rising tide - III: platform leadership as a key to success in the era of ubiquitous connectivity. Received. 8 February.
2014.
• Lombardo, B.J. & Roddy, D.J. (2011). Cultivating organizational creativity in an age of complexity. Human Capital Management. pp.
1-20. Received: 6 February. 2015.
• NewsFix. (2014). Woman pretends to order pizza, actually dials 911 to tell of domestic abuse. Received: 7 February. 2014.
• Photographs by Nicholas Tancredi

14. “Along with the big, bold, innovative ideas, we
need organizations of creatively entrepreneurial
employees who bring their talents
to the inches and
minutes of
organizational life,
creating dozens of
victories each day.”
–Carl Nordgren, Adjunct Professor at Duke
University and founder of Creativepopulist.com
http://dupress.com/articles/tech-trends-2014-
inspiring-disruption-video/?coll=6232