This document summarizes a talk about leadership in the creative industries. It introduces concepts from a leadership course for students in the creative fields that teaches the knowledge and skills needed to succeed as leaders. The course covers an overview of the context and environment of the creative industries. It also looks at emotional, contextual and cultural intelligences as well as leadership styles that are important. Additionally, the course addresses developing high performing teams, follower-leader relationships, interpersonal skills and improvisation which are key to attracting and keeping productive team members in a shifting creative environment.

1. LEADESRSHIP IN THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES
Mary Filice, MA, Associate Professor
Business and Entrepreneurship Department, Columbia College Chicago
Abstract
The creative industries —“composed of arts-centric businesses that range from nonprofit
museums, symphonies, and theaters to for-profit film, architecture, and advertising
companies” (American for the Arts http://www.americansforthearts.org/by-
program/reports-and-data/research-studies-publications/creative-industries) — operate
within an environment characterized by rapid technological, economic, global, and cultural
change. As educators how can we best teach students to be successful leaders within such a
challenging and dynamic environment? The Business and Entrepreneurship department’s
undergraduate and graduate level Leadership course is designed to address these issues
and teaches students the knowledge and skills needed to succeed as leaders within today’s
challenging arts sectors. This academic talk introduces a few of the concepts that comprise
this course. Beginning with an overview of The Arts Dynamic (Suber, 2002) and Zeitgeist
Leadership (Mayo & Nohria, 2005) the players and the context in which the creative
industries reside are better understood. Next is a look at three intelligences — emotional,
contextual, cultural — along with certain leadership styles that successful leaders possess.
The development and nurturing of high performing teams, the follower-leader relationship,
and one’s own interpersonal skills through improvisation are also introduced. These are
key to attracting and keeping productive team members who will support and help achieve
a leader’s vision within a continually shifting creative environment.