Ep 24: Nils Leonard of Uncommon on Unlocking Creativity

'The Difference Maker'.

Over time and with experience, the best leaders are able to quiet the internal noise. The voice in their head becomes less critical and more confident - more certain and more consistent.

That’s when things really start to happen. When it really gets interesting. For them. And for the people around them.

It requires a willingness to look within. To ask the questions and face the answers.That ’s where the journey towards being a Fearless Creative leader begins.

Where it finishes is up to you.

Nils Leonard is the definition of a self-made success. As you’ll hear, his journey carried him from humble roots to becoming the chairman and chief creative office of one of the most celebrated ad agencies in London before he turned 40.

Today, he is the co-founder of Uncommon, a company that builds brands that people wished existed in the world. He is a disruptive and somewhat controversial figure. 

I met Nils on a recent trip to London in Uncommon’s offices, and we talked about why tattooing played a critical role in his early life, about what he’s learned about unlocking creative talent,  and about his own personal evolution and understanding of what matters most.