Daily Creative with Todd Henry

In this episode of Daily Creative, we dive into the heart of what it means to be a purposeful leader—both in our creative work and our lives. We explore how easy it is to drift away from our core motivations as we advance in our careers, and what it really takes to stay anchored to what matters most.We’re joined by Klaus Kleinfeld, the only Fortune 500 CEO to have led two companies on different continents and author of Leading To Thrive, and Eric Liedtke, former brand president at Adidas and current brand leader at Under Armour and Unless Collective. Together, they share powerful stories about leadership, self-awareness, and navigating the internal and external games of success.We explore themes like managing energy (not just time), the critical importance of integrating our personal and professional selves, and how true change starts from within. From a CEO who redefined performance to a creative leader who risked it all to align with his values, this episode is packed with actionable insights for anyone who wants to lead with soul and purpose.Five Key Learnings from This Episode:Leadership Drift Is Subtle: Progress in your career can often feel like success, but without anchoring to your core values, you may end up far from the person or leader you intended to be.Inner and Outer Games Matter: Success isn’t just about external achievements—the “outer game”—but also about understanding who you are, what you want, and managing your energy (“inner game”) to have sustainable impact.Energy, Not Just Time, Is Key: True high performance comes from managing and recharging your energy, not just filling your calendar. Micro-habits and rest are not signs of weakness but essential for sustained creativity and leadership.Integration, Not Balance: We’re not meant to keep work and life in separate silos. Thriving as leaders means integrating our professional ambitions with our deeper personal values.Purpose Fuels Action: Checking in with yourself about your true motivations isn’t just self-care—it shapes your decisions, your team’s culture, and your overall impact, whether you’re leading a Fortune 500 company or launching a mission-driven startup.Get full interviews and bonus content for free! Just join the list at DailyCreative.app.Mentioned in this episode:To listen to the full interviews from today's episode, as well as receive bonus content and deep dive insights from the episode, visit DailyCreativePlus.com and join Daily Creative+.To listen to the full interviews from today's episode, as well as receive bonus content and deep dive insights from the episode, visit DailyCreativePlus.com and join Daily Creative+.The Brave Habit is available nowMy new book will help you make bravery a habit in your life, your leadership, and your work. Discover how to develop the two qualities that lead to brave action: Optimistic Vision and Agency. Buy The Brave Habit wherever books are sold, or learn more at TheBraveHabit.com.

In this entertaining chat, Jesse Cole, founder of the Savannah Bananas and author of 'Fans First', shares his journey from a lackluster career to revolutionizing baseball entertainment. He emphasizes how traditional sports needed a fun overhaul, leading to wildly innovative game experiences. Inspired by icons like Walt Disney and P.T. Barnum, Jesse discusses the Bananas' approach of continuous creativity and fan engagement, including unique rules and energetic performances that turn each game into an unforgettable spectacle.

In this discussion, Robert Siegel, Lecturer at Stanford and author of The Systems Leader, shares insights on leadership amid chaos. He highlights how today’s leaders must balance innovation with operational demands. Joining him is Seth Godin, a bestselling author and entrepreneur, who reframes uncertainty as part of modern systems. He emphasizes the importance of adapting to change, targeting smaller markets, and redefining success for resilience. Together, they offer fresh strategies to navigate the complexities of leadership and creativity.

Join Pat Flynn, entrepreneur and author of Lean Learning, as he shares his transformative journey from aspiring architect to online business leader. The discussion revolves around 'lean learning', emphasizing how to cut through information overload and take meaningful action. Pat highlights the power of asking better questions and differentiates between 'just in case' and 'just in time' learning. He introduces 'force functions' to inspire action, reinforcing that mistakes can be valuable teachers in our personal and professional growth.

In this engaging discussion, leadership expert Ryan Leak, author of 'How to Work with Complicated People', teams up with James Kimmel, a Yale psychiatry lecturer and author of 'The Science of Revenge'. They tackle the messy realities of workplace revenge, questioning its appeal versus the hidden costs. Leak emphasizes that perceptions of 'complicated' colleagues vary widely, while Kimmel reveals the neuroscience behind grudges, likening them to addictive behaviors. Together, they offer healthier strategies for conflict resolution and the transformative power of forgiveness in professional relationships.

Zorana Ivcevic Pringle, senior research scientist at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author, shares her insights on the emotional and cognitive aspects of creativity. She discusses the importance of intentional choices over waiting for inspiration, highlighting how managing emotional energy can enhance creativity. Zorana explains the interplay between emotions and productivity, offers strategies to overcome creative blocks, and explores how generative AI is reshaping human creativity, emphasizing the unique problem-solving ability of people.

Peter Wilken, a branding expert and author whose impressive resume includes work with brands like Coke and BMW, shares valuable insights into the intersection of optimism and creative leadership. He emphasizes that true optimism is linked to agency and vision, rather than blind faith. Peter reveals the concept of 'brand DNA,' a critical framework for maintaining a brand's relevance. He also discusses the nurturing of breakthrough ideas, underscoring the importance of protecting initial creative sparks as they mature into impactful concepts.

In this episode, we dig deep into the experience of “stuckness” that every creative pro and leader faces when tackling hard problems. We challenge the typical advice of “just push through,” and instead reveal the true root causes behind creative block. Also, we explore why simply grinding it out doesn’t always work and how a more mindful approach can help us regain momentum.We unpack three main reasons why we often get stuck: lack of definition, loss of motivation, and outdated systems. Through relatable examples and practical questions, we show how redefining the problem, reconnecting with our deeper why, and shaking up our routines can reignite progress.Whether you’re leading a team, working solo, or just trying to unlock new ideas, this episode guides you to reflect, reset, and recharge your creative drive — so you can move forward with purpose.Five Key Learnings from This Episode:Stuckness Is Normal: Getting stuck is an inevitable part of doing creative, challenging work — but it's not something we have to resign ourselves to.Define the Real Problem: We must continuously clarify not just the project, but the actual problem we're solving. This involves empathy, keen focus, and honest reassessment.Reconnect With Motivation: When we lose sight of why our work matters or get caught in “all what, no why,” motivation drops. Reconnecting tasks to a meaningful purpose is essential.Audit Your Systems: Outdated processes or a constant chase after new systems can drain energy. Refresh your workflow, build supportive relationships, and question limiting assumptions.Progress Over Perfection: Stuckness is often a choice. Diligent effort and a willingness to realign or rethink can break the cycle of stagnation and lead to better results.Subscribe to articles like this at bravefocusedbrilliant.com.

Discover the vital difference between collecting and curating in our information-saturated world. Explore a practical three-step framework to transform overwhelming data into meaningful insights. Learn how to ask key questions to fuel your creativity and make sense of the chaos. Understand the importance of eliminating what doesn’t serve your purpose. Get tips for setting up regular curation sessions to keep your ideas fresh and focused, ensuring that your creative work has depth and clarity.

Melody Wilding, a licensed social worker, professor, and author of 'Managing Up', shares her expertise on thriving amid uncertainty. She discusses building chaos-proof rituals to enhance creativity and mental clarity. Melody emphasizes the importance of asking transformative questions and thinking countercyclically to uncover unique opportunities. She also explores the art of managing up, highlighting effective communication and strategic conversations with superiors to foster alignment and trust in the workplace.