Abstract
This book addresses leadership, an essential topic for anyone interested in the creative industries. Mallia argues that as creatives move up in their careers, the majority will lack the skills and knowledge needed to be successful leaders. That includes soft skills, management, and a keen understanding of the creative process. As software and technical skills are fleeting, and changing at a faster pace than ever, this book is focused on the fundamentals of creativity and leadership that promote it. The book follows a pattern: All of the chapters are underpinned by theoretical principles that lay the foundation for the case studies and real-world examples that follow. Through the weaving of important concepts in a way that is neither a dense academic writing nor a simple how-to manual, theory is well balanced by pragmatic insights.
Comprised of 12 chapters and four sections, the book starts with an overview of what is creativity and the creative industries. It then follows with the role of leaders in creative work, managing for creativity and the creative community. The second section, titled “From Creative Staffer to Creative Leader,” gets into the main idea proposed by the book. This section is highly focused on soft skills such as clear communication, listening, growing as a leader, recruiting, and mentorship. The next section, titled “Leading for Creativity and Better Creative Work,” gets deeper into motivation, collaborations, and diversity. The final section, titled “The Future Is What You Make It,” starts with ethics, offering case studies and a framework for ethical decision making, followed by building an enduring career, reputation management, self-branding, growing pains, and the conclusion.
The key topics of the book, leadership and creativity, are overlooked in most programs. As a fellow researcher of creativity and leadership, I find these to be essential skills for all students—They will transcend all forms of technological advancements and industry changes. The author culls and synthesizes learning from psychology, organizational behavior, management, leadership, and professional practice in a masterful and unprecedented way. Although some of the information presented in the book is available to academics and practitioners elsewhere, this book organizes and interprets a wide breadth of sources through a knowledgeable and relevant lens. Furthermore, many educators and students might not know what to look for in the fields of creativity or leadership, let alone combine them for practice. The organization and flow of the book lends itself to teaching courses that will endure and provide lasting value. Mallia brings her deep knowledge to light in the way the information is presented; she fills a gap in both the leadership and creative literatures that are much needed. My excitement with the arrival of this book was due to its ability to deliver a course for students who are in great need of honing skills that seem basic at first but are, in fact, the very foundation of their careers.
The book covers range of practices and disciplines, including self-branding. It was written primarily for students aspiring to pursue careers in advertising, public relations, design, media arts, integrated marketing communications (IMC), marketing communications, and film. Courses in the areas of entrepreneurship, business, and marketing could also adopt the book for relevant courses in these fields. Although ostensibly for undergraduate students, those in graduate school wishing to go into creative careers as well as those teaching creative courses will find great value in reading this book. Finally, Mallia clearly considered its relevance for junior professional creatives and those in industry leadership workshop and training programs as well, writing in the voice of a trade book.
The author, Karen Mallia, is a creativity and marketing communication expert with more than 20 years as an award-winning copywriter and creative director in advertising, and almost as many an advertising professor. Her professional career was spent in New York, where she worked at many leading creative agencies—among them, Ogilvy; Scali, McCabe, Sloves; Saatchi & Saatchi; and TBWA\Chiat\Day. She worked on a broad range of international brands and products. She is now a tenured professor at the University of South Carolina School of Journalism and Mass Communications, where she has been awarded for outstanding teaching, research, and professional service. She teaches creative strategy, creative leadership, integrated communications, campaigns, and service-learning courses in cause communication and public service advertising. Her research is focused on creativity, leadership, and gender, and is published in leading academic and professional journals. Mallia is also the founder of CreateAthon@USC, a 24-hr creative marathon for students and alumni mentors benefiting nonprofit causes and advocacy.
