The creative industry was found to have contributed £84 billion to the UK economy in 2014 according to the latest figures available, generating a staggering £9.6 million per hour and growing double the amount than the rest of the economy at 9%. Impressive figures by any standards.

If the figures are anything to go by then it’s time other industries and business leaders sit up and take note, because there’s clearly lessons to be learnt from creatives when it comes to success.

Taking control is scary, and the majority of us are used to being led rather than taking the lead ourselves. Whether that’s through choice or because our current professional position doesn’t allow us to take the lead. Being a leader doesn’t always mean being the boss, and there’s many areas in our lives we can all lead on, be it in our professional or home life.

So, just what exact qualities do creatives have that other leaders could learn from?

Act on Instinct

When it comes to decision making, the majority of us rely upon the evidence and facts presented to us before making our conclusions, often due to the way we were taught in schools. But it’s this school of thought which could leave us making the wrong decision.

Should your head rule your heart or vice-versa?

Creatives have always been taught to act on instinct and use intuition. It’s similar to listening to your head versus your heart. Just because a decision is logical, doesn’t mean that it’s the right one to make, and often those that lie just beyond logical reasoning are the ones that work the best.

If you take the arts in their purest form, it’s always been a combination of trial and error. Whether that’s trialing a new design or creating different concepts on design software, the creative process is one where instinct and logic work together. Logically having options makes sense, but instinctively you often know which design just feels right.

Justifying Actions

Creatives are in a world where reasoning and justifying actions are the norm. It’s a competitive industry and self-promotion is the key to unlocking success, so keeping communications clear and concise is a lesson we could all learn.

Whether creatives are justifying a project or pitching for a new role, those experiences all require creatives to justify the reasons behind their work. Art and design are both subjective, and often require explanation as to why something has been done in a certain way.

Similar to the saying don’t judge a book by its cover, a piece of work often needs justification to really see its true value, so take a step back from making a quick decision and take a look at the facts behind something before diving straight in. Advocacy is nothing new, allow employees to take pride in their work and tell you why too. You’ll often find that their passion for their work will shine through and it’s much less about themselves.

Inspiring Others

At its core the creative industry sets out to inspire others, whether that’s through design, TV, film or the media. Leaders are there to lead, and if they aren’t seen as inspirational then you can hardly expect everyone to follow or learn by example.

Inspiring others is a key part of being a great leader

Creatives design because it’s their passion, and are continually striving to create the next big project. Being ambitious is inspirational. Aim high, set a goal and you will achieve it. The notion that an idea is too big simply doesn’t apply when it comes to creativity. A creative idea is formed, then the next steps are how it can be put into action. What logical steps can be taken to scale the dream into a reality?

Creativity is about seeing things that others do not, and often draconian leaders can oversee the small details which actually have a big impact. Extraordinary actions, help to create inspirational leaders – taking a leap into the unknown is scary, but the example it sets will certainly prove your willingness to go the extra mile when it comes to leadership.

Adapt to Change

Change is constant in the creative industry. In fact, change is constant in many industries but the rate at which the creative industry changes is perhaps like no other. New social platforms are continually emerging, there’s new software to learn and new trends to be created.

Change is good, and adapting to change is nothing to be afraid of. Change opens up new possibilities and new possibilities help to lead us to success. There may be times when changes result in circumstances which are out of our control, but creatives are good at finding solutions and overcoming these challenges.

Don’t allow changes to dictate the path you take, create your path and make the changes others are afraid to do. Being in business throws up challenges, you will be faced with tough decisions, but embracing them and taking control allows you to lead the situation.

Unleashing your inner creative isn’t something which comes naturally to everyone, but as the latest figures show the creative industry is going from strength to strength. So take the lead from them, you’ll become a better leader for it.