Articles and Essays by Todd Henry

Creating

How To Stay Optimistic

Optimism isn’t “wishful thinking.” It’s a practical, necessary, forward-looking element of doing brilliant, brave work. And if you lead others, it’s a critical part of getting others to follow you.

April 29, 2025

Creating

Why You Get Stuck: Definition, Motivation, Systems

Getting stuck when doing difficult, creative work is normal. However, staying stuck is a choice. There are three common, though not intuitive, places where you might be digging yourself into a rut.

April 23, 2025

Creating

Don’t Be a Collector, Be a Curator

Simply collecting interesting sparks is useless if you fail to deploy those insights in your leadership and creating. Here is a simple method for turning ephemera into creative gold.

April 15, 2025

Creating

How To Thrive In Uncertain Times

In uncertain times, the temptation is to seek certainty. Instead, you should focus on building rituals that help you find clarity.

April 8, 2025

Leading

The Magical Power of Strategic Indifference

Why choosing not to care can become your superpower.

April 1, 2025

Creating

Stop Focusing On Projects – Obsess Over Solutions

Many leaders and creative pros fall into the “deliverables” trap. Here’s how to maintain focus on what really moves the work forward.

March 20, 2025

Leading

The Trust Seesaw

Trust is the essential element of high functioning teams. Here’s how to build mutual confidence in creative organizations.

March 12, 2025

Leading

Innovation, Or Just Innovation Theater?

If you want brave work, the leader has to go first. Make brave decisions. Speak agency into your team. Paint a brave, optimistic vision.

October 30, 2024

Leading

What Is Strategy?

Three practical tips for thinking more strategically from the latest Daily Creative episode featuring my conversation with Seth Godin about his book This Is Strategy.

October 24, 2024

Leading

The Mouse / Mansion Maxim

There is a big difference between confidence and ego. When we adopt a posture of confident humility, it makes us a better human and a more trustworthy leader.

October 10, 2024

Leading

The Existential Overwhelm of the Moment

Are you ever alone with your thoughts? Do you ever find time to sort out the tangles and variant thought streams that result in stress and anxiety?

September 30, 2024

Leading

The Most Important Question You’re Probably Not Asking

It’s almost a certainty that your team members have opinions of your decisions and leadership. However, they are unlikely to share those opinions freely unless given a window of opportunity.

April 10, 2024

Leading

No one aspires to cowardice, yet many still choose it every day. They fail to speak up because they’re afraid of being wrong. They take the easier, more comfortable path instead of the one that could lead to immense return on their effort. Here’s how to fix it.

March 27, 2024

Leading

How To Give Effective Feedback About Creative Work

Poor, imprecise feedback can cause more problems than no feedback at all. Learn to give feedback that actually works.

September 1, 2023

Leading

Focus On Climate, Not The Weather

While it’s certainly important to address conflicts and work to resolve them in a healthy way, it’s equally important to focus on the overall culture of your team and how it is trending.

May 17, 2023