The lone genius, or leaders who tyrannize their creative teams : an alternative to the ‘mothering’ model of leadership and creativity

Organizations are being challenged to explore alternative ways to lead creative employees. Academics have converged upon a common model of how leaders should lead their creative employees. This model revolves around creating an open and tolerant culture, where creative individuals are encouraged and coddled. We label it the “mothering model of leadership and creativity.” Yet, a number of iconic leaders of creative ventures, such as Steve Jobs at Apple or chef Ferran Adria at El Bulli, lead their creative teams very differently than the “mothering model” implies. They do not give them freedom and positive evaluations. They are difficult, irascible, moody, critical, demanding, and inconsistent. Their collaborators often comment on how difficult it is to work with them. They fit the description of the lone genius, whose intelligence is commensurate with their capacity for annoyance. This article explores and develops the “lone-genius model of leadership and creativity,” using, for illustration, Steve Jobs at Apple, chef Ferran Adria at El Bulli, and a number of other examples across industries. We compare and contrast the two models, examine the advantages and drawbacks of the “lone-genius model”, and draw theoretical and practical implications.