The role of heroic creativity and leadership in creative work

This chapter explores the role of heroic creativity and heroic leadership in creative work. It does this by applying heroism theory to creative workers’ qualitative accounts of their careers. Responses to a creative industries survey implemented in Australia were analysed for the presence of the functions and themes of heroic leadership. The findings suggest that heroic creativity and leadership feature strongly in the careers of creative workers. This may be beneficial for equipping creative workers – and potentially other graduates and job seekers – with the resources to better negotiate the precarious twenty-first-century labour market. The development of a heroic leadership profile may be an important attribute for optimizing well-being, satisfaction, and career coping strategies. Future research might develop specific measures for identifying the presence of heroic leadership qualities in creative careers.