The Creativity Suite. Episode 157: Avoiding the darkness that is the creative eclipse
Interview with Angela Chiara Lento, Sales Director Italy for FrieslandCampina.
Have you ever been in a situation where one person’s personality, character, position or ego takes over to such an extent that the creativity of others, or even yourself, is killed or seriously damaged?
Then you have been exposed to a “creative eclipser”.
My question here was rhetorical, because of course we have all been “eclipsed” at some point as creatives.
But here is a more difficult question to answer: Have you ever BEEN a Creative Eclipser – Someone who is overshadowing the creativity of others by taking up too much space, energy, or attention?
The uncomfortable answer to that question is: “Yes, you most probably have.”
I learned about Creative Eclipse from Angela Chiara Lento, Sales Director Italy for FrieslandCampina, one of the world’s largest dairy companies. Angela bravely shared with me her journey of recognizing how, earlier in her career, her strong creative profile and natural drive often eclipsed the ideas and contributions of others.
Angela’s tendency to eclipse was rooted in her speed of thinking and her inherent creative DNA. She described how her quickness to grasp and develop ideas often left others struggling to keep up, stifling their creativity. “I was frustrated when others couldn’t immediately grasp my ideas,” Angela recalls. “I didn’t have the patience to wait or to listen to their ideas.”
The turning point came when senior management provided Angela with feedback. This feedback was a revelation for her. It was painful, but it sparked a crucial realization: her approach was limiting the creative potential of her team. Determined to change, Angela hired a coach who got Angela to rethink the value of pushing ideas down other people’s throats.
One thing the coach asked Angela to do was to make a big “X” in her notebook every time she felt the urge to close the discussion with her solution already in mind, instead of holding back to give others space.
In the beginning there were A LOT of X:es in my notebook…”, Angela said laughing as she reflected on how she used to behave.
But over time, this exercise helped her develop the discipline to hold back and allow others to contribute. “I’ve come to understand that creativity is a collaborative effort. In the past, I didn’t give others the opportunity to share their ideas as much as I should have.”
Angela explained how her previous approach left her team feeling paralyzed or silent, more focused on executing her ideas than on challenging them or suggesting improvements. At the time, that’s what she thought she wanted, but looking back, she now sees how it stifled the potential for even better ideas.
Today, a more wiser Angela understands that creativity is a collaborative act, and we should do our best to not eclipse each other. Or, as she beautifully puts it, “I went from thinking I had to be ‘the creative star’ to realizing that true creativity is a night sky full of tiny stars shining together.”
After all, when we’re in the throes of creative euphoria, it’s natural to want to share that energy. But mature creatives know the value of pausing in those moments – of listening to others and giving them the time they need to evaluate and contribute to our ideas. This takes practice.
The word ”Eclipse” means “an obscuring of light”, and a “Creative Eclipse” is the “obscuring of creativity.”
The etymology of the word Eclipsed can be split into the word “ek” meaning “out” and “leipein” meaning “to leave” – to “eclipse” is to “to leave out”,,” and a “Creative Eclipse” is to “leave out the ideas of others”.
If you want to nurture creativity, don’t worry about experiencing a “creative block”, -worry about becoming a “creative blocker”,” someone who stifles the creativity of others by overshadowing them.
SUGGESTION:
The next time you sense a creative eclipse happening, don’t be afraid to call it out. Simply say, “I feel there’s a creative eclipse here right now. Let’s see if we can bring everyone back into the creative light.” It might feel a little uncomfortable, but doing so will greatly benefit the creative process at that moment.
Angela’s testimony serves as a powerful reflection for both the eclipser and the eclipsed, reminding us that it’s possible to share the creative space – and it’s always better when we do.
30
Jun