A new world is taking shape. We are no longer where we were, and not yet where we are going. Many of us find ourselves caught up between a familiar past and an uncertain, still-unfolding future. These liminal spaces—where old certainties dissolve and new possibilities begin to surface—can feel unsettling. Yet they are also rich ground for innovation, reinvention and more purposeful forms of leadership.

What I have come to learn over the years is that these spaces don’t call for louder voices, tighter plans or greater control. They ask for something quieter, deeper and distinctly human: a new kind of leadership rooted in curiosity, imagination and creative presence—not a nice-to-have, but a strategic necessity for navigating and shaping what comes next.

Leadership as creative presence

Logic can only take us so far; what we need is a creative lens and presence, steeped in curiosity, imagination and deeper knowing. A way of seeing and sensing that allows new ideas to take shape before they can be fully understood or neatly explained—rather than defaulting to existing rationales that push us forward with the same ready-made answers.

This way of conceiving asks us to be fully present—like an artist whose resonance and inner experience become instruments for what wants to emerge. In organizational terms, this translates to holding a meta-perspective—keeping the wider system and macro context in sight—while remaining attuned to the lived realities of people, their experience and to our own inner sense of what is calling to take shape.

Leaders who work in this way move between these perspectives not in conflict, but in rhythm—oscillating between possibility and reality, between idealism and pragmatism, between what could be and the next best step forward. This kind of leadership is never fixed. It transcends the here and now—it is deeply contextual, resonant, adaptive and always guided by what’s possible.

Leading with creative process

In traditional leadership, process is often treated as a byproduct toward a strategic direction or outcome. In transitional spaces, that order reverses. The process is the work; it isn’t secondary or a sideshow—it is an act of creative leadership itself.

Creative leaders understand this. They don’t dictate fixed solutions; they shape the conditions for them to emerge in context. When we embed creativity not only in what we pursue but in how we lead, we invite people to be curious, to co-create with one another and to imagine what’s possible—rather than being persuaded by a predefined version of the future. The outcomes are clear: Change energy rises, people feel genuine ownership of the journey and the organization builds the collective momentum to move forward with possibilities. A powerful way of working that goes beyond typical measures of success.

This kind of work rarely looks neat. At times it may seem messy—even eccentric—but within that apparent disorder lies strategic intent and forward momentum. It is through the creative process that we generate context, meaning and new ways forward. Here, creative facilitation reveals its true value: not as a secondary support skill, but as leadership in action.

Provocations for a creative leadership practice

Leading in liminal times is less about answers and more about wandering, exploring, experimenting and asking braver questions—the kind that stretch perspectives, kindle curiosity and invite new worlds to take shape.

If this resonates, here are some provocations to sit with:

• What systems and contexts are you part of that demand radical reimagination?
• What if your presence as a leader is more transformative than any strategy you deliver?
• What generative practices help you move beyond the here and now—sparking latent possibilities instead of defaulting to ready-made answers?
• With whom are you truly listening for what wants to emerge? How will you act on it?
• How do you hold space for exploration without letting accountability slip?

A call for a new kind of leadership

In liminal times, leadership demands a different stance, one that is both grounded and imaginative. It asks us to hold the present with care, while leaning into what is waiting to emerge. It is not about knowing more, but about sensing more.

So here is the invitation: How will you lead creatively through emergence and help bring new futures into being? If you are curious about how creativity can be used to navigate uncertainty, I would love to connect.