“In some situations complete freedom spurs creativity; in others, rigid constraints do even better. It’s important to assess the situation and figure out which one is called for so that all that good creative output doesn’t go to waste, or people will be discouraged to invest again later.”
Welcome to the Inspirational Leaders Series, a collection of short interviews with sharp, impactful leaders that I know and respect—because the business world needs more refreshing people like them.
Meet Emma Sherwood-Forbes, Senior Design Manager at Climate, Health, and Well-being at Meta. She learned about cultivating healthy, empowered teams through a wide array of experiences: 5 years in the startup world, a decade of consulting and agency leadership, and her most recent roles working in-house on health, climate, and well-being.
We worked together at a design agency called Cooper, and one thing that struck me about Emma was her presence. She stands out as someone who is poised, confident, and yet very human and accessible. A magic mix, in my book. In this interview, she shares:
The symbols that would be on her leadership coat of arms
How to cultivate creativity in teams
Three key things that keep her energized amidst the demands of leadership
What would your leadership coat of arms have on it? Why?
An open window for transparency, authenticity, and candor
A prism for amplifying, translating, and helping people shine
An ear with a Babelfish in it for listening, understanding, and communicating
Clasped hands for connection, warmth, care, and partnership
A telescope to help me shift levels of zoom and see the future
What have you learned about cultivating creativity in teams?
In some situations complete freedom spurs creativity; in others, rigid constraints do even better. It’s important to assess the situation and figure out which one is called for so that all that good creative output doesn’t go to waste, or people will be discouraged to reinvest later.
Another important element is something I’ve taken from my Cooper days: getting explicit about when we are generating ideas, and when it’s time to synthesize or narrow them down.
How do you keep yourself energized amidst the demands of leadership?
The only thing that can really keep me energized is genuine care and interest in both the people I work with and the things we work on. The first is about ensuring I have the right job; the second is about making time for human connection, which takes even more intentionality in a hybrid/remote world.
When I have this care in abundance, and I usually do, the other critical ingredient is remembering that these people and what we do is only part of my life, and I need to make space and time for other parts. As a new mom, I’ve been doing a lot of recalibrating here; I actually think I’m a better leader, in less time, because of my more rigorous prioritization.