For the ones who never quite fit the mold — and never should have.
Leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all.
Some of us are intuitive. Others are introverted, sensitive, analytical, or deeply feeling. Some of us doodle through board meetings. Some of us daydream our way to insight. Some of us care so much we go quiet.
If you’ve ever watched the Christmas Island of Misfit Toys, only we’re not misfits — we’re trail-markers.
cReative Leadership is the next evolution of a model I once called Reconnoiter Leadership, or R-Leadership. I’ve kept the “R” as a gentle nod to its origins — but the work has grown. It’s deepened. It’s made space for more.
This isn’t just a theory. It’s a way of leading that makes room for:
- unconventional thinkers
- quiet creatives
- wildly observant analysts
- emotionally attuned strategists
- and everyone in between
Here, your leadership style doesn’t have to be loud, rigid, or relentless. It has to be true. And from there, it becomes powerful.
Who I Am
My name is Andree, and I created this space because I didn’t see anything like it. I’ve spent my life leading, researching, teaching, writing, and reflecting — always a little to the left of center.
I believe leadership is deeply human work. It’s lived across all spaces: organizations, families, communities, classrooms, villages, and boardrooms. And I believe our styles — our neurodivergence, our identities, our energies — should be tools, not obstacles.
Through cReative Leadership, I offer mentoring, speaking, and partnership for those who want to lead differently — with purpose, soul, and integrity.
Why the Bird? What is it?
That’s a Shoebill — and she’s here to stay.
Shoebills are powerful creatures. They’re deliberate, quiet, intense, ancient, and hard to categorize.
Just like the best leaders I know.
I chose the Shoebill for what she symbolizes:
- Deliberate, focused movement
- Energies reserved for what matters
- A kind of fierce presence that doesn’t beg to be seen — and yet, you can’t look away
She’s also ecologically vulnerable — a reminder that strength doesn’t mean invincibility.
The drawing of our Shoebill was created just for us by Krystal at @coast_to_coast_artist. And our support continues through the Save Shoebill Conservation Project in Uganda.
So yes — the shoebill remains. Because cReative Leadership still believes in focus, presence, and unexpected power.
Want to see where this all began?
You can still explore the Legacy Archive of R-Leadership Posts.