Book Look – Fired Up: Kindling and Keeping the Spark in Creative Teams

By William Carmichael

Until I had read this month’s book, I honestly had not thought of the inexhaustible number of metaphors that relate to something as simple as the word fire. For some it represents safety and warmth while for others, something dangerous and uncontrollable. True, fire has a very real image and personifies good as well as bad. But for anyone in the workforce, it serves as the perfect simile for creativity. For to think or say that someone is “on fire” is one of the most positive attributes one can receive. Fired Up: Kindling and Keeping the Spark in Creative Teams by Dr. Andrew Johnston was written specifically to help leaders keep their creative team members fired up and innovative.

Three Components- Oxygen, Fuel, and Heat

To borrow from the author, “From what began as a conversation with a friend, and manifested itself around the fire-pit in his backyard,” Dr. Johnston uses the key components of fire (oxygen, fuel, and heat) to help us get our teams Fired Up to be more creative. And although this may seem to be an overly simplistic correlation, it is not. Perhaps think about it in this way. A highly oxygenated atmosphere represents more than just air. It’s the environment needed for dynamic creativity to thrive. Fuel signifies more than something that burns. It’s the freedom, fun, and purpose employees crave. And heat is simply the unseen transference of energy that comes with motivation, challenges met, and unlimited possibilities that people and teams can generate for themselves.

The Need for Creatives

Throughout this excellent field guide Dr. Johnston uses an interesting inference; that of being a “creative.” To be creative is certainly a reference we are familiar with but creatives is chosen as a description for those with natural-born creativity and potential. We all know who these people are and Fired Up does a brilliant job of explaining exactly how and why creatives need to exist among us. For example, early in the book, Johnston tells us about a printed sign he encountered in a design department printed with the words, “You are now entering another world. Designers live here and don’t think like you do.” These two sentences by themselves would normally not attract much attention but when post-it notes replacing the word “think” with phrases such as dress, behave, do meetings, smell, leave @ 5:00, well, you get the point.

Creatives aside, there is still the inevitability of a stagnate corporate culture that all too often defines an organizations’ personality. Certainly, that organization never intended to be that way but unfortunately that is the way some do. You feel it, see it, and unfortunately, the employees live it. It could be as simple as that office’s physical layout, its aesthetics, or poor morale that has become the norm. It doesn’t have to be this way. Throughout Fired Up, Johnston provides a number of remarkable cures and makeovers that leaders can quickly and easily implement to reenergize any stale environment.

You’re not in Kansas Anymore!

Now who doesn’t love the Wizard of Oz? Dorothy finds herself in the land of Oz and is told by Glenda (the good witch) that she’s not in Kansas anymore. Come on . . . you remember!  In Chapter 8 of Fired Up I found myself quickly identifying with this chapter’s sub-heading of You’re Not a Doer Anymore. Trust me, there is a connection and a good one! Here Johnston begins with “If you are a leader now, I’ll wager you were an excellent Doer earlier in your career. That’s the way it usually works.” This certainly resonated with me as I venture to guess will for our readers out there. Then once a manager, duties and responsibilities become more pressing as do the challenges of managing and leading others. Suddenly, the spark of creativity that brought you recognition in the first place becomes secondary. You begin to wonder how can you get it back. What hit home for me was a singular sentence early in this same chapter where Johnston states, “In my experience, Leaders who do not envision their roles very differently than those of Doers, wind up confusing and competing with the people they lead.” This is so profoundly true. There are distinct differences between Does and Leaders, and Johnston carefully drives home exactly what those differences are. No, we may not be in Kansas anymore but Dr. Johnston certainly shows us how we can make a big difference while there.

Structure and Layout

At 219 pages, Fired Up: Kindling and Keeping the Spark in Creative Teams has a unique, effective structure and flow that make it easy to follow. Perhaps it is Dr. Johnston’s academic background that allows this or his extensive consulting experience but regardless, you will connect to the book’s intended message. Most will find it easily read over a weekend despite areas that deserve multiple review. And one last thought. What appear to be chapters that build on one another are not and although starting at the beginning is recommended, much will be gleamed by simply picking a topic.

Fired Up is comprised of sixteen short chapters set into three sections that each revolves around the fire triangle;

Chapter	Topic	Action
1 – 6	Oxygen	How to fan the sparks of creativity
7 – 11	Fuel	How to feed the environment with passion
12 – 16	Heat	How to keep that creative spark alive

I loved this book and you will too!

Who Will Benefit Most from This Book?

All management and organizational leaders.

About the author:

Dr. Andrew Johnston has made a life of leading teams and developing the people in them. As Associate Provost and Dean at Belmont University and a faculty member at Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, TN, he led institutional change and prepared tomorrow’s leaders. As a sought-after consultant and coach for organizations in non-profit, corporate, and educational contexts, he strengthens the leaders of today.