The saying “Good artists copy – great artists steal” is often attributed to Pablo Picasso (although we’re not sure it’s really by him). There is also a story that Steve Jobs referenced this alleged Picasso quote. In any case, I like it. And here’s why. . . .

The keyword in the quote is, in fact, a word that many of us stumble over: stealing.

In the context of the quote, “stealing” does not refer to the illegal act of taking something from someone so that the other person no longer has ownership of it. It means making something your own.

Good artists merely copy. They simply lift work from someone else without fully understanding it. When an artist copies another artist, we are aware of it. It is still a piece by the original artist – and we have a bit of disrespect for the copier. The copier might be doing well financially, their work might be beautiful, and it might hang on important walls. Nonetheless, we always see the original artist first because that artist was the original creative source.

A great artist knows that they must make the original work completely their own – they need to study, fully understand, respect, and bathe themselves in it. They take full possession of it, even though it’s not theirs.
Great artists make others’ works their own. Once it’s their own, they can build on it. They work their magic and apply their creative alchemy. They transform the piece of art and elevate it. The outcome: something new, something fresh – and something that belongs to them.

What is the leadership lesson in this? If you want your team to be great and not just good, then you need to allow your folks to fully immerse themselves in the work of others. They need the time and space to fully accomplish this – not just get a superficial impression.

Encourage your employees to immerse themselves in the work of others, to not to fake it, and to be more than just “good.”

 

Take the next step

 

Find out where your employees (and also you) want to go deep enough to be able to make something their own. Encourage them to do it, leave their mark, and make it their own.