Ep 23 Keynote: Scott Morrison and Me at the 2016 Fifteen Seconds Festival

Show notes

Opening Remarks & Holiday Message

 

Host Introduction:

• Stephen Gates returns for episode 23 during Thanksgiving week.

• He shares his annual tradition of traveling to Spain with his wife and close friends to recharge and reconnect with creative energy and meaningful relationships.

 

Why This Episode Is Different:

• In lieu of recording a new episode while abroad, Stephen shares a special live fireside chat recorded at the 15 Seconds Festival in Graz, Austria.

• The episode features a conversation with creative powerhouse Scott Morrison.

 

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About the 15 Seconds Festival

• Held annually in June in Graz, Austria (also the hometown of Arnold Schwarzenegger).

• A unique blend of TED Talk, Maker Faire, and creative jam session.

• Features speakers and participants from top global brands like IDEO, Hyperloop, Mercedes, Google, and IKEA.

• Stephen describes it as one of the best-kept secrets in the creative conference circuit.

 

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Meet the Guest: Scott Morrison

• Formerly held leadership roles at:

  • Wieden+Kennedy (on Nike)

  • Levi Strauss

  • Activision

  • Diesel

   

• Now runs two companies: The Boom and Thing Sprint.

• Known online as the Bringer of the Boom, a nickname that at first seems gimmicky—but proves accurate given his stage presence and impact.

• Focuses on uniting creative teams to solve problems in bold, energized, and inspiring ways.

 

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Fireside Chat Highlights: Creativity, Leadership, and Culture

Growing Up Creative

 

Stephen’s Roots:

• Raised by a creative director father, learned typography on a cast-iron letterpress.

• Became a paid designer at 12; moved between agency and client-side work, now leads global design at Citibank.

 

Scott’s Early Career:

• Started in ad agencies in the 1990s, during a fearless era of creative constraint.

• Transitioned to client-side roles with a focus on creative problem-solving at the core of the brand.

• Believes the best leaders are positive disruptors—those who create change by inspiring those around them.

 

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Agency vs. In-House Creative Culture

• Stephen notes the shift from agency environments where creativity is the “reason for being” to in-house teams where creativity looks and functions differently—but is no less vital.

• Both reflect on the challenge of being the first creative voice in traditional institutions, and the reward in helping those cultures evolve.

 

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Leadership Lessons: Confidence, Uncertainty, and Cultural Change

• Leaders must embrace being different and “run up the hill and get shot” (but not killed) to lead by example.

• Mandela Dancing Story: Scott recalls watching Nelson Mandela get up and dance during a performance, sparking a movement—an iconic metaphor for creative leadership that starts with bold personal action.

• Both emphasize the need to “embrace your crazy”—to stand apart and bring others along.

 

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Building Empowered Teams and Cultures

• Radical Collaboration: Bring together people from across roles (finance, warehouse, etc.) and empower them to own creative projects.

• Extreme Empowerment: Give people responsibility just beyond what they think they’re capable of—so they stretch and grow.

• Cultural Foundations: Stephen sets up belief systems for his teams—values like:

  • “Everything is your job.”

  • “Creativity is a blue-collar profession.”

  • “Be confident and respectful—but not delicate.”

   

 

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Coaching Thinking, Not Just Behavior

• Great leaders coach how people think—not just how they behave—because behavior is the symptom, not the cause.

• Understand that every creative and leader connects the dots differently; success lies in building a culture that respects diverse processes and amplifies unique strengths.

 

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Environment and Creative Stimulation

• Stephen’s Space at Citi: Removed traditional bank aesthetics—ditched assigned seating, PowerPoint, and office walls. Emphasized idea paint, open collaboration, and shared creative environments.

• Scott’s Approach with Smaller Teams: Uses exercises like Street Wisdom—taking teams out into the real world to find inspiration in their surroundings.

• Both stress that the right mental environment matters more than physical space.

 

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Creative Exercises and Permission to Fail

• Stephen uses a provocative game called “Think Fast”: Two decks (brands + absurd products). Participants must improvise a business pitch (e.g., “Why would Nike make lipstick?”).

• Goal: Spark nonlinear thinking, encourage risk, and unleash creativity under pressure.

• Testing and feedback are crucial: Stephen’s teams test ideas weekly with consumers to remove subjectivity and keep real people at the center of design decisions.

 

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Reframing Failure as Learning

• Scott reframes “culture of failure” as a learning culture—hypothesize, test, validate.

• Businesses resist the idea of failing, but framing it as experimentation makes it more palatable and productive.

 

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Closing Thoughts

 

Key Takeaways:

• Leadership is about creating safety, taking risks, and modeling bold thinking.

• True creative leadership is about being both insider and outsider, thinking and acting differently, and empowering teams to do the same.

• Culture, not just process, determines success in creative organizations.

 

Final Recommendations:

• Follow Scott Morrison on Twitter and YouTube.

• Check out the 15 Seconds Festival in Austria—it’s small now but destined to become a major creative platform.

 

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Episode Wrap-Up

• Stephen encourages listeners to leave a review on iTunes—it helps grow the show and is the only “currency” he ever asks for.

• Show notes, links to Scott’s talks, and more are available at:

  podcast.stephengates.com (Stephen spelled S-T-E-P-H-E-N).

• Questions or future topic requests? Email ask@stephengates.com.

• Legal reminder: All views shared are Stephen’s own and do not represent any of his past or current employers.

 

Final Sign-Off:

“Time is the only real luxury we have. I’m incredibly humbled you want to spend any of it with me. So recharge, enjoy your people, and as always—stay crazy.”

Tagged as:
brand marketing career career development creative process creativity Fifteen Seconds Festival industry insights innovative thinking leadership marketing strategies professional growth Scott Morrison strategic leadership The Crazy One podcast