Episode Summary

Creative teams have the potential to shape culture, drive innovation, and steer brand— but most companies still treat them like a service desk.

Emma Sexton has spent over a decade building the one thing most creative leaders don’t have: a roadmap to power.

As founder of the Inside Out® Community and architect of the Inside Out® Pathway, she’s helping in-house leaders move from overlooked execution to boardroom influence.

In this episode, Emma joins us to reframe creative leadership as a business-critical multiplier— and reveal the zones of progression that help leaders claim their seat at the table.

We talk brand ownership, creative ops evolution, the burnout of CMOs, and why organizations that ignore creative leadership might be leaving their most scalable advantage on the table.

Key Takeaways

• Creative leadership is a force multiplier—not a production function.
• The Inside Out® Pathway offers a clear map for in-house teams to grow from executional to visionary.
• Most teams are stuck in the middle—between delivery and strategy—without a language or framework to rise.
• Creative ops isn’t the star—it’s the system that helps leadership scale.
• AI shifts the baseline—creativity’s value now lies in judgment, influence, and strategic decision-making.

Passive Listening to Active Thinking

Use these prompts to reflect solo—or spark deep conversations with your team:

1. What part of your identity or leadership style is keeping your team stuck in their current zone?
2. If no one in your org believes creative work can shape business strategy—what have you done to prove them wrong?
3. Are you spending more time defending creative value… or demonstrating it at the business level?
4. If your team had total permission to lead, not just deliver—what would you stop doing first?
5. Who benefits from you staying small?

🔗 Links & Resources

• Emma Sexton on LinkedIn
• Inside Out® Community
• Download the Inside Out® Pathway