How to build fear-free creative teams

Last week, Cannes Lions brought together the world’s most celebrated creatives, creators, strategists, and innovators on the French Riviera, where the best ideas in advertising, tech, the creator economy, and culture collided. After listening to dozens of leading voices explore today’s challenges, one thing became clear: creativity is essential in challenging times. The kind that dares, that pushes limits, that meets new demands and fuels new dreams. Creativity born from the courage to do things differently. But while courage is needed, fear is rampant. This year’s State of Creativity study by Lions Advisory reveals that only 13% of respondents view their companies as creative risk-friendly, while 29% of brands admit to being highly risk-averse. Among all the brilliant perspectives at Cannes, the speakers at Collins House stood out for their reflections on the growing impact of fear-led leadership: Fear blocks talent’s creativity At a physiological level, both forces are directly connected. Individuals cannot be in creative flow when afraid, because the brain kicks into fight, flight, or freeze mode, shutting down creative capacity. Fear negatively impacts business performance When creativity is blocked, so is business growth: brands with a high appetite for creative risk are 33% more likely to see long-term revenue growth, reports Lions Advisory. Fear limits innovation When leaders operate from fear, they become reactive. They ask “what now?” instead of “what if?” Today, companies are doubling down on the core parts of their business that generate revenue, dissolving or downsizing more experimental or innovative approaches. This shift leaves less room for risk and error, which ironically poses an even greater risk in itself. This trend is evident in the luxury sector, with major houses cutting innovation departments just when consumers are shifting their expectations toward more and renewed experiences. Fear erodes creative growth Brilliant, committed individuals pour themselves into their work, only to burn out. Many are forced to pause, or simply vanish. This is not because of a lack of talent, but because of fear. Fear of the board. Fear of shareholders. Fear of losing jobs. Fear of large-scale failure that silently shapes unsustainable cultures. Fear is becoming the greatest enemy in a time that urgently needs people with heart, drive, and bravery. But is it fair to keep asking individuals to overcome that fear alone? Or is it time to demand systems that help build confidence? Perhaps it should be about designing more sustainable models, ones that restore confidence in teams so they feel supported enough to imagine ideas that offer restoration: to consumers, to the planet, and to the culture around them. This matters across all industries. But it’s especially relevant for luxury, a sector increasingly expected to shift its value from possessions to feelings. “The word luxury comes from luxus, meaning excess, extravagance, decadence. But there is another word: lux, which means light. That’s how we think about luxury at LVMH,” Mathilde Delhoume, Global Chief Brand Officer at LVMH, said during Cannes Lions 2025. But before reaching that point, a more foundational question emerges: Where are the spaces where confidence must be restored? Drawing from Cannes Lions winners, keynotes, off-stage conversations, and creatives’ insights, four key elements emerge that can help guide the industry forward. Confidence to create like a child Tyler, The Creator recently shared a piece of advice that is both disarming and profound: “Create like a child and edit like a scientist.” When tapping into that childlike mindset, play takes over and the rules start to fade. Without constraints, individuals begin to invent new ways of doing things and spark unexpected emotions. Showing that, sometimes, even something as simple as a tomato can have an impact. If not, ask Loewe. When Jonathan Anderson turned a Loewe tomato meme into a luxury clutch, it racked up over 900,000 views in less than five hours, a playful twist that proved creativity does not need to be serious or monumental to be powerful. Even on a smaller scale, more luxury brands are embracing that spirit. Names like Chanel, Lancôme, and Fenty are experimenting with creators like Ssoleon, who bring a raw, playful energy that challenges traditional codes. In an era when data and rigor guide so many decisions, it’s worth remembering: there must be space to be more than a scientist, there must also be space to create like a child and benefit our creative flow. Confidence to build a point of view As Kevin Mulroy, founder of Mischief, said during a conversation at the festival: “It’s never been easier, faster, and cheaper to create content.” But, he added, “it’s also never been easier, faster, and cheaper to be mediocre.” In a landscape where creating content is more accessible than ever, the real value lies in knowing what’s worth saying. “The reason we go to the artists is because of their point of view. AI doesn’t have one,” Legendary producer Rick Rubin said In a recent interview. One of this year’s Grand Prix winners in Film provides a striking example of just how important a point of view is. L’Oréal’s awarded campaign, a 17-minute documentary created by McCann Paris, reclaims one of advertising’s most iconic lines: “Because I’m worth it.” The film tells the story of Ilon Specht, the 23-year-old copywriter who wrote those words in 1973. Born from a woman’s perspective and voiced by a woman for the first time, the campaign marked a revolutionary shift in how beauty was communicated, and who got to speak. Honoring that piece also means honoring the creative confidence it took to voice a belief strong enough to shape generations. These cases invite us to reflect: Are we truly giving people the time, space, and trust they need to shape transformative points of view that drive creativity, culture and business forward? Confidence to bring non-linear value Innovation rarely comes from repetition and protection, it comes from bold deviations and experimentation. That’s why, today more than ever, the landscape demands exploration, and people with different backgrounds and non-traditional paths. At Cannes Lions, this new era was on full display, with creators and creatives showing up as entrepreneurs, investors, and brand architects, demonstrating that authentic value often stems from authentic paths. In the luxury industry, perhaps Pharrell Williams and his legacy comprise the clearest example of why it matters to explore beyond the obvious, the linear, and the already consolidated. In 2023, Louis Vuitton became the first brand to appoint a global star to lead its menswear division (not as a side project). Now, under Pharrell’s vision, Louis Vuitton is becoming a cultural shaper that doesn’t just dress people, but entertains them. Pharrell’s case reminds the industry of the importance of building confidence to develop non-linear careers and approaches, prioritizing innovation in whatever form it takes. Confidence to fail There is a problem in the way success is measured. Too often, it is linked exclusively to zero mistakes, record-breaking sales, award wins, and statistics that drive a perfectionism mindset, pushing people to chase static metrics that do not always reflect true value, especially not in the long term, while also driving teams into burnout. But what if companies started celebrating failure? The most forward-thinking companies already do. They understand what failure actually delivers insight, growth, and resilience. At Disney, the culture embraces failure so deeply that a part of the company even coined the term fail forward. They recognize that the biggest ideas may not always lead somewhere, but they often spark excitement and open minds, from the C-suite to cross-functional teams. That’s why they celebrate effort, not just outcomes, making people's fulfillment grow, and in turn, helping creativity and business do the same. So the question becomes, are companies using failure as a force of fear, or as a force of confidence? Why this matters With luxury’s value shifting from possessions to feelings, the industry is being called to do more than create desire — it is called to regenerate, through meaning, connection, and relevance. But that regeneration cannot begin at the surface. It has to start within the company, and within teams The fear permeating today’s business environment has created a creativity deficit precisely when innovation is most critical. Restoring confidence requires systematic change — building organizational structures that support bold thinking, calculated risk-taking, and learning from failure. For luxury brands, this translates into developing business models that prioritize long-term creative investment over short-term safety. Companies that successfully navigate this shift will create value propositions rooted in cultural relevance and authentic innovation. The luxury industry stands at an inflection point where those willing to embrace creative confidence will define the sector’s future direction.

How to build fear-free creative teams

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Published July 04, 2025

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How to build fear-free creative teams