In Sophocles’ Antigone,Antigone defies her uncle Creon’s decree to leave her brother unburied; her brother had fought against his homeland and this was his punishment.  Even though her sister, Ismene, implores Antigone not to go against Creon’s edict, Antigone follows a higher law, a law she believes is best for her brother, and buries him.  

I’m reminded of a quote from my father, Warren Bennis, who wrote on leadership: “Managers do things right. Leaders do the right thing.”  So, Antigone’s sister, Ismene, is like a manager, following fickle orders born of personal vendetta and anger, while Antigone, a leader, does the right thing, the most generous thing. Her actions are for her brother, risking safety to herself. She is generative and generous.

I think of this story when I think of being generative as artists and communicators…Read on.