How Leading a Successful Team is Just Like Directing a Successful Show
- Jun 14, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 11, 2024
Written by: Tricia Brouk, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
I have navigated actors, dancers, singers, writers, and producers along with all of their egos, opinions, and self-doubt for more than three decades.
When I’m in the room, it’s my job to create a safe space for people to be seen, heard and held, so that they feel safe enough to check their egos, confident enough to share their opinions, and comfortable enough to let go of their self-doubt. And it’s no different when you are leading your team.
First, start with making it clear to everyone that you are in charge and know what you are doing. This does not mean announcing that you are in charge. Quite the opposite. It means showing them.
Show up early and set up the room. Whether it’s putting the chairs, scripts, water, pens, and pads around the table with names on each script, or it’s making sure you are first in the room for a weekly team meeting focused and ready to lead, you are displaying that you are serious, in charge and taking care of business, even before the business begins. Model this behavior to create the kind of team or cast you desire, and they will become that team for your company. Learn everyone’s name and call them by it. People want to feel seen, and this simple yet often overlooked gesture creates the safe space you want to lead in.
When they feel led and someone in charge who’s got their back and who’s got the company and the show’s success clearly planned out, they will be able to release the fear that comes with being on any team. They will stop worrying whether this director knows what they are doing and start digging into the material and become the actor they are meant to be. And leading this way will teach your team how to lead each other and themselves, and this is the kind of company culture we all desire. Leadership, trust, and community leads to greatness.
Next, be sure to share the common vision of the show or the company. That can start with values and purpose, moving into the mission. It can also be the creative vision of why you believe in the show, each actor and how they contribute to the success of this collective “show,” and how you are going to get us there. When you get your team excited about the “why” of the company and reminded them often, by literally sharing this vision, the day-to-day fades away because each and every contribution the team makes to the company fuels the “why.” It fuels the vision, and collectively this is empowering and exciting. When actors are tired because you are doing ten out of twelves (extended technical rehearsal on Broadway, where the cast and crew literally work ten out of twelve hours a day), it’s your job to be as energetic and present at the end of the night as you were at the beginning of the day. Your “why” is the show's success, and that is the common denominator that you must model as a great director and leader.
And finally, keep your word, be generous with kindness and tell the team when they’ve done a good job. So many times, we as leaders or directors are self-absorbed in our work, in our process, in our “to-do list,” and we forget that we are dealing with human beings, artists, and talented contributors to our company. The work can quickly and easily become transactional, and that is dangerous. If you say you are going to be at a meeting, show up. Being able to count on you as the team leader and director of the show builds confidence. If you say
you are going to put an actor in the lead role, do it, because she needs to trust that you mean what you say and that you are in integrity with your word. Be sure to make daily efforts to thank your team. Thank yous are free, you can generously give them away, and they never run out! When your team does a good job, be sure they hear it from you. When your ensemble supported the principal role beautifully, make sure they hear it from you. We all want to be complimented and valued, and these kinds of actions will keep your team morale up and increase the retention rates of your team members. I have heard my actors say more than once, “When you call, I know I’m going to say yes before I even know what the project is.” I take pride in knowing that I’ve been able to create this kind of culture. And I know you can too.
Tricia Brouk, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Tricia Brouk is an internationally award-winning director. She has worked in theater, film, and television for three decades. Tricia founded The Big Talk Academy, where she certifies speakers in the art of public speaking. She was the executive producer of Speakers Who Dare and TEDxLincolnSquare, and now The Big Talk Live. She is currently being featured in a new documentary called Big Stages, which highlights the transformation of her speakers. Tricia’s commitment and devotion to inclusion are a priority as all of her shows, events, and communities are diverse. She curates and hosts the Speaker Salon in NYC, The Big Talk, an award-winning podcast on iTunes and YouTube. The Influential Voice: Saying What You Mean for Lasting Legacy was a 1 New Release on Amazon in December 2020. She was awarded Top Director of 2019 by the International Association of Top Professionals and Top Ten Speaker Coaches in Yahoo Finance in 2021. Her documentaries have received critical acclaim—winning Best Documentary Short at The Olympus Film Festival and Los Angeles Movie Awards. Tricia has spoken at Forbes, Pride Global, New York Public Library, I Heart My Life Live and The National Organization for Rare Disorders.
