No one steps into leadership because they want to be relegated to the background. Most people who seek, or are comfortable with leadership enjoy being out in front and in the spotlight. But, it is not always an effective leadership quality. The Colonel said to me, “Sometimes you have to give up the spotlight, kiddo. Ya know, the orchestra conductor has to turn his back on the audience to effectively lead the musicians.”
This was a hard leadership lesson for me to internalize. For as long as I can remember, I have been a “front and center stage, spotlight please…” kind of person.
In the theater, the “leader” is the show’s director. It is their job to select the cast, those actors they believe will be perfect in the roles they have selected. They provide the vision for the overall look of a production. They determine the actors’ movements and guide how the emotions of each scene should flow. The director watches as the cast builds on their vision and offers notes at the end of each rehearsal on how the show can be improved. Once that’s done, the director steps back and allows the cast to shine. You don’t see the director on stage during the performance, and you rarely, if ever, see the director take a curtain call.
While we may think a leader should always be out in front leading the way, more often than not, it’s the leader’s job to step aside and allow the team to shine while offering support and guidance from the wings.
Read Lauren’s Whitepaper on The Nine Essentials of Significant Leadership.