08 Oct Five Leadership Skills Gleaned from a Middle-School Dance Concert
Last night, I attended a dance concert (when did they stop being called recitals?) at a performing arts middle school. I am an objective party to my observations, as I was attending as a guest only.
Here are my five takeaways from the experience that are useful leadership reminders for our work life:
1. Yes, Virginia, there really is a Star Clause. It must be written somewhere that every parent should believe his or her child is the star of the show. I admit that while at times I admired my children’s classmates’ ability, I was fixated on my child during the performance, ballgame or speech. At your job, you can take this approach with your team, as it will do wonders for their confidence and cohesiveness. Let them know you have their back and support them completely. Just make sure you don’t zone in on just one person to the detriment of others. Remember that most performances aren’t solos.
2. Susan could do a fantastic pirouette; Lexi, not so much. While Susan was in the front row pirouetting away, Lexi’s strength (literally) was supporting another dancer by lifting her up. The young lady I was there for has grown tremendously in her dance skill over the last three years. Her first year, she was a bit awkward, hesitant and didn’t smile. It borderline looked painful for her. By year three, she was a star. Why? She focused on improvement by practicing and listening to her teacher’s constructive critiques. She also learned by watching her fellow dancers. People have different abilities, so play to their strengths, but also encourage building upon their weaknesses for growth. The greatest compliment you can receive from one of your employees is how much he or she has grown from your leadership.
3. Don’t let the Kardashian mindset reign over real talent. I was a bit amazed and disappointed when a particular routine of amazing skill didn’t receive the same response or adoration as the group who “got down” to a popular song and shook, rattled and rolled. Why is it that in 2015, an audience is more appreciative of cheap showmanship over incredible talent? This takeaway is a double-edged sword. I will take a strong positive attitude any day over skill, but make sure you don’t exploit that attitude and forgo showcasing one’s ability to do great things. Lead by example–demonstrate your enthusiasm and your desire to utilize talent.
4. We cannot blame social media for everything. The costumes were more risqué, the dances more scintillating and the songs more absurd. In each instance, social media wasn’t the cause of these decisions. Their role models were. Make sure the decisions you make take into account the lasting impression and impact on your team and your customer. While social media does influence a customer’s purchase or loyalty, the personal experience of the brand remains supreme.
5. An exit strategy is just as important. When we entered the school parking lot, there were off-duty police officers directing the traffic of several hundred cars. Afterward, there was no traffic control to be found, resulting in a totally dysfunctional exit. The result was at least triple the amount of time to leave the parking lot and all of us unsure of what direction to go next. Make sure that your strategic plan includes initiatives for the next steps after an event or circumstance. You will be way ahead of the game by doing so, and you demonstrate to your team that you are leading them in the right direction.