Growing as a leader – my leadership journey with Pro-Development

This is me on the left!  A new job, new commute, new colleagues, new industry, new acronyms. It feels like there is the potential for a lot of growth in my life at the moment.   I joined Pro-Development this month from the world of theatre; as an actor, stage manager and, most recently, production manager with a touring theatre company. This is a world where community and teamwork are the glue that hold any project together.  Just like in any business.

Working towards an opening night, there are clear roles and responsibilities for each person and trust is key. When the producer can trust the writer and director, who can trust the designers and composer and builders and painters and makers and technicians and actors – so when the team ‘works’ – you know you are on a project that will deliver.  Isn’t that just like in business?

That said, the deadline of an opening night can raise the stress levels of even the most mellow of individuals and bring out aspects of people’s characters that they would rather keep hidden.

The leadership of the director in the rehearsal room sets the tone for the whole production. Can you, as an actor, trust them? You are relying on them to draw out of you a performance that might be raw with emotion or drawing on difficult, personal memories, or physically demanding. Do you spend the whole rehearsal process worrying you are going to look like a fool in front of the audience or has the director understood the pressures on each of the actors and been able to get alongside each to draw out the performance the production needs?

The production manager employs a more obvious leadership style ‘from the front’. Will the set build be completed on time on budget? Does the painter understand the hours they can get on set to work? Are the technicians ready with the special effects that are needed? In the final period before the show opens the production manager will run the technical rehearsal that brings all of the elements of the production together. They must consider the safety of everyone on and backstage, the work has to be completed but gone are the days when you can expect a crew to work 20 hour days. Careful planning, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your crew and really understanding all that needs to be achieved are all part of the leadership journey for the production manager.

In the context of backstage on opening night it’s the calm, professional leadership of the stage manager that has the greatest influence on the company. They know exactly who needs to be where, they have learned the quirks and foibles of their actors and by their actions they can reassure everyone that they are in safe hands. All you as an actor should need to worry about is your character, everything else will happen around you thanks to the stage manager.

All these styles of leadership are different and the skill to be able to adapt to the situation is key to leadership and employee engagement.  Just like in business too!

As I embark on a career that, in part, aims to build up and encourage leaders, I trust my experience in the world of theatre will give me some fresh insights and styles that I will be able to bring to the Pro-Development table. Or it might at least distract people for a moment as I try and decipher the new library of acronyms this industry has to offer!

I’m also lucky enough to be taking part in Pro-Development’s next 7-month leadership programme starting in September where I will get the opportunity to experience what I know is one of their flagship programmes.  There are still places available and I hope some of you might be joining me on this epic journey.  If you are in York, North Yorkshire and the East Riding, you may also qualify for 40% funding towards the investment.

Contact us on 01904 628838 or info@1245881.eu11.myftpupload.com to find out more.