Leadership Lessons from a Circus Director

Many people have told me I'll never understand what it feels like to see my heart outside of my own body unless I have children. To them, I say, "You've never been a circus director!"

Last night, we completed filming for "Ingrid," and I hit a point of complete satisfaction paired with a whopping dose of exhaustion. So, today has been a "rest and reflect" kind of day.

Of all the leadership roles I've had, directing and producing in circus in many ways has been the most challenging. I still have a lot of lessons to learn (especially before October), but I wanted to pause for a moment and share some of the key takeaways so far.

1. Dream bigger.

Through circus, I've learned to dream first without any limitations. (What do you mean we're humans? And what laws of physics?) Then, without making my ideas any smaller, I've come to own and articulate my vision, so I can attract the right talent.

As a leader, I used to feel apologetic for having a bold vision. It seemed like an inconvenience. However, I've discovered that there are people out there who've trained for years and years to step up to really big challenges. Often, the best way to find these gems is to put your really big dream out there first. 

So, always remember: talent acquisition is a bit of an energetic matching game. If you want to create something unprecedented/ethereal/audacious, you simply can't afford to hold yourself back.

2. You don't have to be a ________ to direct one.

Ahhh, this was a lesson I wish I had known at the start of my career! My first management position was leading a team of highly skilled rehabilitation neuropsychologists, and I felt woefully ill-equipped. As an MSW/MBA, I often wondered how I could possibly give them helpful feedback or guide them towards clinical performance improvements. My mid-twenties insecurities followed me around everywhere like a sad little shadow. 

Now, as a circus director, I've come to appreciate that I couldn't possibly have mastery over every apparatus in my show. Yet, I absolutely can lead my cast in telling the story. This can look a number of different ways:

• Setting high-level expectations of what needs to be done while keeping out of the details

• Hiring brilliant people and simply getting out of their way

• Finding other performers with specific technical expertise to provide feedback and input 

• Asking a lot of questions, so I can learn as I direct 

Before you second-guess your leadership abilities, think critically about the relationship you have with your team:

What might "leadership" need to look like in this context? What value can you add based on your own unique background?

3. Build your inner circle around your weaknesses.

As a "big energy" human, I've spent much of my career gravitating towards other blatantly bold and assertive people. However, as I built the team for "Ingrid," I realized my old approach wasn't going to work here. I was trying to tell a trauma story during a global pandemic (and later war... and flood... and economic downturn). What I most needed to lead this team was actually a softer power: someone who'd naturally be dialed into our team's emotions. I fortunately found this in my incredible co-director/producer, who I firmly believe is the reason this show has bounced back so many times. 

So, bring in difference, especially at the leadership level. Lean on your support and allow yourself to grow from their abilities.