Leadership as Performance Art
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Harry L. Davis([email protected])
Roger L. and Rachel M. Goetz Distinguished Service Professor of Creative ManagementGraduate School of Business
University of Chicago
IT Leadership Conference 2008
Why a Performing Arts Metaphor?
1. Universality“All the world’s a stage…”
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Why a Performing Arts Metaphor?
1. Universality“All the world’s a stage…”
2. AgilityLeaders appear in many “plays” at the same time, and playmany different roles throughout their careers.
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Why a Performing Arts Metaphor?
1. Universality“All the world’s a stage…”
2. AgilityLeaders appear in many “plays” at the same time, and playmany different roles throughout their careers.
3. Practical The complex role of a leader can be decomposed into manageable pieces and practiced.
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Why a Performing Arts Metaphor?
1. Universality“All the world’s a stage…”
2. AgilityLeaders appear in many “plays” at the same time, and playmany different roles throughout their careers.
3. Practical The complex role of a leader can be decomposed into manageable pieces and practiced.
4. ImpactOne’s power and influence derives from the performance ofone’s role.
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Clearing up Two Misconceptions
1. Acting is the opposite of beingfake—pretending to be someone thatyou are not. Acting is a journey towardauthenticity.
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Clearing up Two Misconceptions
1. Acting is the opposite of beingfake—pretending to be someone thatyou are not. Acting is a journey towardauthenticity.
Process acting, as opposed to productacting, means that every performance isin some ways unique and deeplyresponsive to the context. Spontaneityis key.
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Guiding Perspectives
People, similar to actors, have manypossible selves
No one self is any more real than anyother
High performance in any role requiresbringing the appropriate self to specificperformance occasions
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Personal Qualities as “Characters”
How someone plays any role can be understoodby the set of personal qualities that they chooseto display to others
Perspectives Talents Values Behaviors Skills
These qualities can be captured by the idea of“characters” on stage
Viewing qualities as “characters” providesobjectivity and avoids stereotyping
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Illustrative Characters
The Adventurous One The Focused One The Playful OneThe Analytic One The Generalist The PoliticianThe Anthropologist The Idealist The Problem SolverThe Artist The Impatient One Quick StartThe Collaborator The Introvert The RebelThe Controller The Intuitive One The Relentless OneThe Curious One The Judge The SalesmanThe Cynic The Loner The SkepticThe Detective The Mad Scientist The SpecialistThe Dreamer The Optimist The StorytellerThe Energizer The Passionate One The TinkererThe Experimenter The Patient One The TricksterThe Expert The Perfectionist The VisionaryThe Extrovert The Planner The Workaholic
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An Aerial View of a Theater Stage
Upstage
Downstage
Audience
ProsceniumArch
Wings
Stage Door
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Five Possible Locations for Characters
1. Center Stage
2. Peripheral
3. Marginal
4. Back Stage
5. Stage Door
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The Stage Page**©The Stage Page Tool, Barbara Lanebrown, 2007
Center-Stage CharactersPersonal qualities that I am very
comfortable showing to this audience
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The Stage Page**©The Stage Page Tool, Barbara Lanebrown, 2007
Peripheral CharactersPersonal qualities that I am less
comfortable showing to this audience
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The Stage Page**©The Stage Page Tool, Barbara Lanebrown, 2007
Marginal CharactersPersonal qualities visible tothis audience but not to me
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The Stage Page**©The Stage Page Tool, Barbara Lanebrown, 2007
Back-StageCharacters
Personal qualitiesthat I hide fromthis audience
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The Stage Page**©The Stage Page Tool, Barbara Lanebrown, 2007
Stage-DoorCharacters
Personal qualitiesunknown to meand to others
??
??
Stage Page 1: A Picture of the Present____________________ as _________________
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Upstage
Downstage
Why do I now set my stage in this way?
Key: Center Stage Peripheral Marginal Back Stage
(How I currently set my stage in relating to an audience that is important to me )
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Implications for Leaders
1. The way in which someone relates to the outsideworld and to themselves is greatly influenced by theposition of characters on stage
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Implications for Leaders
1. The way in which someone relates to the outsideworld and to themselves is greatly influenced by theposition of characters on stage
2. Characters are not inherently “good” or “bad”
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Implications for Leaders
1. The way in which someone relates to the outsideworld and to themselves is greatly influenced by theposition of characters on stage
2. Characters are not inherently “good” or “bad”
3. A necessary prerequisite for effective leadership:♦ Access to a large and diverse inventory of characters
♦ Flexibility in bringing the right characters center stage given thetask and the audience
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Implications for Leaders
1. The way in which someone relates to the outsideworld and to themselves is greatly influenced by theposition of characters on stage
2. Characters are not inherently “good” or “bad”
3. A necessary prerequisite for effective leadership:♦ Access to a large and diverse inventory of characters
♦ Flexibility in bringing the right characters center stage given thetask and the audience
4. Leadership skills improve through repeated practiceand performance opportunities
Defining Transition
“Transition is the process of letting go of theway things used to be and then taking hold ofthe way they subsequently become. Inbetween the letting go and the taking holdagain, there is a chaotic but potentiallycreative ‘neutral zone’ when things aren't theold way, but aren't really a new way yeteither.”
William Bridges, The Way of Transition, 2001
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Becoming an EX*
“Disengagement from old roles is a complex
process that involves shifts in reference
groups, friendship networks, relationships
with former group members and, most
important, shifts in a person’s own sense of
self-identity.” [italics added]
Helen Rose Fuchs Ebaugh, Becoming an EX: The Process of Role Exit, Chicago, 1988
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Changing from an “Old” to a “New” Identity** Adapted from: Gilmore, Shea and Useem, “Side Effects of Cultural Transformations”
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Time
Legi
timac
y
High
Low
Loss of the “old”identity
Zone of Reduced Competence(“I’m trying to master new skills yet I’m fearful of
acknowledging my lack of these skills.”)
Emergence of the “new” identity
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Introducing IU’sDennis Cromwell
Stage Page IDennis as Technical Manager (1994-1998)
What characters were center stage; what characters were peripheral; what charactersmight have been marginal; what characters were either back stage or stage door?
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Upstage
Downstage
Key: Center Stage Peripheral Marginal Back Stage Stage Door
?
?
?
?
The Expert The Controller
The Problem Solver
The Planner
The Workaholic
The PoliticianThe Analytic One
The Tinkerer
The Experimenter
The Salesman
The Perfectionist
The VisionaryThe Intuitive One
Stage Page IIDennis as Director (1998-2006)
What characters were center stage; what characters were peripheral; what charactersmight have been marginal; what characters were either back stage or stage door?
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Upstage
Downstage
Key: Center Stage Peripheral Marginal Back Stage Stage Door
?
?
?
?
The Collaborator The Problem Solver
The Analytic OneThe planner
The GeneralistThe Passionate One
The Optimist
The Politician
The Salesman
The ExpertThe Workaholic
The Controller
The Visionary
The Intuitive OneThe Tinkerer
Stage Page IIIDennis as AVP (2006 – Present)
What characters are now center stage; what characters are now peripheral; what characters, if any, remain marginal or back stage?
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Upstage
Downstage
Key: Center Stage Peripheral Marginal Back Stage Stage Door
?
?
??
The Generalist
The Salesman The Collaborator
The Visionary
The Analytic OneThe Impatient One
The Planner The Playful OneThe Experimenter
The WorkaholicThe Passionate One
The Intuitive One
The Politician
The Controller
The Anthropologist
The Storyteller
The Detective
Stage Page 2: A Picture of the Future____________________ as _________________
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Upstage
Downstage
Why do I want to set my stage in this way?
Key:Center StagePeripheralBack Stage
(How I would like to set my stage in relating to this important audience )
Getting Started
• Make a commitment to practice and obtainfeedback:
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Getting Started
• Make a commitment to practice and obtainfeedback:– Work on one new character at a time
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT_CHj78jUE
Getting Started
• Make a commitment to practice and obtainfeedback:– Work on one new character at a time
– Ask others for feedback using the stage pagetool
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Getting Started
• Make a commitment to practice and obtainfeedback:– Work on one new character at a time
– Ask others for feedback using the stage pagetool
– Write things down
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Some Readings
• Books:– William Ball, Relation to Actors, 1984– Uta Hagen, The Challenge for the Actor, 1991– Paul Woodruff, The Necessity of Theater, 2008
• Articles:– Frank Barrett, “Creativity and Improvisation in Jazz and
Organizations,” Organization Science, Vol. 9 Issue 5, 1998– Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries, “The Dangers of Feeling Like a Fake,”
Harvard Business Review, September 2005– Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones, “Managing Authenticity,” Harvard
Business Review, December 2005
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