Leading Like a Director: Theater Skills for Leadership

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What script are you telling as a leader? Drawing from years of theater experience—from acting to directing community productions—Holly Curby reveals how leadership resembles directing a play in this illuminating episode. Just as directors set the stage, communicate vision, and develop their cast, great leaders create environments where team members understand their roles and feel empowered to excel.

Discover how to "set the stage" properly in your leadership context. Are new team members greeted warmly? Is your physical space welcoming and intuitive? Do family members have what they need when they arrive home? These seemingly small details create powerful first impressions that either invite engagement or prompt retreat. As Holly explains through vivid examples from both business and family settings, intentional stage-setting allows you to craft the experiences you want others to have.

Beyond creating environments, leadership requires providing the right "props"—tools and resources that enable success—and developing your team through clarity, empowerment, and courageous conversations. Through personal stories (including a lead actor abandoning a production three days before opening!), Holly demonstrates that leadership isn't about avoiding mistakes but learning from them. Perhaps most powerfully, she introduces her concept of "experiencing the experience"—intentionally observing how others interact with your systems to continuously improve them. Remember: every person in your sphere has a story you don't know, and your leadership script has the power to enhance that story. Subscribe now and learn how to craft a leadership narrative worth following!

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Visit www.hollycurby.com for more information and to sign up for the monthly Holly's Happenings e-newsletter. Holly's Highlights podcast and the opinions and ideas shared within it are for entertainment purposes only. The advice should be confirmed with a qualified professional.