Me: Rupert, & I’m a coach.
Comedian: (A glint forming in his eye at the two gifts he’s just been handed)
What kind of people do you coach?
Me: Often people who are struggling at work.
Comedian: Like me, up here, right now – you @#%!
…& so went my evening.
What struck me most afterwards was the irony.
I’d been sitting there admiring the sheer courage it must take to stand on stage in front of a room full of people & try to give them what they need – in this case, a good laugh, but then it dawned on me: that’s what leaders do every day.
When you choose to wear the ‘leader’ badge, you automatically send signals that you’re competent, confident, & perhaps even a little better at something than the people sitting in front of you. On some days that’s true. On others… it’s largely beyond your control.
Much like a stand-up, leaders must:
- Establish rapport quickly
- Build credibility with a new audience
- Tell compelling stories
- Balance depth with levity
- Challenge the room – but not too hard
- Deliver the message clearly, in the right order, & on time
…& then there are the hecklers…
In the workplace we tend to call them cynics. They circle, they wait, & they look for their moment. When it comes, you’d better be ready.
So why would anyone willingly choose to do stand-up? Well probably for the same reason people step into leadership.
Because when it works – when you find your flow, the room engages, & the feedback tells you they get it…they get you – it makes every uncomfortable moment worthwhile.
So, if you feel ready to move from playing to small audiences in dingy rooms to performing on the bigger business stage, but you’re not quite sure how to get there, let’s talk. I’ve spent thousands of hours getting leadership both right & wrong. Some of those lessons might just make the difference for you.
After all, as someone once said, “It’s better to die on your feet than live on your knees.”
