Leading From the Balcony of The Green Cockatoo

The character of Prospére remains onstage throughout the The Green Cockatoo, running the bar while Paris burns. This production taught me that I can be the good captain, empowering the crew to thrive during difficult times, without needing to be Prospére. One of the goals for my work during this process was establishing and embracing my formal authority by setting firm boundaries. Unexpectedly, the occurrence of physical hardship required me to observe the production from the balcony, while trusting and delegating to the team. I learned to lead adaptively, relying upon connections with my collaborators. We empowered each other to make decisions based upon trust in each other’s abilities. When I began graduate school, I considered myself a problem solver, and was proud of my diverse skillset and quick thinking. However, that approach led to a pattern of taking on too much responsibility. I was only able to successfully move to the balcony and look at the bigger picture once I detached my identity as a fixer from my role as a stage manager. During this journey, I have worked towards embracing the theory of good-enough leadership and empowering the stage management team as a whole. My management style has evolved from being a fixer to an explorer, responding adaptively to challenges without fear of failure. In The Green Cockatoo, Prospére ran the bar and the acting company by herself until the bitter end. Unlike her, I have learned to adapt and delegate.