I love being a boss, but some things about the role are challenging. For one, I do not like hierarchy or authority much. I love hiring great people, sharing my vision, giving them what they need (within reason) to execute the vision, and letting them go do it. I check in along the way to make sure things are progressing and deadlines will be hit.
Creative People, Deadlines and Money
I've worked with a lot of creative people. I've hit and missed my own deadlines. I know how to manage creative people lightly and consistently to keep things moving. I believe in paying fairly and quickly. I rarely, if ever, ask people to work for free. I think that is disrespectful. I'll pay people out of my own line item before I'll ask someone to work for free. Same goes with paying people in a timely manner. I always pay as fast as my cash flow allows. I know the financial stress of freelance/inconsistent work and if I can help reduce that emotional anxiety for my people, I do it.
Leadership in Motion
I've had the chance to put my leadership style to practice in my current project. To be the leader/boss I want to be. From the initial stages of concepting the project in December of 2015, to months of work with my co-researcher, to these final stages where I have hired something like 20 people for my film production activities, the buck stops on my desk. I do it, hire someone to do it, or it doesn't get done. Like many bosses, I am doing too many roles.
Collaboration
I already know how I would solve the problem, or execute the thing; but I don't know how you would. So I listen to your suggestions. Because you probably have some awesome ideas I would have never thought up. As bosslady, it's my name on the line with the client. If anyone I hire fucks up, I take the "blame." Equally, if you do a great job and really bring it, it's all you. I've enabled you to do your best work, and I'll make sure you get the credit.
It can be hard to let you do your job. I have to trust you. I have to make sure you have what you need to give me what I want. I have to surrender control. I have to trust that your contribution to what we are making will be a net positive. I have to be confident that your ideas will clarify and further communicate my/the vision. It sounds easy, but it's hard. I'm being vulnerable with people I sometimes barely know. I have to trust them to not take advantage of my vulnerability, the vulnerability of my vision, the co-creating of this thing that I could not create without you. And sometimes they push the boundaries.
It's damn nerve-wracking.
In Service To
Ages ago, I read about the level 5 leader. A leader that had unbending will and humility. I've tried to be this kind of leader. I know the success of the project is based on the team. Above all, I try to take care of that team. I am in service to every single person I hire. This might seem backwards. It might seem like everyone I hire should be in service to me, but that's not the way I see it. To lead, is to serve.
Appreciating
Years ago, I learned about the method, Appreciative Inquiry. My initial thought was not positive, and to challenge that, I used the method for an exercise. The results were more than I could have dreamed of. I wrote a paper, How to Solve the World's Problems, that won an award from the Association of Professional Futurists. I realized the power of appreciating.
I generally do not give critical or negative feedback. Instead, I focus on what was good, what worked, what made me happy. I minimize what didn't work or wasn't good, and instead put my words on the positive. I go out of my way to appreciate and give positive feedback to everyone. It makes people feel good and they respond by continuing to do good work.
My appreciation is sincere. When you'll looking to appreciate the positive, it is all around you.
A Vulnerable Director
They say step outside your comfort zone, right? In my most recent shoot, I did this. It was the first time I have been a "director" for a narrative, and only the second time I "directed" (the documentary I shot last year being the first). I probably shouldn't admit how vulnerable I felt.
To prepare for directing, I read articles and stories about the skills of a good director. But I'm not an expert on telling stories with camera angles. Or with lighting. Or movement. Or blocking. This was the first time I worked with actors directly. But I've succeeded at much harder things. I thought back to two director stories.
Fellini
I remember watching a "making of" Satyricon - one of my favorite films. There's footage of Fellini directing the actors in one scene. He's right there, in their face, next to the camera lens, telling them to look at each other, kiss one, look at the other, breath, etc. I was so surprised when I saw this, I was like, that?! is what a director does? Since I have a lot of experimental UI in my films and I don't use a lot of dialog, I used this method.
Robert Rodriguez
The other story is about Robert Rodriguez. Someone described working with him as: every morning he would come in, the crew asked him what he wanted, he stopped, went into a little room and made some drawings, and then came out and told the crew what to do.
From this story, I took that it is ok to figure out things as you do them. If Robert Rodriguez doesn't have a shot list, is it so bad that I don't either? (FYI, I did have a basic shot list.) I mean, I'm not trying to make an award winning short here. If I can communicate the future in this piece, my work is done. (IMHO, It's infinitely harder to communicate a plausible future based on reality than make an award winning film.)
A fine line
I think there is a fine line between giving the actors direction, and letting them bring it/embody the character. I am comfortable letting things go... I am curious to see what emerges - and I don't always need to control it. I get fascinated watching what unfolds. In fact, I want to minimally control the situation. Just enough to make sure we get what we need, and as little as possible to allow for magic to emerge. We're creating the future here! We're embodying an idea. Making it real.
Finally, I felt ok taking on the director role because a friend used to say, cynically, "There are only two entry level positions on set: PA and Director." I'd like to think I'm a bit better than a first time director. I did my homework, planning, hired great people, gave them resources, and was there for them, but of course, I can improve. Those things are probably glaringly obvious to everyone but me. There's something to be said though, for going outside my comfort zone.
Lonely at the Top
But it's lonely. Unlike the people I hire and give positive feedback too, there's no one who does that for me. Who tells me what I did right or appreciates what I've done. It's lonely at the top.
But, I expect, that comes with the territory.