Showtime of dancing to the same tune

Last week my eleven year old son, together with 79 children ages 9 to19 performed in a Broadway-type extravaganza. It was the climax of an intensive month long program; six hours of practice a day, a faculty of eight instructors, 33 song and dance numbers, 44 lines of dialogue, a total of 900 costumes. It culminated in three highly professional and entertaining performances.

What’s the secret to success of a program like this? In part it’s good old fashioned organization. There was a very well thought out master plan and everything was geared toward achieving that plan.

But to achieve a well thought out plan the players need to be committed and working toward the same goal. That’s where business plans often fail. The senior executives develop wonderful strategies that employees can’t see the rationale for, can’t figure out what it means for them personally and as a result don’t bother to make them happen.

This plan succeeded because every child understood and joyfully supported the end goal. The children may not have been aware of the details of the master plan, but they embraced the destination and their individual roles in achieving the plan. Each child completely understood that he or she was absolutely vital to the final act and by extension the journey.

Just imagine if all your employees felt the same way? Perhaps business has something to learn from the arts.