afordrunning

Ever been to a elementary school play? Went to one a couple of weeks ago and it had many parallels to some work environments I have been in. First of all, it had my kid in it – so some parts were decent (actually was a little girl who could sing her ass off), but for the most part it sucked eggs! Here’s why: bad lighting, no discernible plot line (I know there was one, it just wasn’t discernible), crappy acoustics, poor performance, too long, and everyone got to say something. Even the janitor had a line I think.

This is why most presentations I have seen over the last few years fail. Too long, unclear direction, bad timing and performance – and we make the mistake of having everyone talk.

If they COULD have (I know why they didn’t) let that little girl sing three numbers and most of the other children be rocks or back-up it would have been killer. I think everyone would have left better KNOWING what they saw, who rocked their socks off, and where their kid stood in their chances to potentially win a Tony one day.

Just like that play we should be prepared to play the non-speaking role sometimes in our own work – and maybe suggest when other children (coworkers) should be the rocks….hmmm now that I think about it – sometimes you are the rock sometimes the rock-star.