Qualifications for leadership

Posted on December 15, 2008

I was told by one of my family members once that leadership is a trait that some people have and most lack. It’s not a skill that can be learned. Gee, I don’t know about that. I think one of the best traits of a good leader is the ability to learn to be a better leader, if not the ability then an obvious, public desire. Therefore, leadership may be a skill that can be acquired and learned through study and practice. The best ones owe their success to their ability to learn: that is, learning from mistakes, both theirs and others’. But, my favorite bosses were the ones who realized that their subordinates are not subjects from a fiefdom, not their property. They, as manager, existed to service the workers with the resources necessary to succeed the task at hand. To the workers go the glory and credit, thus, to the leader go the workers’ loyalty.

What do I try to keep in mind when I’m in charge?
I do not to ask of my people anything I would not do. I’m not going to stay cool or warm, dry, and comfy while I demand that they roll around in fiberglass in a blizzard/sandstorm/stampede.
I also try to know of every job and task they perform for the project. That means I’ve done my share of set construction, sewing costumes, hanging lights, audio monitoring, live switching, engineering, soldering, acting, dancing, singing, fighting, teleprompting, script notation, gripping, camera assist, loading, driving, dolly, jib, steady-cam, editing, graphics, floor management, animation, producing and directing. I’ve done just enough to appreciate how hard they work at these jobs for me.
I will not allow fool’s errands. I won’t waste any one’s time.
I will not permit injuries. No one need be sacrificed for my project.
Most importantly: Everyone gets credit and accolades. Because, very little of the mission was actually performed by me.

So, what are the basic qualifications to be a director?
You have to have some direct experience or significant knowledge of a few basic areas: acting, blocking, camera, light, editing, audience, distribution, management, story structure, elements of style, etc.
(No offense to the sound department. I left them off that list. It exposes my ignorance, bias and prejudice.)

 
It seems like a long list. But, I’ve worked with so many directors who had so little basic understanding of the industry.

 
My favorite is a cute, little, wrinkly, sprite who had acquired the position through social networking: she dated her way up the ladder (to put it politley.) She could not operate the equipment, didn’t know the difference between a jump cut and a cutaway, thought that alpha channel was a Canadian comic book, and absolutely knew she deserved to be in charge. I injured my back, knees, and feet working on her shoots. She forced me to ride in the back of a cargo van for three days on a shoot that took us through ten cities (you can imagine what kind of driver she was.) I watched in horror as good people were laid-off while she enjoyed political protection.

 
So, you know how resentful I am of people who are clueless of their own ignorance, ignorant of their stupidity, and stupid just because it’s in fashion.

 
That’s why I respect people who are strong enough to learn the necessities, wise to practice the requisites, and brave enough to defer to an expert.  They don’t demand respect, they command it. That’s why people are loyal to them. That’s why the team’s they assemble can build the best products and deliver services. That’s why their customers are as fiercely loyal as their employees.

COPYRIGHT © 2007 RichardMassey.tv • Powered by Wordpress and 555 Theme by eMarc • Original Source By Brian Gardner.