My managerial job is an artistic project
Marie-Louise Ekman
Marie-Louise Ekman is a Swedish multi-artist that seemingly can do anything from scenography, to paintings and literature. She has also been one of the most loved CEOs of not one but two Swedish institutes: The Royal Art Academy and The Royal Dramatic Theater.
Credit: Svenska Dagbladet
She spends hours and hours in her leadership, to understand the environment she is in, the students/audience and her team. Then she will bring what is needed. Could be pink chairs, a more outside-in view on the programs, an eye-for-an-eye resolution on a too long conflict. And through it all she remains an artist herself.
A courageous leadership. Bold, confident. Full of uncertainties and maybes but still secure.
During the Georgia&Molly live session “Strategy is Dead”, while we were discussing letting go of strategies and stop showing with a whole hand, one wise man said it would require quite a confident leader to be able to do so. A leader who is fine with not having a sense of control, not knowing all the answers, showing her throat. A leader who continuously lets others shine.
Some people might confuse this with a passive leadership, with someone who is up in the blue and avoids conflicts. I don’t think so. Quite contrary, I think this type of leadership requires a deep understanding of others and oneself, an ability to plan and replan, to setup structures and processes when needed, to shape the environment. Perhaps even be an inspiration.
Someone who can bring the pink chairs to the meeting room, because that was what was missing. Of course actors at the Royal Dramatic Theater can’t have meetings with their CEO in a regular office room. That is self-explanatory. Still it took courage to make the change.
Perhaps we all should see our management roles as part of an artistic project.