This weekend my family and I went to the circus; not a big-time three-ring extravaganza but a traveling circus that hits the road traveling around regional and rural Australia. Despite the low attendance and some silly acts (no lions but they have cows and camels), it was magical – just like the circus should be. As I held my son on my lap so he could see over the people in front of us, and listened to his incessant giggles, I took it all in and enjoyed being present.
As we walked back to the car and discussed our favorite acts, I realized how many leadership lessons there are to learn from a well-run circus and their many talented performers.
What Can Leaders Learn from the Circus?
Here are five leadership lessons that apply to all leaders regardless if you’re inside of an organization or a leader in family or the community.
Leaders are not contortionists:
At the circus, a man, over six feet tall, folded himself up, got into a small jar and he smiled the entire time. Had to have been seriously uncomfortable! How many leaders do you know that bend over backwards and in odd ways trying to be everything to everyone? They work hard to fit into roles, cultures and teams that are a poor match and are ultimately awkward and far from inspiring. Leaders are not contortionists – if this is you, it’s time to get out of the jar, stand tall and be your biggest and best self.
Trust each other:
Who hasn’t cringed watching a master knife thrower hurl blades at a woman standing still with confidence? As I watched, the incredible amount of trust between the two was palpable. Here’s the bottom line: You get trust by giving your trust and you get doubt and fear when that’s what you put out into the world. Like the knife throwing team in the circus, choose to trust and accomplish amazing things together!
If you have a strength – show the world!
There were some crazy talents on display at the circus – foot jugglers, acrobats, archers that pulled the bow and arrow with their feet… crazy! Yet, they were totally the masters of their craft, and despite how beyond belief it seemed, they also elicited respect from the crowd. The lesson here? As a leader, don’t hide your talents, cultivate them! Nobody else can do what you do just the way you can do it. Step into your strength instead of assuming that success can only look “one way.” The best leaders ooze confidence, competence and creativity that’s all their own and cannot be found inside the pages of a leadership how-to textbook.
Step into your strength instead of assuming that success can only look “one way.” ~ Alli Polin (Click to Tweet)
Make the Leap:
The first time acrobats leap into the air, dangling only from a small cord, without a net, it has to be scary… but then they do it again, and again, and again until it’s more comfortable to be leaping than staying firmly on the ground. As a leader, every time you leap it gets easier to make the next, and the next. Leaders need to adopt the acrobat mentality, “Once I leap, I wonder how I can push myself even further past my fear and into new possibilities.” You will never find success if every time you get ready to leap you think, “I wonder if I’ll fall?” You’ve got to believe.
Reinvention is there for the asking:
Almost everyone in this small circus was in more than one act: The roller skater was also a master juggler, the lasso expert was also the motorbike daredevil. How did they do it? Desire, patience, mentoring, and a commitment to practice. If you’re feeling stuck where you are, reinvention is possible when it’s intentional. Where do you want to grow your skills? Do you have a mentor or coach that can help you as you navigate your path? It’s there for the asking – you just have to ask.
The circus was a blast but even better, I feel inspired as I re-imagine and re-engage my personal leadership. Hope you’ll join me and do the same!
Are you a fan of the circus? What act do you love the most? What is it about it that act that lights you up? How does it relate to your leadership?
I am not a circus fan but I do respect the belief these guys have in theirselves. Great post in linking leadership to what these men and women do. It’s easy to see the link.
Thanks, Chris! I didn’t grow up going to the circus often but experience it in a whole new way now! I think you really put it well: the belief these guys have in themselves. If even for a heartbeat they don’t believe, it could actually be life or death! Not the same case for many of us but no less important to truly believe that “yes we can!”
Thanks for your comment, Chris!
Trust, tram work in synchronization and synergy is well brought out by people who perform in s circus or Cirque De Soleil. Trust is immense and they deliver with a passion without showing their vulnerabilities.
Love your post Alli.
Yes, Lalita! Trust creates synergy! No longer two independent people co-existing but now co-creating. It’s amazing to me how much trust they put in each other. In a typical workplace, even half of that would go a long way to creating teams and organizations that create magic!
Thanks so much for your insight and support!
A fun, relevant post, Alli! Trust is such a great concept embedded in what all the performers in a circus have to embrace. Without it, accidents are bound to happen. A solid lesson for us our own circus we call work! Thanks! Jon
Thanks, Jon! We can see the central role that trust plays at the circus but too often forget that trust is no less important in our world of work. If we truly believed in and supported each other 100% – it would be a place I’d want to work for a long time to come!
I love the circus and the excitement that goes with it. You did a great job, Alli showing us the leadership lessons gleaned from the magic! I related to “make the leap” since that can be the hardest to do and the most courageous. It does take patience and re-do’s to get it right, but well worth the practicing. The circus is also a great example of perfect teamwork. Thanks!
Terri – They truly were an extraordinary team. While they all had their own acts, it was evident that there was mentoring and friendships that could be counted on to make every single one successful.
Make the Leap can be so scary but when others put their trust and faith in you, it’s much easier to reach farther and jump further than we ever dreamed possible.
Greatly appreciate your comment and sharing!
LOVED this post Alli!
There are at least 3 areas above that I’ve either struggled with the most and a couple that I’m consciously dealing with in the present.
Contortionist? Oh boy… I cannot say enough about that one as a single parent. haha In the workplace, this is definitely a huge danger for a leader, especially if it is difficult for someone to ask for help or there aren’t enough resources or people to delegate to. It seems that new entrepreneurs who are just starting out struggle with this a great deal at least in the beginning of a business venture due to having to juggle all of the hats for a biz until enough revenue comes in to hire more help.
Trust is always important. I really loved Jon’s latest post where we all touched on that topic.
Reinvention is like a work of art….like an artist who is looking at a piece of marble or ice and learns to SEE what it wants to become instead of trying to force it into something it isn’t. Of course, many of us, myself included, have done the latter and that’s ok too…all of it is grist for the mill and how we learn what we like, dislike, and our own gifts/talents/preferences.
Another great post. Thanks for sharing. : )
Samantha –
I always learn so much for you and want to thank you for sharing your insights and taking this post deeper.
I think we’ve all suffered from “contortionist syndrome” (LOL) Trying to do all and be all and involved and aware of literally everything. It’s funny, at one point I thought that the circus contortionist was stuck in this little bottle he climbed inside. I was genuinely worried that something went wrong with the stunt and he could not get out. I think that’s a feeling that many parents, leaders, entrepreneurs can relate too… that moment of “oh no… what did I just do and how do I get out of this??”
Reinvention is so interesting too. Sometimes, it seems like new opportunities fall on our laps (or at least those are the stories I hear about). Still, intention and reinvention are so closely tied together. Instead of floating from one thing to the next, we can powerfully design what comes next and create it. Like you, I’ve done some of the forcing and lived with the awkwardness and lack of connection that’s created in my life too.
Sincerely appreciate you!
Alli,
I could really relate to the “trust each other” point. I’ve had some really interesting trust issues come up in the last 2 days. I had an important negotiation that in the middle of I suddenly had this overwhelming feeling of distrust for one of the parties. Everything looked right on paper, but the feeling was palpable. Yet I just couldn’t put my finger on why. So I decided to just trust. Putting that energy of trust out on the table turned everything around. The one party opened up and shared some personal things that had them holding back – it was so beautiful to see how just trusting had given them the ability to trust enough to share from the heart.
When I read your point “you trust by giving your trust” – I really got it. Trusting was key to receiving trust. 🙂 Interesting that fell on the heels of the last spiritchat!! 🙂
Thank you wise one!
Karen,
What a great story! I think what really struck me is the moment of choice: 1) Trust your gut and potentially walk away from a bad person/deal 2) Trust the person and see what unfolds. Big time illustrates the power of trust and what it can create and without doing anything, enable others to reciprocate.
You trust by giving your trust is so true. It’s actually a lesson that I’ve learned from people like Lolly Daskal.
I’m far from wise! I think that you intuitively tapped into your inner wisdom on this one!
Thank you for sharing this part of you and your story here!