Designing Success in the Workplace
What do you think it takes for Cirque du Soleil as a brand/company and the performers to go out and deliver amazing customer experiences?
This is a question I challenge audiences with during keynotes, employee trainings and workshops. There is a clearly defined top ten list of answers that audiences express. Their top ten list reads as:
TALENT
TEAMWORK
PRACTICE
COURAGE
RISK
VISION/PURPOSE
MONEY
SPANDEX (always makes me laugh)
It was an honor to perform in 2 different shows (Mystere and Quidam) over the course of over five years and 2,000+ shows as a team captain in what has recently been called, “The new best show on earth.”
I observed and observed the approach and mindset of individuals and of the company. Here’s what I discovered.
Many perceive that the performers achieve beyond human feats (defying gravity and staring death in the face on a nightly basis)… and yes we do, thank you very much. However, the same traits that allow such athletes and artists to become extraordinary are the very same that apply to more traditional jobs, positions and successes.
When it comes to business success, it’s called leadership and team work, a.k.a. CULTURE. Cultures are built on systems and policy. The “best show on earth” is created on the same concepts of systems and policy; we call it choreography/artistic direction/production.
Success in any capacity is not random.
Success is choreographed, inspired and staged. Each amazing trick that has made you gasp during a cirque show took talent, courage, risk, dedication, vision, communication, creativity and commitment. The commitment is a KAIZEN thing (Masaaki Imai, a Japanese organizational theorist and management consultant, studied the Toyota Production System and its Lean principles and was the first to introduce the idea of Kaizen to both Europe and North America).
Kaizen is a Japanese term meaning change for the better or continuous improvement. Kaizen sees improvement in productivity as a gradual and methodical process.
The Cirque culture parallels the Kaizen philosophy. Each dance step, acrobatic flip, lighting cue etc. had potential to become better. Throw in the element of fun and freedom (but not anarchy) and you have a recipe for highly forward-thinking, happy culture that thrives. Your organization will feel the impact… as will your clients.
“We’d love to help you design a happier more creative culture through our dynamic keynotes and workshops.” Contact us today.
Sincerely,
Vital Germaine,
President of ENGAGEteams360
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