What legacy will you leave?
This is a question I often ask of leaders when we are in the midst of strategic planning. It’s an important question, but not one that’s easy to answer - because most leadership teams and boards are merely temporary stewards of a longer history in an organization.
Last week, I was absolutely delighted to hang out with three of the founding members of Shakespeare In The Ruins as we talked about the remarkable legacy they created 30 years ago when they first performed Romeo and Juliet on a bootstrap budget and a dream.
Could they have known that 30 years later, their wish would be thriving as Manitoba’s only Shakespeare company, selling out performances every summer under the artistic direction of Rodrigo Beilfuss and expert management of Sara Malabar?
Could they have known that their dream would spark our school program and accessibility commitments - ensuring that everyone has a place in theatre (including those who haven’t always felt welcome)?
Could they dream that their three public performances would lead to our partnership with Stony Mountain Penitentiary- where offenders have the opportunity to engage in the transformative experience of theatre?
As we celebrated the opening night of Iago Speaks - another incredible feat - that our theatre is now running a full repertory season (we have two shows running back to back, with the same actors, 40 performances for 30 days straight) - I asked Deb Patterson, Lora Schroeder, and Arne MacPherson their thoughts on what made the organization so successful.
They commented that one of the most important decisions they made was actually to step back and put the company in the hands of people who loved it. That by allowing for a changing board and staff, new life and ideas could be breathed into the company - keeping it current and agile. Ensuring it remained relevant for new audiences.
It’s pretty insightful and inspiring as the current chair to hear such wisdom from these visionaries.
It makes me think about decisions I’ve made in my career, to step back or out of the way, to create space for others to run.
I’m curious about your thoughts on this. How do you know when it’s time to let someone else take the reigns?
#legacy #strategy #theatre
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