Stories
Stories
Dance Dance Revelation
photo by Chris Taggart
About 30 executives are gathered in a boardroom when a trio of dancers enters, one of them gracefully leaping onto the conference table and assuming fifth position.
This star ballerina and her colleagues from American Ballet Theatre (ABT) spend the next 90 minutes working on the creation, rehearsal, and premiere of a new piece of work with a choreographer—who encourages the executives to observe the process up close, ask questions, and draw parallels to their own professional lives.
Designed to help managers tackle a change-adverse corporate culture, the workshop is part of ABT’s new Leadership Lab, launched by executive director Kara Medoff Barnett (MBA 2007) with former ABT dancer and current Harvard Kennedy School student, John Michael Schert.
“Experiencing and understanding the creative process can inform decision-making, planning, and teamwork in a business environment,” explains Barnett. “Many companies are striving to find ways to differentiate, navigate changing conditions, and discover new pathways to growth and innovation. And I think artists can add a lot to the conversation—they deserve a seat at the table.”
What Dancers Can Teach Executives
- No world premiere without a dress rehearsal: In ballet, a dress rehearsal full of mistakes and mishaps paves the way for a stellar performance. How often do we, as business leaders, repeat presentations with our teams before we unveil them to a prospective client, an important customer, or a board of directors?
- If you don’t fall, you’re not trying hard enough: When was the last time we encouraged our employees to push an idea so far that their results or recommendations seemed outlandish? And how can we make them feel safe enough to pivot from the impossible recommendation to one that’s similarly bold and might just be a breakthrough?
- Listen for nonverbal cues: Dancers rarely talk in the studio; instead they lock eyes and anticipate where their colleagues will move next. How do we silently observe and sense what our colleagues need from us? How can we help them find their balance and confidence, and how can we let them know when we need a hand, a shift in balance, or a novel approach?
Post a Comment
Related Stories
-
- 29 Jul 2024
- Making A Difference
Leading the Way
Re: Michael Trejo (MBA 2013); Gary Trujillo (MBA 1990) -
- 01 Jun 2024
- HBS Alumni Bulletin
Research Brief: Ahead of the Game
Re: Paul A. Gompers (Eugene Holman Professor of Business Administration); By: Jen McFarland Flint; illustration by Antonio Pinna -
- 30 May 2024
- Skydeck
How to Have Effective Conversations
Re: Charles Duhigg (MBA 2003) -
- 25 Apr 2024
- Skydeck
Origin Stories
Re: John Hess (MBA 1977); Peter Crisp (MBA 1960); Gerry Schwartz (MBA 1970); Gwill York (MBA 1984); Desiree Rogers (MBA 1985)
Stories Featuring Kara Barnett
-
- 04 May 2021
- HBS Newsroom
Legacy, Leadership, and Transformation at America's National Ballet Company
Re: Kara Barnett (MBA 2007); Michael Paull (MBA 1998); Rohit Deshpande (Baker Foundation Professor Sebastian S. Kresge Professor of Marketing, Emeritus); Henry W. McGee (Senior Lecturer of Business Administration) -
- 02 Dec 2017
- Alumni Stories
Helping HBS Make Big Bets
Re: Kara Barnett (MBA 2007) -
- 12 Jan 2016
- New York Times
American Ballet Theater Names Kara Medoff Barnett Executive Director
Re: Kara Barnett (MBA 2007)
