Running Lines and Giving Notes: Rehearsing Feedback
Imagine that you’re watching a play at the theatre. The lights, the costumes, and the actors draw you into the intrigue of the story. You are watching a rehearsed and polished production on the stage.
But what do you see when you pull back the curtains and peek behind the scenes? Or look back in time to the first read-through.
A lot goes into any production before it goes live.
For example, the director works with actors to show and teach them where to go and how to deliver their lines for this particular show. After hands-on work, rehearsals, and a lot of support behind the curtains, you have your final play on stage.
We Are Not Mind-Readers
Leading a team at the workplace is a bit like directing — there’s a lot going on behind the scenes. Just like how actors cannot read directors’ minds, your team cannot read yours either. As a leader, it’s up to you to make feedback expectations explicit to your team. You do this by showing, or modeling, the appropriate and expected behavior. To see real shifts, your role is also to teach and explain what is happening and what you expect.
