Some of the greatest innovative leadership lessons aren’t learned in a boardroom. They’re learned on a stage.
Through my Leadership from the Stage approach to Building Innovative Leaders, I challenge organizations to create environments where people can do their best work and turn bold ideas into winning results.”
As we closed out our production of The Addams Family Young@Part at Broadway2LA Acting Studio, I stood on stage with our young actors one final time.
And it hit me.
This cast and crew will never have this moment again.
They embraced it. They lived it. They experienced it. They gave everything they had.
Watching these young artists hug their families, celebrate with friends, and even shed tears as they left the theatre reminded me of something powerful:
When you give everything you have to something that matters, you care deeply about the outcome.
Innovative Leadership Starts With People
These 8–14-year-old performers reminded me of what Building Innovative Leaders is all about.
Be present. Give your best. Take risks. Celebrate others. Build people up.
One moment I’ll never forget happened backstage.
The actress playing Wednesday Addams was jumping up and down, cheering for her friend playing Morticia after she nailed a song in Act II.
No audience saw it. No applause followed. No spotlight.
Just one young leader celebrating another.
Think about that.
In a world where we’re constantly competing for recognition, here’s a young artist showing us what leadership looks like.
She didn’t need the spotlight. She wanted someone else to shine.
Building a Culture of Innovation
Innovative leadership lessons aren’t always about creating the next big idea. Sometimes, they’re about creating an environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.
Whether you’re leading a business, a classroom, or a cast of young actors, the question is the same:
What kind of culture are you creating?
One where people compete against each other, fear mistakes, and protect their ideas?
Or one where people take risks, challenge old thinking, support each other, and explore what’s possible?
That’s where a true Culture of Innovation begins.
Through my Leadership from the Stage approach to Building Innovative Leaders, I challenge organizations to create environments where people can do their best work and turn bold ideas into winning results.
Innovative leadership lessons aren’t always about individual success. Sometimes, they’re about helping the people around you succeed.
To every actor, parent, volunteer, and staff member who made this production possible—thank you. It truly took a village.
Because sometimes, the greatest leaders aren’t the ones standing in the spotlight.
They’re the ones cheering the loudest from backstage.
Chad J. Willett (MA, NSA, SAG-AFTRA) is the founder of Broadway2LA Acting Studio and a nationally recognized innovation and leadership speaker, TEDx presenter, and two-time author.
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