I once worked for a producer who mistakenly believed that excellence is best motivated by belittling someone's present performance...that no matter how well they are doing their job, by criticizing and demeaning their work they will be forced to dig deeper in their creative well and deliver something better. He was wrong, of course and it made for a horrible working relationship most of the time. But since he was otherwise a pretty swell guy and enjoyable to be around, invariably I would agree to do another project, always supposing the next one would be different. It never was. When the day came that I could financially afford to always find plausible reasons to tell him why I wasn't available to work on his next project, I breathed a sigh of relief. We've not worked together since. Thankfully, there are many producers and directors out there (and I'm trying to be one) who motivate excellence a different way.
I had the privilege of writing and directing several inspirational television programs for the late Dr. Bill Bright, founder and president of Campus Crusade, a remarkable leader and my executive producer on several projects. Dr. Bright seemed to draw the best out of everyone who worked for him, yet he never demanded excellence from anyone (that I could see). Instead he seemed to compel it. A specific incident brought this home to me.
I had completed the preliminary edit of a new television program for his organization. A screening was arranged with the 'chief' (as his inner staff sometimes affectionately referred to him). As Dr. Bright watched the film, I watched him. I could see he was not pleased. When the lights came up, I braced for a harsh response to what he had seen. Instead, he quietly turned to me and began his comments by saying, "Tom, I need to apologize to you..." (Not exactly the opening salvo to a typical dressing down!) Instead of berating my performance (which in this case, he would have been justified in doing), Dr. Bright apologized that he had not "more effectively communicated his vision for the film before I had completed so much work!"
I was floored by his reaction. By the end of his comments, I desperately wanted to do my best to please this humble leader who saw my failure as HIS failure. I returned the apology and assured him we would make it right. And we did!
Bill Bright's personal modeling of servant-leader character was very Christ-like, although he would have been the first and loudest one to deny any such lofty comparison. But it was precisely his personal character, lived out in front of others, that compelled those around him to do their very best, myself included.
As a producer or director, you have lots of opportunities to be like one of the two men I've just described. The first one is easier to follow, no doubt, and the one that comes the most naturally to most of us. By putting others down you absolve yourself of any responsibility for their failure to perform. You didn't mess up. They did! And you make sure everyone else knows it.
The second path is much less comfortable. You accept the unpleasant awareness and accept the responsibility that your colleague's failure is on some level also YOUR failure - just as your success must always be recognized as THEIR success. Making movies and television programs and stage shows is the ultimate illustration of the famous John Donne line, "No man is an island. All are part of the main." In the end, it is also this path alone that builds life-long friendships, loyalties that will go to the mat for you when you are down (sooner or later we all are!) and relationships with those around you that produces a true "joy in the journey" of making films and...well, doing just about anything in life!
Thank you so much, Dr. Bright, for teaching a young director this life lesson, by living its powerful truth so well yourself.
