In this inspiring episode of The Huddle Leadership Podcast, host Kate Russell welcomes Jessica Symes Toomey, executive coach and founder of Symes Group. Together, they explore the powerful intersection between the creative arts and leadership development, examining how theatrical directing principles can transform modern workplace dynamics. Jessica brings 15 years of executive coaching experience alongside her unique background as a NIDA-trained director, offering fresh perspectives on optimism, resilience, and strength-based leadership.
The conversation reveals how the collaborative, feedback-rich environment of theatre provides a blueprint for building high-performing teams. Jessica and Kate discuss the importance of meeting people where they are, focusing on individual strengths rather than deficits, and creating cultures where diverse perspectives drive innovation. They address the challenges of building resilience in increasingly reactive workplaces and explore practical strategies for leaders to foster environments where people genuinely want to contribute their best work.
Key Takeaways
Theatre directing and executive coaching share similar principles of meeting people where they are and empowering discovery
Optimism in leadership means focusing on resources and strengths rather than deficits and limitations
Every individual has a "superpower" - being exceptional at one thing often means being weaker in others, and that's valuable
Diversity of thought, personality, and background drives creativity and innovation in teams
Resilience is both trait-based and developable through positive psychology practices and self-care
The arts teach essential skills for creative leadership that will become increasingly important as AI handles routine tasks
Feedback should be continuous and welcomed rather than feared, as it is in theatrical environments
Self-care and wellness practices are not selfish but essential for maintaining the capacity to serve others
Team culture is everyone's responsibility, not just the leader's burden
The future workplace will require more creative collaboration skills as routine tasks become automated
Featured Discussion
Jessica's journey from theatre director to executive coach illuminates how creative arts principles can revolutionise corporate leadership. She explains how working with actors mirrors coaching relationships - both require creating safe environments for discovery without imposing predetermined visions. The conversation explores her belief that there is "a right role in the right organisation for everyone" and how focusing on effortless versus effortful tasks can guide career development.
Kate and Jessica tackle the reality of workplace stress and how fundamental wellness practices become the first casualties during difficult periods, creating downward spirals of diminished performance and confidence. They discuss the concept of "corporate athleticism" versus genuine self-care and why taking responsibility for one's own resilience is both empowering and necessary.
The discussion addresses how diversity in teams creates the "melting pot" necessary for innovation, drawing parallels between creative collaborations where no one can identify who contributed which brilliant idea and high-functioning corporate teams. They explore the challenges of building feedback-rich cultures in environments where performance management has become synonymous with criticism rather than development.
Quotable Moments
"The parallel in working with a coaching client is quite similar, really to working with an actor"
"You need diversity of thought for creativity and innovation to occur"
"Time is not the currency of a billion-dollar creative idea"
"We're all pretty much doing the same thing if you're good at what you do"
"Work is where we go to play and to show off our skills"
"Things are going to go wrong all the time. But what do they teach us?"
"You have to be selfish in order to be generous"
"We all play a part in workplace culture"
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