For those who have followed my work, you likely know that I am a fan of Musicals and the Leadership Lessons they can Reveal to Us.
Recently, my wonderful Spouse and Cousin have been "Obsessed" with a New Unfinished Musical, and they have also gotten me Hooked.
EPIC: The Musical.
This is a Retelling of the Greek Epic Poem, The Odyssey, which follows a Veteran of the Trojan War, Odysseus, as he tries to get Home.
He proved himself to be a Fantastic Military Leader against Men, but his Journey pits him against Gods, Monsters, and More.
What I find most Interesting about this version of Odysseus's Journey are the various Perspectives of how Leaders "Should" Act and Interact with the World at Large.
As Odysseus journeys to get home, multiple individuals tell him how he should Lead.
You have his friend, Polities, that tells him he should "Greet the world with open arms".
The goddess Athena tells him that he must be a "Warrior of the Mind" and tells him to, "Turn off your heart".
Zeus has a different perspective, implying to Odysseus that man has very few choices in the face of the "Will of the gods".
Then you have Odysseus's Second-In-Command, Eurylochus, who tends to Act First in Difficult Situations.
But Poseiden advises that "Ruthlessness is Mercy Upon Ourselves."
Or we could take Circe's advice to "Protect them at all costs."
Then if you look at Odysseus himself, he tends to use Wit and Cunning to solve his Challenges.
As Odysseus hears different Perspectives, he often tries them from encounter to encounter.
How do they work?
Which Perspective Wins Out?
Well, I Encourage you to Listen to the Musical to see how it all "Exactly" Plays out.
Before I tell you what I see from a Leadership Perspective, I want to ask you a question.
Is there a Similarity between "All" of these Different Methods of Leading?
It is Easy to see the Differences between them...
The Heart vs. The Brain.
Ruthlessness vs. Protection.
Even Free Will vs. Will of the gods (aka Determinism).
But is there a Similarity?
I propose that there is - They are "All" Extremes.
Every perspective that Odysseus is given is one form or another of an Extreme Belief in how to Lead Effectively.
One thing that I have Learned over the years is that just about every "Extreme" has Consequences.
What happens when you attempt to "Greet the world with open arms" when others have No Intention of Being Kind in Return?
What occurs when the Options Given are "All" Terrible, but you Restrict Yourself to Choose One Anyway?
What about if you Turn Off Your Heart, yet still have to Live with the Choices You Make?
Well, Odysseus discovers the Answers to these very quickly.
Each time he attempts any Extreme, he is met with Dire Consequences.
Each time Odysseus "Only" Escapes due to his own Strengths and Abilities, often "Barely".
Each Extreme has Extreme Results.
However, another, more Subtle Leadership Lesson is hidden under all of these different Perspectives.
What happens when a Leader Continuously Changes their Approach?
Odysseus, in the Musical, is a Veteran Warrior and Strategist who not only was a Main Figure in "Ending" the Trojan War, but he "Also" kept "All" 600 of his Men Alive through the War.
He sailed with 600 Men and began the Return Journey Home with 600 Men.
You would Imagine that this Leader would be Confident in their Approach on how to Lead.
But against such Different and Strange Forces outside of War, Odysseus seems to Constantly Question his own Approach and Changes Tactics.
What do you Imagine that does to the Trust that he has built with his men through the War?
The Subtle Leadership Lesson Reveals what happens when a Leader Stops being an Exemplar to those they Lead.
Now, to not give away the Story, I would say that you should go Listen to the Musical, or at least what has been Released so far.
It is interesting as this Musical is becoming a Hit, yet it is Incomplete, being released in Small Sections called "Sagas".
If you want to Learn a Lot about Leadership, I would say you should listen to what is out so far.
I know I am excited to see what the next Sagas have to Teach.
In my opinion, this Musical is living up to its namesake of being EPIC.