A room where no one was afraid to speak

I came across this incredible quote in the Guardian about Danny Boyle directing the opening ceremony for the London Olympics:

“Danny created a room where no one was afraid to speak, no one had to stick to their own specialism, no one was afraid of sounding stupid or talking out of turn. He restored us to the people we were before we made career choices — to when we were just wondering.”

I also found this article at The Intentional Workplace that asks how he and his team managed to pull off the spectacle, and importantly distills it into five lessons for intentional leadership and healthy, happy collaboration. Lesson 1 is “Assemble the People You Believe In & Maximize their Freedom”

Lesson 2 is “You Can’t Truly Succeed Unless You are Willing to Take Real Risks”:

Anyone who has seen the way bureaucracy — in government, in the fearful corridors of corporate America — eviscerates originality, seeks comfort in consensus, and hides behind the fear of even the most benign level of risk-taking to quash even the most tepid examples of boldness — has to marvel at the miracles of intact survival that Danny Boyle’s conjuration represents.”

Lesson 5 is “Be Gracious. Be Grateful.”:

If you’re a leader, your reputation precedes you. And as the saying goes, they’ll remember how you made them feel. That’s what stands out in Danny Boyles’ experiences with people at every level. One volunteer described, “He’s the most down to earth person you could imagine. He chats to everyone. He’s not just on the sidelines waiting for people to come up to him. He actually mingles with people and starts conversations with them.

Read the rest of the article: Team Danny Boyle: 5 Lessons in Leadership