Life Lessons from the Theatre

Moving to a new city and working full time, while only for the summer, was a challenge.  And while many things changed I found that a few lessons that I learned outside of the workplace have been surprisingly applicable in it, especially in the intern role.  Here are a few life lessons that I learned from Theatre that have served me well in the workplace…

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People want results, not excuses.

When something goes wrong, excuses are many people’s first response.  It’s a way to defend ourselves from personal attack when things don’t go according to plan.  By placing the blame for a mistake on outside forces, we make our egos feel better.  But blaming things outside of our control doesn’t help with our personal growth or increase other’s trust in our abilities.  Mistakes happen.  Everyone understands that and everyone has made stupid mistakes.  In my experience, you earn far more respect by owning your mistakes and following through on promises to make amends.  If you can follow up a mistake by doing better next time, people remember and respect that.  They don’t want to sit around listening to excuses all day, they want to know what you’re going to do about it going forward.  Like in theater, you can say “I missed my cue because I was grabbing a prop” or you can say “I’ll be there on time next run through”.  With the second response you acknowledge the mistake and show how you’re going to improve going forward.  I find it’s the same in the workplace.  As an intern because you’re often asked to do new projects at the drop of a hat.  As you are still learning, mistakes happen, and by following them up with an appropriate response, you can show your employers your maturity and ingenuity.

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Prepare what you think is going to be helpful, not what’s going to boost your ego.

With a natural desire to impress your superiors or stand out in some way, it can be tempting to try and work on the coolest and most innovative project aside from your daily tasks.  Something where they will praise your innovation.  And while creating something amazing can be really impactful, I’ve discovered the best way to make a positive impression on your employer is to spend your time on projects that will serve a need in the company and not on projects that are flashy or cool.  People are very appreciative when you find a way to make their lives easier.  Like in Theater, simple things like coming on time and being prepared, learning your lines ahead of time, and solving small problems before your superior has to will earn you respect.  So you don’t have to be a genius innovator to stand out in the workplace as an intern but if you pay attention and can find simple ways to leave the company better than when you found it, people will remember you.

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