Last night I left the office just before 1am, having gone through five and a half hours of auditions for my latest production. It is a grueling process and I work hard to make sure that I get it right. In my career, I have cast well over 300 productions and there have only been a few times when I later wished I made a different decision. My experience has taught me that there are many factors which must be considered when choosing the right people with the right talents at the right time for the right roles that they will play. Sometimes sheer talent wins out, sometimes it’s personality or attitude, and sometimes things going on in the lives of the people play a big factor in the kind or size of role I will assign to them. In every case, though, I have learned to rely on my experience, especially the mistakes I’ve made, the input from a small team of trusted advisors, and mostly my discernment of what is going to be best. This discernment is something that I believe is God-given, and I have learned to trust my gut and go with it. As I said, there have only been a few times in over 300 productions in which I regretted assigning a part in a particular way. I agonize over every decision and I do everything in my power to get it right.
Casting a production is just like leading an organization. There are people with a wide variety and level of gifts which need to be placed in the right role, given direction and parameters, then given the freedom to be creative and perform at optimum levels. As leaders of people, we must take seriously how we cast our team. I’ve heard others speak of how they build their teams by looking at competence, character, and chemistry, just as I do when I’m casting. I have to make sure that each person has the ability to perform the role, that their attitude and commitment to the team will be stellar, and that they will be the right fit with the rest of the team. Without taking these factors into consideration, a production will struggle, as will an organization. I encourage you to take time, invest your energy, and listen to your gut as you cast your team.
Lead well.