A Bald Man and a Chorus Line: Leadership Lessons from Practice, Precision, and Systems
Leadership often emerges in moments that feel messy and chaotic. Sometimes we have to pull everything out of the closet, examine what’s working, what’s outgrown, and what belongs in the next chapter. In anthropology, we study how humans organise, adapt, and create systems to navigate complexity. The same principle applies to modern organisations and technological ecosystems: before you can build something resilient, you need to understand what already exists, what’s thriving, and what is holding the system back.
Leadership is less about control and more about refinement. It’s about noticing the tools and talents already present within yourself, your team, or your technology, and consciously applying them with care and purpose. Authority emerges not from dominance, but from disciplined practice, clarity of vision, and the courage to act.
This idea became tangible for me when I joined the chorus of NZOpera’s Monster in the Maze. Fourteen years had passed since I last performed on stage, and I didn’t expect to regain my voice so quickly. Yet, with focused practice, the control and strength I thought I had lost returned. Leadership, I realised, is a lot like singing: the capability is always there, but it requires care, repetition, and the bravery to step into the spotlight.
From an anthropological perspective, this mirrors how humans have always approached mastery and adaptation. Communities transmit knowledge and skills over generations, refine tools through trial and error, and create rituals or practices to strengthen shared capabilities. Technology today is just another extension of this process. Our “instruments” are no longer just our voices or hands. They are our systems, software, and networks. And just like a chorus line, the success of one element depends on coordination, timing, and awareness of the whole.
In tech, the lesson is clear: tools and processes often lie dormant, waiting to be revisited, dusted off, and used with intention. Innovation is less about inventing something entirely new than it is about refining what exists, understanding the patterns of use, and adapting them to solve the challenges of today. Leadership in technology is the same as leadership on stage; it’s not about asserting dominance, but about cultivating capabilities, aligning strengths, and orchestrating them toward impact.
Preparation is everything. Your “voice,” whether literal or metaphorical, grows stronger the more you practice. Your systems, your tools, and your vision are all instruments. Anthropology teaches us that human evolution has always relied on experimentation, adaptation, and the social transmission of skills. In technology, the stakes are higher, and the pace is faster, but the principle is the same. Refinement, practice, and conscious application are the foundations of meaningful leadership and responsible innovation.
The challenge today is to step forward with clarity and integrity. Slow and steady wins the race. The curtain is about to rise.