Oct
DETRACTORS
I have always been a ‘glass half full’ person. As a child, I had a bright and sunny outlook about pretty much everything, save for when I found out people didn’t like me. It devastated me to know there were people who didn’t like me. Thankfully, I had a Mom who knew how to deflect my upset by first, saying to me every Mom’s proverbial response … “they’re just jealous, dear”, to making me sit down with a paper and pencil and make a list of people I didn’t particularly “like”. She would then look at the list and say, “why would you think everyone likes you if there are people you don’t like?” She was right of course, but it still upset me to know not everyone was my friend.
Throughout my dance career, as well as my business career, I always kept her words in the back of my mind when I would find myself working with people that I just didn’t ‘mesh’ with. I grew to understand well there were many people on this planet who were not going to like me, like what I do, like how I look, like what I wear, like my talent, etc., however discovering that there were people in the workplace whose sole mission was to ‘detract’ from other people’s work for their own benefit; I began re-assessing the importance of people liking you when it came to the workplace.
When I was at Farrington Productions in Las Vegas, our VP of Operations said to me once, “Even Cirque du Soleil has its detractors.” Farrington has produced some of Las Vegas’ most iconic entertainment … from the Roman Festival characters at Caesars Palace, to the Gondoliers at the Venetian, to the spectacular Rio Show In The Sky … Farrington’s reputation for creating the best entertainment is legendary. I remember cocking my head sideways at her, and with surprise, thinking to myself, I suppose that’s true. I mean, we all know entertainment is subjective, but there are those in every industry who wish to do harm with their critiques (to use a nice word).
Along with our detractors come our champions. Those who love what we do, who ‘have our back’ (as the expression goes), who believe in our work, and the products we produce; these are our champions. It helps greatly when our champions are the ones sitting at the top, for I have always believed it is “who you know” who opens the doors, be it show business, science, politics, or any business or industry, for that matter.
I have landed my biggest jobs through networking and getting to know people, as well as staying in contact with people I know could benefit my business. My job with Royal Caribbean creating the first ever dive show on a cruise ship came about because of my work with one of their Senior Producer back in 1997, when he was the set designer for a show I co-directed with my brother Christopher, in Pusan, Korean. We kept in touch over the years, and when I started Choozi, I specialized in water productions for special events in Las Vegas. Every resort has a beautiful pool setting, so when my clients had parties on the pool decks, I put entertainers in the pool, and of course, posted the photos to my website. Voila. My old friend saw my photos and in 2005, came to Las Vegas to chat with me about a new project Royal Caribbean was involved with. He became Choozi’s Champion. Silversea? My cruise director when I was a dancer with Princess Cruises in 1977 was a man named Cliff Perry. Cliff and I lost touch with each other over the years, however, we never forgot about each other, and when he saw my name in “Porthole Magazine”, in reference to the show Choozi created for Royal Caribbean, he reached out to me to see if I would be interested in creating a new entertainment product for the ships of Silversea. Cliff became Choozi’s Champion.
Ah, but here’s the rub. The “detractors” showed up. In the case of Royal Caribbean, my “Champion” retired after contracts were signed, and in his place sat a person who wanted his own people on the project. Understandable. Like any merger of two companies, those that sit at the top decide who they will work with. The new producer began chipping away at our product, with his first order of business being to replace our scenic designer with his own. Further ‘chipping’ continued … the person creating the comedy dive show was replaced, then they did not hire our preferred media company, schedules were created that robbed us of precious rehearsal time … just a slow chipping away at our processes, and the people we liked working with. With Silversea, when Mr. Perry left and was not replaced with another entertainment professional, the chipping away of our wonderful Artists of Silversea program began. Voices from Marketing, Human Resources, even ship personnel/crew, became our detractors. There was always someone who caught the ear of those shoreside, who thought they could do it better, do it cheaper, do it nicer … continual chipping away at the integrity of our product, even though our guest ratings were the highest in the history of their previous production teams.
This is how the world works. This is how business works. Heck, this is how politics works. We all have people we like doing business with, people we know, who we know their product, their history, their work ethic, and their ability to deliver. Great creative teams do not just happen overnight. In Choozi’s case, my team of professionals are some of the best and most talented in the world of show business. We know each other so well, so when we get a new project, it is effortless being successful together. When you turn around and find people detracting from what you do, you should always pay attention. I remember back to when Harrah’s Entertainment bought the Rio. I said to the the same VP of Operations, “there goes Show in the Sky.” Her response was, “we have a contract.” I’m laughing recalling this, because lo and behold, the new owners brought in their own teams, started slashing budgets, and the next thing you know, there was a new production company managing the incredible show Farrington Productions created so brilliantly.
The moral of this story? Know who your detractors are. Identify them early on. You might not be able to sway their opinion, but know they are there and are looking for the chance to do “their thing.” I hesitate to say “undermine”, because while that is the intent of detractors, I believe there is enough work in the universe for us all. Sometimes the detractors are there to gently remind you (or shove you) that its time to move on. Make the detractors in your life a reason to improve, to work harder, to be nicer, and to know there is so much more out there for all of us. Keep moving forward friends!