The Three Things About Leadership I Learned from Flamenco Last Night

Last night, I went to see Sara Baras, the world famous Flamenco dancer, perform at City Center. I’ve had a special place in my heart for Spain since my very first international trip in high school. It was a chaperoned trip, with 3 destinations for our young minds. Madrid, Toledo, Seville. Churches, Bull fighting. Beaches.

It was also the first time I saw flamenco dance. There is something tribal in the art form. The passion and drama gripped my 18 year old self. Having grown up around Indian dance form, the foot stomping rang familiar. The blood red of their outfits called to me, with the high black mantle resting on their heads.

I listened to the acoustic guitar of the Gypsy Kings on CD and on repeat as our bus wound through the Spanish mountains to France. Each peak looked like a wound-up leavened cinnamon roll. The blue mountains of Pennsylvania, where I grew up, didn’t look like this.

Last night, as I waxed nostalgic about that trip so long ago, I realized there are some underlying similarities to flamenco and leadership.

🔴 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐨 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭.

𝐒𝐨 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩.

Sara Baras is 51 years old and still performing Flamenco on stage with the energy and intense emotion of a 20 something year old. Today, when I think about my business, its hard to be a successful leader without the same level of passion and commitment to my work and vision.

🔴 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞. 𝐀𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩

In interviews, Baras talks about her rigorous training regimen in order to stay in top form. This includes daily practice sessions, regular rehearsals with her dance company. She also spend alot of time studying the history and culture of flamenco. As a leader today, I am creating more white space in my schedule to read the headlines, so I can help my clients stay current when creating their personal brands. Taking sales training. One can’t build a business if you can’t sell. It requires practice. It requires discipline.

🔴 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. 𝐒𝐨 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩.

While City Center isn’t a large theater, we were in the nose bleed section. Even from up there, we felt Baras’ presence, passion, and performance on stage as if she were inches away. I’m aware each day, that as a leader, I not only have to communicate effectively and concisely when I am moderating my Mastermind groups, I am scanning the room to see who is engaged and what do I need to toggle if folks are not.

One of the ways I drive programming with my women’s leadership platform is bringing my women leaders to art and music events around the city and the world.

Join the waitlist at this link for the next event https://m3ihsuc7lbk.typeform.com/to/MMLXPi64#hubspot_utk=xxxxx&hubspot_page_name=xxxxx&hubspot_page_url=xxxxx