The Trapeze Artist

While I was working at a large insurance company known for red polos and khaki pants, I had the immense pleasure of working with a gent that had one of the best allegorical stories that I constantly refer to when doing mentoring, or describing how some people can approach the work, or life for that matter. For those that know me personally, this is about Bob M.

Bob was a manager, and was highly respected and loved by his teams. Bob had found the right-ish balance of creativity in a bland environment and showed many that ‘fun’ can be had anywhere. While managing teams in property and casualty claims, Bob was able to help MC various events, helped immensely with company appreciation activities. I had known Bob from my first tour of duty with this firm, but in the midst of my second, I found myself without a mentor. I wanted someone that understood the company philosophy regarding leadership styles and ability to drive success, but also knew how to stand out with more than a Hawaiian shirt.

I went to Bob thinking he would have someone junior on his team that would be a good fit and would not have the same time constraints as someone at his level. Bob advised he would be good to take me under his wing, and I was elated. Some background on Bob. his dad was an insurance agent, we went to school with one of the founding members of DEVO. He obtained a degree in Spanish, and after graduating college, he toured North and Central America in a traveling circus. With a pedigree like that, how can you say no?

Of the many sage advisements that were bestowed upon me in his office, rife with collage artwork of lunch lady’s and assembly line primates having things scooped into their minds. (I wish I could remember the artist.) Bob and I were talking about how good do you really have to be at your job in a place like this? It was a topic not designed to throw shade, but to say how good is overkill, and if you attain that level of skill and never move any higher, what good it is? And then Bob dropped this science on the table:

‘Have you ever been to the circus, Steve? Did they have a trapeze act? When the circus comes to town, and the big top acts are starting, there tends to be a collection of clowns that come out and futz around, doing clown things. Usually, one of the clowns will appear on the high wire with an umbrella or something similar. That clown will perform some fun stunts, and the crown will gasp, and clap, and ooh and ahh.

The trapeze artists will then come out, and will prepare to do their show, while the clown does a daring and flourished last trick and exit. The trapeze artists start their show, with swings, and jumps, and catches like you would usually see. But if you pay attention, another trapeze performer will join late. And then the really impressive stuff can start.

They were the clown.

They are so good at what they do, that it not only looks easy, they can have some fun with it. They can manipulate the performance and defy some of the odds, they can do it in costume. They can do it with props. They can do it on a unicycle on a high wire juggling bowling pins with calliope music in the background.

And to bring it back to my role, Bob asked me to get as good at all the things that my role entailed. Regardless of what employer, what the work product, or company may be, strive to be as good at what you do that you can afford to have some fun with it. More than just to perform, that you can shape or change the work in whatever direction or manner is needed. Bonus points if you can do it from a unicycle.

I received that information about 20 years ago, and I am still practicing my juggling, my slapstick, and how to be calm and not look down.