Vital Germaine Shares Leadership Lessons From Cirque du Soleil

How many leadership lessons have you learned from the circus? Most leaders would use the term “circus” as a negative way to describe an organization’s frenzied culture. 

But actually, the circus can teach us a lot about innovation, empathy and adaptability.

You don’t have to take our word for it. In this episode of the Leadercast Podcast, Vital Germaine—author, speaker and former Cirque du Soleil performer—shares the leadership lessons he learned from the circus.

Lesson 1: Innovation

Put simply, innovation is the process of creating the new. Under all its layers, innovation is “a mindset of creativity built on the platform of creativity,” says Vital. Being an innovative leader means you’re willing to explore new ideas, processes, strategies and techniques.

Lesson 2: Empathy

When you empathize, you understand the emotional state of another person. It takes active listening that stems from a place of caring. Leaders unlock insight into others’ pain points with empathy. 

Relating to problems helps leaders empower their teams. They’re heard. They’re understood. They’re valued.

Lesson 3: Adaptability

Leaders have to be able to pivot. It takes courage to recognize the need to change for the better. An adaptable leader inspires the team to give their all to a new plan. Adaptability done right is truly transformative.

Listen to the whole conversation with Vital below or through your favorite podcast player listed at the top of this page. 

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Connect with Vital through his website and connect with him on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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