A common mistake amongst leaders is that in the midst of a project, they become rigid. That’s when Seth Rogen can step in to remind us of how important it is to remain flexible.
When writing his latest movie, Neighbors, Seth Rogen and his writing partner changed the plot of the movie with only three weeks before filming was to begin. They changed the entire focus of the movie because they were not satisfied. When asked why, Seth stated, “We really try to make it where it gets to the point where we can stand behind everything in it with 100 percent confidence. We’ve tried to punch every hole into it that we can. If it holds up, it holds water, as we always say.”
Leaders need to set the same high standards…and most do. The problem is that many get caught up in an idea or have lost sight of the goal. Others get so fixated on the deadline that they willingly cut corners. Either way, their success is hampered by an inability to change course.
The script becomes an ever-evolving thing. You can’t be afraid of making big-idea changes…Once an idea seems good, then you have to do it, and that’s what we do. Or, once an idea seems bad, you have to fix it. – Seth Rogen
According to Bill McBean’s new book, The Facts of Business Life, there are essentially five characteristics of great leaders, flexibility being the first. According to Bill, “leaders have to be able to change course; that is, first make sure their businesses will survive, and then find a new way to reach their goals.”
Not everything goes as planned. Priorities may change or someone on the team can have an epiphany that will potentially improve the output. As the leader, you need to be open to these ideas. It can be stressful to change the direction of a project at the last minute, but Seth Rogen stands behind every movie with 100% confidence. Can you make the same declaration about your work?
