Scene 17 - Theatrics of Leadership
From Book, Theatrics of Capitalism
David M. Boje, Ph.D.
January 8, 2001
Leadership is theatre. Leaders perform various character roles and do the tasks of plot designers, producers, scriptwriters and directors in spectacles of power. Each situation is a scene with its own stage, spectators, and dialog to master. Some situations call forth a more heroic performance, others a more tragic, comedic, or ironic one. In part I, of this chapter, we apply Aristotle’s poetic elements of theatre to leadership; part II explores the role of leadership in not only spectacle, but carnival, and festival; and in part III, we look at ways to training leaders using lessons form theatre.
Introduction
The network of theatrical performances of an organization is something I have called Tamara (Boje, 1995). Workers, managers, executives, staff, customers, and vendors constitute fragmented, distributed network of wandering audiences that make choices about which microstages to exit and enter. The fragmenting audiences, as they split and diffuse, encounter simultaneous performances of spectacle, carnival, and festival. No actor can is present in all scenes or able to participates on all the stages. The Tamara network of stages of performance is what Foucault (1979) called “carcereal,” a network of disciplinary stages within which there is leadership, direction, coordination, or its imitation.
We are immersed in a Tamara-like network of theatrics that is being continually constructed and reconstructed as our characters morph and pass from one plot to another. The intersecting gaze of the Tamara is designed into the seating, the class structure of balcony, front and lodge seating; it is designed into the crisscrossing gaze of video conferencing; it can also be a more egalitarian architecture. The scenery, the desks, mahogany paneling, even people; all are symbols of power on stage.
“Great demonstrations and rallies in the urban centers of the United States make for splendid theater” (Bookchin, 1983). The carnival of resistance is dialectic to spectacles of leadership.
Collectively these wandering spectators and actors construct the metascript of the organization and society. Metascript is mostly an unwritten manuscript, and leaders work in the modern day scriptorium, their office a writing room where script is produced. Leaders are persons who write scripts, but not on parchment. Rather, the metascript is constructed out of fragments of dialog, bits of conversation, stories, and scenarios; much of it is oral. The metascript changes from one generation, one administration, and one venture to the next.
Part I: The Septet Elements of Theatre
Leaders perform all seven dramaturgical elements (revisit Scene 7 “Enron & Septet”).
1. Plots – Aristotle (350 BCE) believed plot to be the most important element; plot is a combination of events; the incidents are selected to arouse pity and fear in the spectators (e.g. seeing the suffering by some deed of horror), other times amusement or irony; In comedy, the bitterest enemies walk off good friends at the end of their conflict.
2. Characters – character is "what makes us ascribe certain moral qualities to the agents (actors)" (1450a: 5, p. 231). Characters reveal the moral purpose of the agents, i.e. the sort of thing they seek or avoid (1450b: 5, p. 232). Moral purpose of the character is revealed by what they say or do on stage (1453: 19, p. 242)
3. Themes – Themes (or thought) is shown in all the characters say and do in proving or disproving some particular point, or enunciating some universal proposition.
4. Dialogs – Dialog (or diction) is the verbal and non-verbal exchanges among characters. This is resource to express character, plot, and theme.
5. Rhythms - Rhythms can be fast or slow, repetitive or chaotic, gentle or harsh. I.e. The leader character can be a workaholic making everyone work at fast and harsh pace. The rhythm can slow down or build up to give emphasis.
6. Frames - For Aristotle, the spectators have "frames of mind" that characters and plots seek to persuade through dialog and rhythm. For Burke (1937) Frame is an ideological worldview, what we call grand narratives. For Burke the Frames of Acceptance (tragedy or comedy) and Frames of Rejection (grotesque or burlesque) are in dialectic interaction.
7. Spectacles - Aristotle thought spectacle, though an attraction, to be the least artistic of all the parts, requiring extraneous aid (1450b: 15, p. 232 & p. 240); it is the stage appearance of the actor; what the costumier does; pity and fear may be aroused by spectacle, but better to arouse these emotions in the spectators by the plot, the incidents of the play (1453, 13, p. 239).Here we have looked at more contemporary spectacles (concentrated, diffuse, integrated, and mega).
Since Aristotle's day, leadership has become more spectacle than plot. Leadership and organization are theatre. I am not talking here of Broadway theatre (though this is not independent of capitalism). Rather, I am talking of the theatrics of leadership diffused throughout capitalism.
There are two aspects of leadership is theatre. First, there are times when the leader is the star performer, stepping eagerly into the spotlight. Second, are those other times when the leader just scripts the roles others will play, and does not enter the front stage at all. Back stage leaders rehearse their lines, coach others in their lines, edit the organizational script, and review previous performances. Between the front and the back stage is the corridor of power. Few are privileged to see what goes on there. Next, we explore each of Aristotle’s poetics using Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (1999) as a case example.
Plot - The plot of Star Wars Episode 1 is more than just a war between the Trade Federation and a Galactic Republic planet, Naboo or a dispute over the taxation of trade routes to outlaying star systems. The main plot is the hero’s journey in the struggle to resist evil. There are several heroic characters (Anikan Skywalker winning the pod race and taking the first step on his journey to become Darth Vader; Obi-Wan-Kenobi defeating Darth Maul (Dark Lord of the Sith) ; Queen Amidala outwitting the Galactic Republic Senate, out-foxing the Evil Emperor, and crafting a strategy to defeat the Trade Federation’s robot army (she forms an alliance with the Gongan military). There are several subplots. First, Senator Palpatine of the Galactic Federation is plotting to become Chancellor of the Senate and is stalemating the current Chancellor Valorum with bureaucratic maneuvers making him appear powerless during the Trade Federation War and conquest of Naboo. Second, Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn is going to free the slave Anikin Skywalker, defy the Council of Jedi by taking him on as an apprentice, and meet his death at the hands of the Seith apprentice of the Evil Emperor.
Characters – Episode 1 presents a number of characters that are familiar in Episodes IV, V, and VI. Each character has a moral purpose. For example, we see a young Obi-Wan-Kenobi as an apprentice to the Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn; the scheming senator Palpatine becomes the Evil Emperor; Jedi Knights are the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy; Anikin Skywalker is Darth Vader as a boy and we see his moral purpose begin to unfold. For example, in one scene the shadow of Anikin is cast in the outline of Darth Vader, upon a large boulder. Jar Jar Binks plays the comic character, a Gungan, who helps the Jedi and Queen Amidala on their heroic journeys; ultimately Jar Jar Binks becomes a hero, like the Lion in Wizard of Oz, he finds his courage. Several characters have what Aristotle terms tragic flaws that will seal their fate in this or subsequent episodes. Notably, Qui-Gon Jinn defies the warnings of the Jedi Council, and looses his battle with the Evil Emperor’s apprentice. We as spectators pity the tragic fate of Qui-Gon Jinn as he is defeated and killed by Darth Maul. Anikin Skywalker has the tragic flaw of “fear,” as discovered by Yoda and other Jedi Council members. “Fear is my ally” – Darth Maul. “Fear leads to anger, which leads to hate,” says Yoda, and this is the path to the dark side. The tragic flaw is identified in Episode 1 and fulfilled in the succeeded episodes of Star Wars.
Theme – The theme of the Star Wars Episode is the clash of good versus evil, the life affirming versus the dark side of the force. The universal proposition is “may the force be with you.” There are others, such as “your focus determines your reality.” Finally, there is a theme of apprenticeship running through the episodes.
Dialog – The dialog is the expression of character, theme, and plot. The dialog among characters is a mix of bureaucratic, state, military, and mythical discourses. An example of dialog is when Queen Amadella replies to Senator Palpatine (the Evil Emperor). The scene expresses the Machiavellian plot of Senator Palpatine, and the resistance by Queen Amidala:
PALPATINE : ...the Republic is not what it once was. The Senate is full of greedy, squabbling delegates who are only looking out for themselves and their home sytems. There is no interest in the common good...no civility, only politics...its disgusting. I must be frank, Your Majesty, there is little chance the Senate will act on the invasion.
AMIDALA : Chancellor Valorum seems to think there is hope.
PALPATINE : If I may say so, Your Majesty, the Chancellor has little real power...he is mired down by baseless accusations of corruption. A manufactured scandal surrounds him. The bureaucrats are in charge now.
AMIDALA : What options do we have?
PALPATINE : Our best choice would be to push for the election of a stronger Supreme Chancellor. One who will take control of the bureaucrats, enforces the laws, and give us justice. You could call for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum.
AMIDALA : He has been our strongest supporter. Is there any other way?
PALPATINE : Our only other choice would to be to submit a plea to the courts...
AMIDALA : There's no time for that. The courts take even longer to decide things than the Senate. Our people are dying, Senator...more and more each day. We must do something quickly to stop the Federation.
PALPATINE : To be realistic, Your Highness, I'd say we're going to have to accept Federation control for the time being.
AMIDALA : This is something I cannot do…
AMIDALA: My place is with my people. Senator, this is your arena. I feel I must return to mine. I have decided to go back to Naboo.
There are several dialogic arenas of power in this episode. First, there is the bureaucratic arena of power, the Machiavellian maneuvers by Senator Palpatine to unseat Supreme Chancellor Valorum. Second, there is the military arena, the dialog of war between the Jedi and the Trade federation; the dialog between the robot military hierarchy and the Viceroy of the Trade Federation; the dialog between Queen Amidala and the leader of the Gungan; the dialog between the Evil Emperor and the Viceroy; the Jedi Council dialog with the Jedi knight; the dialog between the slave owner merchant and the Jedi.
Rhythm – The rhythm of the episode is the ups and downs, successes and setbacks as young Anikin, Queen Amidala and their Jedi face the challenges of Republic bureaucracy, a change in Supreme Chancellor to control the senate, the imperial conquest of the planet Naboo by the Trade Federation, the battle between the dark and Jedi sides of the Force.
Frames – The ideological frames of Empire (machiavellian leadership with robotic armies), Queen Amidala’s world of Naboo and her alliance with Gongan military underworld (premodern leaders in a modern world), and the Jedi knights (bridge of modern and premodern) are in contest.
Spectacle – The trilogy of spectacle, carnival and festival is played out in the poetics of Star Wars. First, there is the grand spectacle ending, a parade of the victory Gongan military on the planet Naboo, with their leader receiving his trophy from Queen Amidala. The scenes of war and the floating seats of the Republic Senate are spectacles. Part spectacle and part festival is the Boonta Eve Pod race, which is also sale promotion for the video game version. Sebulba, a podracer pilot also from Tatooine, challenges Anakin to a great desert pod race in this festive occasion.
Carnivals of resistance to spectacle are played out in at least five areas. First, Qui-Gon Jinn resists the Jedi Council in taking Anikin as his apprentice. Second, the comic Gungan character resists his state/military. Third, Queen Amidala resists the Republic Senate by calling for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum (a move calculated by the Evil Emperor/Senator Palpatine.
AMIDALA : (angrily) I will not defer...I have come before you to resolve this attack on our sovereignty now. I was not elected to watch my people suffer and die while you discuss this invasion in a committee. If this body is not capable of action, I suggest new leadership is needed. I move for a "vote of no confidence"...in Chancellor Valorum's leadership.
VALORUM : What?...No!
She also resists Senator Palatine by returning to her planet to strike an alliance with Boss Nass, leader of Gungan. Fourth, Anikin resists his enslavement on the planet of Tatooine by Watto the Toydarian, a junk parts owner; Anikin the Jedi win the money necessary to repair their spacecraft. Anikin also resists Qui-Gon Jinn by going out to do battle in space. Fifth, Obi-Wan-Kenobi resists the preferences of Yoda and the Jedi Council by taking Anikin Skywalker as his apprentice (to keep his promise to Qui-Gon Jinn).
Script - Leaders are spokespersons for economic forces, scriptwriters giving our work life its spectacle, character-roles, rhythm, plot, dialog, and theme (all six of Aristotle’s poetics). I want to make the point that we each play our scripted roles, being characters in plots already designed, on stages already set; we are expected to just play our part. We become habituated to the theatrics we work within. It is not that leaders script and construct disciplines of power, it is that they become habituated to them, mindless following their patterns, like the rest of us. Aristotle defines theme as a thought or idea system we live within. We express that idea system in our character, dialog, and spectacle, and it plays out in out plot and rhythm. In more conscious capitalism we would be aware of theme.