Why Leading A Company Is Like Playing A Stadium Show

By John Caldwell

Hey Lady Gaga, we’re the same. And so are you, if you’re a CEO.

Stay with me.

I was at Lady Gaga’s Mayhem Ball show at Accor Stadium in Sydney. Roughly 70,000 people in the stadium, lights up, huge opening, full spectacle.

And then, somewhere in the middle, I started to turn.

I got bored. Irritated. I caught myself thinking, “This isn’t landing.” I even texted friends on the other side of the stadium: “Is it just me or is she falling flat?”

I looked around, decided people weren’t dancing as much, and made the classic move: I promoted myself to Chief Performance Critic of Lady Gaga.

Then towards the end, everything shifted.

She sat at the piano. She started talking to us like humans, not a crowd. She played in a way that felt stripped back and vulnerable.

And suddenly I was on my feet. Singing. Dancing. At one point, crying.

That moment hit me in the chest. It was exactly what I needed. But here’s the bit that matters:

When I was bored and grumpy, she was probably hitting it out of the park for someone else. When I was having my emotional epiphany, a different part of the stadium was checking their phones.

Same show. Same set list. Seventy thousand different experiences.

And that’s when it clicked: this is the reality of being a CEO.

We are all running a stadium show

Leadership, especially at CEO level, is one long attempt to run a coherent “show” for people who are all wanting something slightly different at the same time.

The board wants certainty. The exec team wants clarity. The team wants support. The market wants performance. Everyone wants something now.

You pull a strategic lever, and one group is up dancing, another group is sitting down with their arms folded, wondering why you “don’t get it”.

That doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re doing the job.

Success for a CEO is not “everyone loved every minute”. Success is “by the end, the stadium was on its feet”.

But that requires something people don’t like to talk about: patience.

You can’t judge the show at the halfway mark

If I’d left that concert when I was annoyed, I would have walked out telling everyone it was average.

I would have missed the moment where the whole stadium came together. I would have missed the part that stayed with me for days. And I would have been wrong about the show.

We do this with CEOs all the time.

We judge based on the first act of a transformation. We decide the strategy is off because the first quarter felt uncomfortable. We whisper about “culture issues” halfway through a reset that hasn’t even had time to land.

Meanwhile, the CEO is trying to keep 70,000 different expectations in the air and still land the finale with cash in the bank.

The dancer who fell and why leadership has to stop the music

At another Mayhem Ball show, one of Gaga’s dancers fell off the stage. The surface was wet, he slipped, and it was a nasty-looking fall.

She didn’t power through. She stopped the entire show.

Lights up. Music cut. Seventy thousand people waiting, mid-adrenaline, because one human needed attention and safety.

That is leadership.

Sometimes you have to stop the bus for one person, even when everyone else wants to keep driving. The rest of the crowd doesn’t always understand why you’re pausing. They get restless. They complain. They say you’re overreacting.

Until the day it’s them. Until the day they’re the one who’s burned out, sick, grieving, or hanging off the edge of the metaphorical stage.

Good CEOs know this. There are days when the entire company feels like it’s paused for “no good reason” because you are quietly dealing with something that absolutely cannot be done on a live mic.

The show still has to look effortless

I also found myself getting annoyed at the breaks.

Why is this taking so long? Why is nothing happening? Surely they could tighten this up?

As if a human belting out stadium vocals in head-to-toe costume under lights for two hours doesn’t need water, oxygen and time to reset.

And this is where CEOs and performers are frighteningly aligned.

The sales team is out front doing the show. The ops, tech, finance and people teams are backstage making sure the stage doesn’t crumble, the lights don’t blow, the contracts are watertight and payroll happens on time.

You miss one quiet, “boring” back-end piece and the whole performance falls over. No one claps for the person who fixed the system that prevented the disaster. They only notice when it breaks.

As CEOs, we live there. Your calendar might show a couple of visible “acts” a week. The rest is what I call the plumbing of leadership. Unseen, unsexy, absolutely essential.

“I hope when I come back in 20 years, you still want to see me.”

Towards the end of the Sydney show, Gaga said something like:

“I love you, Australia. I hope after I go away and write songs for 20 years and come back, you still want to see me.”

That line gutted me.

Because what we were watching that night wasn’t just a concert. It was the product of decades of work we never saw. Voice lessons. Failed ideas.

Team changes. Injuries. Reinventions. Negotiations. Fifteen versions of a show before the one that made it to Sydney.

It’s the same question every CEO quietly asks, even if we never say it out loud:

If I go away and do the hard, invisible work for years – the decisions, the restructures, the risks, the late nights, the bets that don’t pay off immediately. Will you still want to be in my stadium when it all comes together?

What most people see is the “night of”. The town hall. The big email. The strategy deck. The one moment they directly interact with you.

What they don’t see is that once you’ve finished scripting that one moment, you still have to:

Make sure the stage works. Make sure the lights hold. Make sure the choreography (people, process, tech) is actually doable in real life. Make sure the money is there. Make sure the team behind you can still walk at the end of the tour. And write the next 20 years at the same time.

That’s the job. That’s the scale.

A small request, from one CEO to the rest of the stadium

So yes, Lady Gaga and CEOs have something in common.

We’re all trying to put on the best show possible, in real time, for a crowd that doesn’t share one brain, one taste, or one timing.

Sometimes you’re in the part of the show that isn’t for you. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad show. It means you’re not the only one in the room.

To my fellow CEOs: You’re not crazy. The job really is this big and this messy and F:*$ing HARD!. You are allowed to take an interval, fix the lighting, check on the dancer who fell, and still call it a good night.

To everyone else: Before you decide your CEO is “falling flat”, ask yourself: Is this just not my song? Am I judging the show too early?

Because at the end of that night in Sydney, the whole stadium was dancing. Different songs. Different moments. Same energy, together.

I’m glad I didn’t leave at halftime.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Leadership Habits That Make Healthcare Teams Thrive

By RWR Group Marketing • September 20, 2026

Some healthcare teams turn over constantly. Others barely lose a permanent staff member year after year. The difference usually isn't the pay. It's the leader. We work closely with employers across primary care, aged care, allied health and community services, and the pattern is consistent: thriving teams share a leader with the same handful of habits. None of them is complicated. All of them take consistency. They communicate before problems become crises Strong leaders don't wait for a formal review to raise an issue or share praise. They check in regularly, in person, briefly and often. Staff know where they stand because their leader tells them, not because they have to guess. They make it safe to speak up Teams thrive when people can flag a mistake, question a process or push back on a decision without fear. Leaders who build this kind of psychological safety hear about small problems early, before they become resignations. They delegate real responsibility, not just tasks Handing someone a task is management. Handing someone genuine ownership of an outcome, and backing their decisions, is leadership. Staff who are trusted with real responsibility are far more likely to stay in a permanent role long term. They recognise contribution specifically "Great job team" doesn't land the way specific recognition does. Naming exactly what someone did well, and why it mattered, tells staff their work is actually being noticed, not just acknowledged in passing. They protect their team's time and wellbeing Thriving teams have leaders who push back on unreasonable demands from above, protect rosters from constant last-minute changes, and model healthy boundaries themselves. Staff notice when a leader has their back. They coach instead of just correcting When something goes wrong, strong leaders ask questions before giving answers. "What do you think happened here, and what would you do differently?" builds capability. Simply telling someone what to do next time doesn't. Key Takeaways Regular, informal check-ins build more trust than annual reviews ever will. Psychological safety is what surfaces small problems before they become big ones. Real delegation, not just task handoff, is what keeps senior staff engaged. Specific recognition beats generic praise every time. Protecting your team's time is a leadership act, not a nice-to-have. Coaching builds capability; correcting just fixes the moment. If your team's turnover has been creeping up, it's worth looking at leadership habits before you look at pay. The organisations that keep their best permanent staff usually aren't paying the most. They're led the best. Want to build a leadership approach that keeps your best people? Visit www.rwrhealth.co.nz/contact-us to talk about your team.

What Clinical Leaders Look for Before Accepting a Role

By RWR Group Marketing • September 16, 2026

You didn't reach a leadership level in primary care, aged care, or allied health by accident. So when you're weighing up a new permanent role, you're not just checking the salary. You're reading between the lines. Here's what experienced clinical leaders look for before they say yes, plus a few quiet red flags to watch for early. Autonomy that's real, not just talked about Leaders want to know they'll be trusted to make clinical and operational decisions, not just carry the title while someone else calls the shots. In interviews, ask directly: "What decisions would sit with me, and what would need sign-off?" The answer tells you about how the organisation operates. A team that's ready for leadership, not just a vacancy A leadership role is only as good as the team underneath it. Before accepting, find out why the position is open. A newly created role to support growth feels very different to a role that's turned over three times in two years. Support from above, not just responsibility from below The best permanent leadership roles come with a manager or director who backs you, resources you and removes obstacles. Ask who you'll report to and how often. If nobody can give you a clear answer, that's worth noting. Room to actually lead, not just manage rosters Clinical leaders want to shape how care is delivered, mentor junior staff and influence policy, not fill gaps in a schedule. Look for organisations that talk about your input on clinical governance, service design or team development, not just your availability. Values alignment you can test Anyone can describe a values-driven organisation in an interview. Ask for a specific, recent example: a decision the leadership team made that reflected those values under pressure. If they can't give you one, that's a signal. Quick Quiz: Are You Ready for Your Next Leadership Role? Can you clearly describe the kind of team culture you want to build? Do you know the three non-negotiables you need from an employer before you'll say yes? Have you asked a potential employer why the role became available? Do you feel confident naming what "support from leadership" should actually look like day to day? Are you clear on the difference between a role you'd tolerate and one you'd thrive in? If you answered yes to four or five, you're in a strong position to negotiate on your terms. If it's closer to two or three, it might be worth clarifying your non-negotiables before your next conversation. Considering your next permanent leadership move in primary care, aged care, allied health or community services? Visit www.rwrhealth.co.nz/contact-us and let's talk about roles that actually match what you're looking for.

What Makes a Standout Healthcare Employer

By RWR Group Marketing • September 15, 2026

The best clinicians in primary care, aged care and allied health are rarely short of options. So when a permanent role lands on their desk, the real question isn't "will they apply?" It's "why would they choose you over the practice down the road?" After years placing permanent talent across primary care, aged care, allied health, NGOs, private medical and community services, we've noticed the standout employers all do a handful of things differently. None of it is complicated. Most of it costs nothing but attention. Your reputation arrives before you do Candidates talk. Former staff talk. Long before someone applies for a permanent role, they've usually asked around or checked reviews. Standout employers treat their reputation as something to actively manage, not something that just happens to them. Culture that's visible, not claimed Every organisation says it has a "supportive team" and a "great culture." Standout employers show it. That might mean a clear induction plan, a manager who actually checks in during the first month, or rosters that reflect real respect for work-life balance. Candidates can tell the difference between a slogan and a lived experience within weeks of starting. Growth pathways that are mapped out Experienced healthcare professionals want to know what's next, not in five years, but in twelve months. Standout employers can describe a genuine progression pathway on the spot: extra clinical responsibility, a team lead track, funded professional development. Vague promises don't cut it anymore. Flexibility with real boundaries Flexibility doesn't mean "anything goes." It means being upfront about what's negotiable (start times, part-time options, hybrid admin work) and what isn't. Candidates for permanent roles are comparing your flexibility against every other offer they're weighing up, so clarity wins over vague generosity. Values show up in the small decisions Anyone can put "person-centred care" on a careers page. Standout employers can point to a decision they made last month that proves it: a roster change to protect a staff member's wellbeing, a client complaint handled with the team's input, a policy that reflects the mission statement. That consistency is what makes people stay. Is Your Organisation a Standout Employer? Quick Checklist ☐ Can a candidate find genuine, recent reviews from your current or former staff? ☐ Does your onboarding plan go beyond the first day? ☐ Can you name a real progression pathway for this exact role? ☐ Have you clearly defined what flexibility looks like, in writing? ☐ Can you give one recent example of your values shaping a real decision? If you ticked three or fewer, that's not a failure, it's a starting point. The organisations that win permanent healthcare talent aren't perfect. They're just honest about where they stand and deliberate about closing the gap. Ready to build an employer brand that experienced healthcare professionals actually want to join? Visit www.rwrhealth.co.nz/contact-us and let's talk about your next permanent hire.