You can know a great deal about leadership and still struggle when a difficult conversation becomes personal, a team loses confidence, or a carefully prepared plan falls apart.
These are the moments I had in mind when developing the S.T.A.G.E.™ Leadership Method.
Drawing on my experience in theatre, education and business, I created a framework that gives professionals space to practise leadership: to try, reflect, adjust and bring what they learn into their work.
Each letter represents a dimension of that practice:
S — Self-Awareness: Recognising how your emotions, assumptions and behaviour influence the people around you.
T — Trust: Building relationships through listening, consistency and the willingness to have honest conversations.
A — Adaptability: Adjusting your approach when circumstances change, while staying clear about your purpose.
G — Growth: Turning feedback and experience into meaningful changes in how you lead.
E — Execution: Translating intention into action, with clear decisions, responsibility and follow-through.
The connection to theatre is deliberate. Rehearsal allows us to explore choices, understand another person’s perspective and discover how we respond under pressure. These practices have real value in professional life.
Over the coming days, I’ll explore each dimension individually, sharing a practical workplace example and an exercise you can try. From navigating disagreement to acting on feedback, my aim is to help professionals put these ideas to work.
Which dimension feels most relevant to a challenge you’re facing today?
