--- title: "Leadership in Creative Industries: Managing Art and Ego — Notes from the Wings" description: "Master leadership in creative industries. Learn how Broadway producers manage ego and art to keep productions on track for opening night success." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Suzanne Gilad", "alternateName": "Sue Gilad", "jobTitle": "Broadway Producer, Author, Editor, Speaker", "description": "Grammy and five-time Tony Award–winning Broadway producer, published author, professional editor, and arts-education advocate.", "award": [ "Grammy Award", "Tony Award for Best Musical (5x)", "30 Tony Award wins across productions" ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "Leadership in Creative Industries: Managing Art and Ego", "description": "Master leadership in creative industries. Learn how Broadway producers manage ego and art to keep productions on track for opening night success.", "datePublished": "2026-09-06T07:01:55.381+00:00", "dateModified": "2026-09-06T07:01:55.398899+00:00", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sue Gilad", "url": "https://www.suzannegilad.com/about" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Suzanne Gilad", "url": "https://www.suzannegilad.com" }, "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.suzannegilad.com/notes/leadership-in-creative-industries-ego-art" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.suzannegilad.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Notes from the Wings", "item": "https://www.suzannegilad.com/notes" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Leadership in Creative Industries: Managing Art and Ego", "item": "https://www.suzannegilad.com/notes/leadership-in-creative-industries-ego-art" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is leadership in creative industries?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Leadership in creative industries involves managing the intersection of artistic vision and commercial viability. It requires a producer or executive to facilitate collaboration among strong personalities—like directors, writers, and designers—while keeping the project on schedule and within budget. It is a balance of emotional intelligence, creative intuition, and hard-nosed business management to ensure the final product succeeds." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do producers handle ego in the rehearsal room?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Producers handle ego by redirecting the focus from individual desires to the needs of the production. By acting as a 'Third Voice,' a producer can mediate conflicts between directors and playwrights without taking sides. This involves active listening, setting clear boundaries during pre-production, and making executive decisions based on the project's 'North Star' or original creative mission." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What happens when a director and playwright disagree?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "When a director and playwright disagree, the producer must step in to facilitate a resolution. If the conflict stems from creative vision, the producer helps find a compromise that serves the story. If the conflict is about technical or budgetary constraints, the producer provides the necessary data to ground the decision in reality, ensuring the show remains on track for its opening." } } ] } ] --- [Suzanne Gilad ](/) [About ](/about)[Producer ](/producer)[Author & Editor ](/author-editor)[Speaking ](/speaking)[Philanthropy ](/philanthropy)[Notes ](/notes)[Glossary ](/glossary)[Contact ](/contact) [Notes from the Wings](/notes)/ Producer # Leadership in Creative Industries: Managing Art and Ego Navigating the high-stakes friction between directors and playwrights requires a producer to act as both a strategic anchor and a creative mediator. By Sue Gilad September 6, 2026 7 min read Share [](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsuzannegilad.lovable.app%2Fnotes%2Fleadership-in-creative-industries-ego-art)[](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Leadership%20in%20Creative%20Industries%3A%20Managing%20Art%20and%20Ego&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsuzannegilad.lovable.app%2Fnotes%2Fleadership-in-creative-industries-ego-art) Leadership in creative industries refers to the specialized management of artistic talent, high-stakes financial risk, and collaborative vision to bring a product—such as a Broadway musical—to market. Effective creative leaders balance the subjective needs of artists with the objective requirements of a [capitalization](/glossary/broadway-show-capitalization) budget and a definitive opening night deadline. I remember sitting in a dimly lit rehearsal room at the 42nd Street Studios during the development of 'The Prom.' The tension was thick enough to trip over. The director wanted a specific staging choice that would highlight the choreography, but the writer felt the movement was obscuring a critical line of dialogue. Both were right, and both were dug in. In that moment, my job wasn't to pick a winner; it was to navigate the ego and the art to ensure the show remained a cohesive piece of storytelling. As a [producer](/glossary/what-is-a-producer-in-theater), your presence in the room is often as a stabilizer. You aren't there to direct, but you are there to ensure the 'room' functions. ## The Producer as the Creative Anchor In the commercial theater world, the producer is the ultimate arbiter of the production’s health. While the [creative team](/glossary/creative-team) focuses on the aesthetic and emotional resonance of the work, the producer must maintain a macro view. This requires a specific type of leadership that values empathy as much as it values the bottom line. When a director and playwright clash, it is rarely about who is 'smarter.' It is almost always about a fear that the vision is being diluted. Leadership in creative industries means recognizing these fears early. According to data from the Broadway League, the financial stakes of a production can reach tens of millions of dollars, which naturally heightens the emotional temperature in the room. In my experience producing 'Moulin Rouge! The Musical,' I saw firsthand how a clear hierarchy and mutual respect between the lead producers and the creative leads can prevent small disagreements from turning into production-stalling crises. You must lead by listening, but you must also be the one who makes the final call when the clock is ticking toward previews. ## Strategies for Mediating Creative Conflict When the playwright insists on a three-hour runtime and the director wants to cut twenty minutes for pacing, the producer enters the fray. The goal is to move the conversation away from 'what I want' and toward 'what the show needs.' I often refer to this as the 'Third Voice'—the show itself is the client, not the individual egos involved. This approach is central to [managing theatrical production partnerships](/notes/managing-theatrical-production-partnerships) successfully. ### Steps to Resolve Creative Disagreements 1. 01 Identify the Core Concern Strip away the defensive language. Ask the director: 'What are you afraid will happen if we keep this scene?' Ask the writer: 'What is lost if this beat is removed?' 2. 02 Return to the Original Mission Remind the team of the 'North Star' established during early development. If the goal was to create a fast-paced comedy, does this specific argument serve that goal? 3. 03 Test the Tension If time allows, try both versions in front of a small, trusted audience or during a work-through. Data from the room often silences ego. 4. 04 Make the Executive Decision If a consensus cannot be reached, the lead producer must decide. Own the decision, explain the 'why' based on the production's health, and move the team forward. ## Balancing Technical Reality and Artistic Ambition Ego often flares up when the limitations of the physical world—or the budget—intrude on the artistic vision. A director might want a revolving stage that costs half a million dollars, while the playwright believes the story is better told in a static, intimate space. Here, leadership involves transparency about the [recoupment](/glossary/recoupment) schedule and the long-term viability of the show. If you overspend on a set piece that creates friction between the creatives, you've lost twice. > A producer’s greatest tool is not their checkbook, but their ability to translate the language of art into the language of action. Sue Gilad In my book on the creative process, I discuss the importance of the 'pre-production honeymoon.' This is the time to set the ground rules for how disagreements will be handled. If you wait until you are in the thick of technical rehearsals at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre to figure out your conflict resolution strategy, you are already behind. Good leadership is proactive, not reactive. You are the steward of the [creative team's longevity](/notes/managing-theater-creative-teams-longevity), ensuring they can work together not just until opening night, but through a multi-year run. ## The Soft Skills of the Creative Executive Managing art and ego requires a high degree of emotional intelligence. You must know when to take the director out for a quiet lunch to hear their frustrations and when to sit with the playwright in the back of the house to reassure them that their words still matter. This is why [mentorship](/l/broadway-producer-mentorship-programs) is so critical in our industry; you cannot learn the nuance of 'the room' from a spreadsheet. - Active Listening: Validating the artist's perspective before offering a counter-point. - Radical Transparency: Being honest about budget constraints and schedule pressures. - Vision Alignment: Constant reinforcement of the shared creative goal. - Decision Finality: Providing the 'end of the conversation' so the team can stop debating and start executing. Ultimately, leadership in creative industries is about creating an environment where the best idea can win, regardless of who it came from. When the curtain goes up on opening night, the audience shouldn't see the compromises or the friction; they should see a seamless piece of art that was protected by a leader who knew when to step in and when to step back. If you are interested in how these dynamics play out in the early stages of a career, you can explore the [apprentice path](/l/theatre-producer-apprenticeship-path-broadway) to see how new leaders are trained to handle these very pressures. Frequently asked ## Questions about this piece ### What is leadership in creative industries? ### How do producers handle ego in the rehearsal room? ### What happens when a director and playwright disagree? SG Written by Sue Gilad Grammy & five-time Tony Award–winning Broadway producer, author, editor, and arts-education advocate. [More about Sue](/about) · [Contact the office](/contact). Related reading ## More notes from the wings [ Producer ### Broadway Show International Licensing and Transfers A Broadway run is often just the beginning. Discover how producers leverage international licensing and West End transfers to achieve recoupment and long-term profit. September 4, 2026· 8 min read ](/notes/broadway-show-international-licensing)[ Producer ### Broadway Investment Syndication: Pools and Strategy A deep dive into theatrical syndication, explaining how producers organize groups of smaller investors into a single entity to reach Broadway capitalization. September 3, 2026· 7 min read ](/notes/broadway-investment-syndication-pools-strategy)[ Producer ### Broadway Show Capitalization Reserve Strategies Capitalization isn't just about the money spent to reach opening night. Discover how savvy producers structure reserves to weather slow seasons and ensure production longevity. September 2, 2026· 7 min read ](/notes/broadway-show-capitalization-reserve-strategies) [← Back to all notes](/notes) Suzanne Gilad Grammy & five-time Tony Award–winning Broadway producer, author, editor, speaker, and arts-education advocate. 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