When You Have the Mic . . .
Kayden Hern
In my planning as senior producer for the upcoming Juneteenth celebration at Carnegie Hall, I came across a story of an extraordinary young man. Pictured above, Kayden Hern, at the tender age of nine years old, was selected as the 2023 New York State Poet Laureate for Governor Kathy Hochul’s Inaugural Ceremony. He met the Governor at the Apollo Theater, where, when the governor asked if he was waiting to see someone perform, he informed her that he was there to recite his poem “In My Mind.” I’m excited to add Kayden’s inspirational poem to this year’s Juneteenth program from the Carnegie stage.
The enterprising young poet made me think about a question I heard in a recent podcast: what do we do when we have the mic? If young Kayden Hern is an example, we use it thoughtfully and with deliberate measure. The tone and quality of our delivery matters.
Passing the Mic
During a coaching session this past week, a client shared a new approach to building her team members’ leadership capacity. She leads seventy-five people who had become accustomed to her being the voice for their operation. For her to elevate her own servant leadership style, she realized that she had to be more intentional about engaging those she leads. Now she asks her reports to create scripts, give tours, and speak to VIPS. Their initial response was one of surprise followed by trepidation as they pointed out that she is the one who speaks, they don’t. Yet, shifting the landscape presented new growth opportunities for all.
This is a beautiful example of our jazz principle of Shared Leadership—the perspective of respecting and acknowledging the leadership capacity of each member, which leads to shared responsibility and accountability for team strength and cohesion. In jazz, the proverbial mic is passed from one band member to the next—through the practice of improvisation—so each voice is heard.
Shared leadership is a group mechanism—a common operating platform and common language that leads to high performance. Shared leadership is a foundation for collective intelligence and, as such, an avenue to:
● Move from silos and cliques to a “we” space of shared purpose and goals
● Recognize each person as a leader, based on their role
● Share risk, responsibility, and accountability
● Share values and intention
● Cooperate and collaborate with coherence
What instances can be opportunities for us to share our mic?
A Mic For You ... A Mic For You … A Mic For You …
Keke Palmer
Last year, actress, vocalist, producer, and entrepreneur Keke Palmer launched KeyTV, her free digital network to spotlight “a new generation of creators.” Primarily targeting Black American creators, KeyTV will be a pathway to teach and train the next generation to break into film and TV. Declaring that her key role is as a collaborator, Palmer says she wants to create opportunities for BIPOC creators to be in spaces where they’re not normally seen or heard. A prime example of this is evident in the KeyTV intro video, in which each production person—designers, sound mixers, key grips, boom operators—introduces themselves and their role.
All it takes is one of us to unlock a door to unlock a million doors for each other. I'm so excited to introduce you guys to Key TV, where our stories matter and where we are represented as the keys to the culture. Sharing the keys to the culture is my greatest gift — this is for you & for us, from me.
In an interview with Revolt TV, Palmer was asked why KeyTV Network was vital for her to build. She said that she wanted to figure out how to reinvest the information she has and what she could build as she asked herself: “Who else is it for? The information and blessings don’t need to stay with me.”
Palmer says that partner eOne’s commitment to allowing talent to bring their unique lens and lead the storytelling process made them an ideal partner. KeyTV can be found on Facebook and on YouTube.
Testing . . . 1, 2, 3
A microphone, actual or symbolic, is a powerful tool. Prior to its invention, people used megaphones so their voices would carry and everyone could hear them. Knowing that we don't have to be the loudest voice, or the only voice, in the room brings the emphasis to the caliber of our tone, the quality of our delivery, and value of our message. A mic amplifies our thoughts and voice, potentially elevating us to a status of power and influence. Let's make sure we have tested it well for an impactful delivery.
