From stage to strategy: How theatre inspires leadership and innovation in business

“If you want to change, you need to involve people in the process. We don’t like being told to change; we need to be part of it.” – Jeremy Sturt, Co-Founder of Just Add Water

In both theatre and business, leadership requires a unique blend of discipline, creativity, and storytelling. While these may seem like separate worlds, the lessons drawn from theatre can offer fresh perspectives on leadership, organisational development, and employee engagement.

With over 30 years of experience in the theatre industry, Jeremy Sturt, Co-Founder of Just Add Water, draws on his background in West End and Broadway productions to offer a transformative approach to leadership and change management. Drawing from the art of performance, Sturt shared with HRM Asia how creative principles can transform corporate environments—turning discipline into drive, play into innovation, and storytelling into lasting change.

The power of theatre in business leadership

Theatre professionals are known for their unparalleled discipline and focus, qualities that Sturt believes are crucial for business leaders as well. “Whether you’re a stage manager, actor, or dancer, a tremendous amount of hard work is involved in honing your craft. Discipline and focus are ingrained in theatre from the start, and these are invaluable traits for business leaders,” he explained.

In addition to these essential qualities, creativity and play are core components of Sturt’s leadership philosophy. He asserted, “Without play, we don’t create anything new, and I think we neglect that hugely in corporate life.”

Sturt advocates fostering a culture of exploration and imagination in a world focused on immediate results. “Play gives us freedom and an expression to explore what else is possible and dream a bit. And we don’t do enough of that in business,” he added. By introducing play into the workplace, leaders can encourage innovation, free thinking, and problem-solving in ways that traditional approaches to management often overlook.

Storytelling, another cornerstone of theatre, holds immense potential as a leadership tool. A compelling narrative is essential for captivating the audience in a theatrical production. Similarly, Sturt believes that organisations need to craft and communicate their own stories to inspire employees and stakeholders.

He shared, “In theatre, the history of humanity is told through stories. For organisations, having a compelling narrative is crucial. You won’t build the followership necessary to drive success if you don’t have a story that resonates with your team or customers.”

Evolving trends in organisational development

Looking back over the last three decades, Sturt observed significant changes in the landscape of leadership and organisational development. A sense of opportunity and optimism characterised the 1990s, while efficiency and productivity pressures dominate today’s business environment. “Time has become the most precious commodity. Organisations are trying to do more with less, squeezing every ounce of productivity out of their teams,” he noted.

The Covid-19 pandemic, however, has accelerated these challenges, making leadership more complex. Sturt reflected on how leaders have had to adapt, noting that the transactional nature of leadership has become more prominent, often stifling creativity. “Leadership has got better, but it’s also got harder. The pressures have increased,” he observed.

For Sturt, HR plays a crucial role in driving organisational transformation. While HR is often focused on legal and administrative tasks, the most successful organisations are those where HR leaders are actively involved in strategic decision-making. “Great HR leaders play a transformational role. They should be at the table, having strategic conversations with the C-suite,” he asserted.

Sturt highlighted that HR professionals must also embrace new competencies, particularly paradoxical thinking—the ability to manage conflicting ideas simultaneously. Resilience, empathy, and the ability to care deeply for employees are also key attributes HR leaders must develop to navigate the complexities of modern organisations.

The pandemic also highlighted HR’s essential role in maintaining employee wellbeing and organisational continuity. Initially, organisations struggled to balance the immediate need for productivity with the need for compassion and understanding. Sturt noted that organisations that allowed employees to transition back to the office on their own terms fared best. “Organisations that got it right were those that didn’t dictate but allowed teams to find their way back to a balanced approach,” he explained.

For HR, the lesson from the pandemic is clear: autonomy and flexibility, combined with purpose and structure, are the keys to managing the evolving workplace landscape.

The Productivity Paradox: Rethinking organisational efficiency

As organisations strive for higher efficiency, Sturt highlighted the “Productivity Paradox”—the idea that working harder does not always lead to better results. “If you want to change, you need to involve people in the process. We don’t like being told to change; we need to be part of it,” Sturt emphasised.

In his work with organisations undergoing digital transformation, Sturt underscored that the human aspect of change is often overlooked. Technological advancements must go hand-in-hand with people-centric approaches to leadership and transformation. Leaders must engage their teams in the process, ensuring the human side of change is as prioritised as the technological aspects.

As organisations navigate a rapidly changing world, thriving requires fostering cultures that balance creativity, empathy, and strategic focus. Sturt’s insights highlight that leadership goes beyond adapting to change—it involves crafting a narrative that unites and inspires. By embracing the power of storytelling, prioritising flexibility, and empowering employees to co-create solutions, leaders can build resilient teams capable of innovating and excelling in the face of disruption.