MikeLes Miserables achieved that elusive standard. As we walked to the parking lot after seeing the movie several months ago, it was clear that everyone had been captured by the powerful story portrayed on the screen. Our family has a good bit of musical talent, so some of our discussion centered on the surprising abilities of several actors that we had not previously seen in musical roles. We all agreed that Russell Crowe’s voice was the weakest of the leads, but that did little to diminish our enjoyment of Les Mis. So I was surprised when I learned that a number of critics had pounced on Crowe and on director Tom Hooper for his casting decision. In response, Hooper explained that he had auditioned hundreds of people. In Time, he explains, “Once I cast Hugh (Jackman), I thought, for this story to work, you need a guy who could get the better of him. It had to be a formidable actor.” In his opinion, Russell Crowe was one of the only people who could stand up to Jackman and sing. Whether you agree with Hooper’s casting decision or not, this story illustrates a central truth about leadership. As Marcus Buckingham says in First, Break All the Rules, “Casting for talent is one of the unwritten secrets to the success of great managers.” Personnel choices – who to hire, who to promote, when to move someone to a “different seat on the bus” – are some of the most important decisions that a leader makes. They can propel an organization forward or impede its progress. In making those “casting” decisions, we can all learn some important lessons from Tom Hooper:
- Casting can’t be done in isolation. The ensemble matters. A movie director or organizational leader must consider the “rest of the cast” when making personnel decisions. If someone other than Hugh Jackman had been playing Jean Valjean, then Russell Crowe might not have been the best choice for the role of Javert. As a leader, you need to pay attention to how one person’s talents complement others on your team, whether they will contribute positively to the chemistry, and whether they fit the culture. Otherwise, a “great” hire can turn into a disaster.
- Casting is complicated. It is exceedingly rare to find a person who meets all of your ideal attributes. Hooper believed that Crowe was the best choice available. As you’re making casting decisions, do you know which qualities you’d be willing to sacrifice and which ones are non-negotiable? If you have a list of traits that can only be met by a super-hero and you’ve not thought about these trade-offs, you will be frustrated.
- There will always be critics. Someone will be unhappy with your casting decisions. It’s important to learn from valid critiques, but don’t lose perspective. Hooper faced plenty of negative responses, and he didn’t receive an Academy nomination, but Les Mis is one of the top musical movies of all time. Apparently millions of people didn’t object too strenuously to his casting decisions. Keep that in mind as you face your critics.
