Make everyone else’s job easier

Hey, Nikki here.

A lot of leadership in this business gets overcomplicated when the real job is pretty plain: solve problems, deliver the show, and don’t make the day harder than it already is.

This week I sat down with Patrick Ledwith, Managing Director of North America for ES Global. He started as a stagehand at 17, came up through rigging, carpentry, stage management, and production management, and helped build some of the biggest tours of the last 40 years. 

What stood out to me was how little ego he puts on any of it. Even at that level, he keeps bringing it back to the same things: work ethic, calm, prep, and making the experience better for the fans.

Why this one matters:

A lot of people want the title, the bigger show, or the seat at the table. Patrick makes it very clear that leadership in live events is less about status and more about carrying responsibility without spreading chaos.

People should feel steadier because you’re there.

He also said something really practical for production managers: you can’t just hide in the office. You still need to understand the jobs under you well enough to help when things get tight.

#1 Commit, then do the work

Patrick talked about how often this business starts with saying yes before you’ve fully seen the path. That only works if you’re willing to follow that yes with hard days, fast learning, and actual delivery.

Takeaway: Confidence helps, but follow-through is what earns trust.

Try this: Say yes to the opportunity, then make a 48-hour plan for how you’ll get up to speed before the pressure hits.

#2 Make the day easier

Patrick’s view of leadership is simple: your job is to make everyone else’s job easier. That takes organization, strong prep, and knowing enough about the work around you to support it under pressure.

Takeaway: Good leadership feels like less friction.

Try this: Ask one crew member this week, “What can I do before show day that would make your job easier?”

#3 Keep your baggage in check

Patrick shared an old rule he still lives by: keep your rag firmly in your back pocket. His point was clear. Bad moods spread fast, and leaders set the temperature.

Takeaway: Your stress does not need its own headset channel.

Try this: When the day goes sideways, give yourself one private reset before you speak, so the crew gets direction instead of your frustration.

If you want the full conversation, listen to Episode #55 of The Giggs Podcast with Patrick Ledwith.
SPOTIFY | APPLE | YOUTUBE

— Nikki

P.S. One line I loved: “When the show goes on, the show goes on.” It’s a reminder that live work rewards the people who can build backward from reality and still keep the room steady when the time pressure is real.