What’s Funny?
I know that humor is cultural, social, and locational (as in you had to be there), but I love humor. I’ve never been much for slapstick in the mode of The Three St00ges, clever visual comedy has always worked for me.
I was recently doing some class prep work (really), when I stumbled across this gem from Buster Keaton and Edward Cline. The comic timing is sheer magic, and though it is the product of a simpler time, it rivals any of today’s best.
So, what is the connection to my class prep? Well, not only was Keaton a master, he was an incredible collaborator. He drew on the strengths of others to make movies that, even 85 years later, are a delight to watch.
One of Keaton’s most famous collaborative efforts was a film called The Playhouse, in which Keaton plays everybody.The film was done when trick photography was in its infancy, and Keaton drew on the expertise of cinematographer, Elgin Lessley, who developed a variety of innovative techniques to create amazing montage scenes. In one, 9 dancers (all Keaton) dance on the same stage, in perfect rhythm. The feat is all the more amazing because, not only did Keaton have to dance in perfect step, but Lessley had to crank the hand-drive camera and the exact speed, for nine takes in a row (all on the same length of film, so one error would have ruined the whole reel). Because of his accuracy, Lessley is said to have earned the nickname “the human metronome.” Here’s a clip from The Playhouse, but you have to buy the DVD to get the most impressive pieces.
The leadership application? No one can do excellent work without the help of others. Sometimes, the real genius, like Lessley, remain behind the scenes. Keaton always gave him credit for his work, but chances are good that you had never heard of him until now, or if you had, you had forgotten his name.
Leadership, then, can never be about getting credit–it has to be about doing something worthwhile, and surrounding oneself with talented people who can carry out a vision. Keaton was highly visible, and remains a bit of a comedy icon; even so, he surrounded himself with people like Cline and Lessley who could help him accomplish far more than he could ever have accomplished by himself.