MindLines Terence Brake

TMA World │ Head of Learning and Innovation

Some lessons from the Cirque du Soleil

It’s been a year this month

since I saw Cirque du

Soleil. It was in

Las Vegas and the show was

‘Love’, an acrobatic

performance woven around

the music of the Beatles.

It wasn’t just a show,

it was a magical

experience.

Some lessons from the Cirque du Soleil

I wanted more and more

and more, as do many

others.

Its performances have been

seen by 100 million

spectators in nearly 300

cities on 5 continents. Not

bad for what started as a

ragtag group of street

performers in Montreal.

Some lessons from the Cirque du Soleil

What can other organizations

learn from Cirque du Soleil?

CREATIVITY

ENGAGEMENT

OPENNESS

TALENT

TEAMWORK

DISCIPLINE

Some lessons from the Cirque du Soleil

At the heart of Cirque du Soleil is

creativity. They don’t rest on

success, but are always looking

to push the boundaries at

every level.

CREATIVITY

Some lessons from the Cirque du Soleil

There is no formula. Each show

will have its own signature, but

there is a resistance to repeating

what has worked in the past.

CREATIVITY

Some lessons from the Cirque du Soleil

Even if a show has been on the

road for years the Cirque is

always open to change. This

keeps the artists engaged and

willing to grow.

ENGAGEMENT

Some lessons from the Cirque du Soleil

It respects the desire of the

artists to challenge themselves

and stay fresh. Acts evolve which

is important when there are nine

shows a week along with ongoing

training.

ENGAGEMENT

Some lessons from the Cirque du Soleil

There is a very strong

commitment to openness,

difference and diversity.

How else can the Cirque continue

to entrance its audiences? You

cannot keep pushing the

boundaries of creativity when one

culture only talks to itself.

OPENNESS

Some lessons from the Cirque du Soleil

There are 40 plus different

countries represented, speaking in

25 languages and there is an

appreciation of the creative input

from each individual and culture.

OPENNESS

Some lessons from the Cirque du Soleil

The Cirque continually searches

for the best talent in the world.

Its auditions are known as

treasure hunts.

TALENT

Some lessons from the Cirque du Soleil

Lyn Heward says,

“People are not hired for who

they are, but for what they

may become… we’re trying to

find the ‘pearl’, the hidden talent

in that individual”.

TALENT

Some lessons from the Cirque du Soleil

“What is that unique thing

each person brings?”

Transformative potential, if

you like.

TALENT

Some lessons from the Cirque du Soleil

Typically, the individual

performers are not known as

team players, but the Cirque

could not be the success it is

without strong team skills.

TEAMWORK

Some lessons from the Cirque du Soleil

The mission is to

“Turn athletes into artists and

form a cohesive team of

brothers.”

I’m assuming that

“team of brothers” includes the

many female artists.

TEAMWORK

Some lessons from the Cirque du Soleil

Spontaneity, creativity and

imagination are key to the

Cirque’s, but so are discipline &

hard work.

DISCIPLINE

Some lessons from the Cirque du Soleil

The openness and diversity spark

the creative concept, but then it

moves to several hard years of

casting, designing, training and

producing the experience.

DISCIPLINE

Some lessons from the Cirque du Soleil

I didn’t run away to join

the circus after

seeing ‘Love’,

but if I’d been a

few years younger

(and with more athletic

talent) I might have

been tempted.

Some lessons from the Cirque du Soleil

To learn more about how TMA World can help

your organization, please contact us at

enquiries@tmaworld.com

or visit

http://www.tmaworld.com/training-solutions/