I’m sitting here at Starbucks enjoying a cup of coffee, listening to The Muppets (various soundtracks and songs) and working on Daps Magic. As I am sitting here I can’t help but be happy listening to some of my favorite happy songs from some of my favorite characters.
As I’m sitting here, I go back many years to an earlier era of Daps Magic. It really was when things were starting to pick up and we were figuring out what we could do with this thing. This led to new endeavors that went way beyond Disney news. Endeavors like like Geeks Corner, random videos with puppets, adventures in the parks to go on quests, podcasts, and so much more. At one point, I remember looking around and thinking what an incredible group of very different people we have coming together for this thing called Daps Magic. Talking to my friend Deb, she made the connection that Daps Magic had really become a lot like The Muppets or The Muppet Show. There were a lot of people with lots of ideas and unique personalities that came together to create something special. They all cared for each other and embraced their differences to make something magical that individually could never be done.
Over a decade after that conversation, I still regularly thinking about it. As we go about with new ideas and projects, I continue to strive to embrace that culture of togetherness and kindness. I love that we are still made up of a bunch of very different people with different passions and personalities. I love that the culture of Daps Magic is still very much that of The Muppets. I hope that is something that never changes.
As leaders we often look to others for leadership examples. One of those leaders I really think I have resonated with is oddly enough Kermit the Frog, or really perhaps Jim Henson. I love the leadership style has been painting the vision of what is being built and how it comes from a place of kindness. There is still accountability, but it isn’t done in a malicious way. This is leadership that walks with the team. It’s a leadership that celebrates the wins and doesn’t beat people up with the losses. It’s always looking for how things can be done better and how whatever influence that is had can be used to make the world a better place. This leadership is about connection.
I have loved The Muppets for decades. As I sit here listening to their music, these thoughts came back to mind. Rather than just keep them to myself, it seemed like this was a good time to slow down and write them down. Perhaps it will inspire someone else to lead like Kermit, or maybe it will explain a little bit more about me (yea, I can be a bit quirky. I do wear a bow tie and trilby after all) and the inspiration The Muppets have given me. Whatever it does, I hope it makes the day a little bit better for whoever happens to read it and I hope it inspires them to be a better leader and to look for leaders around them to be inspired and continued to grow.
I regularly attend a leadership conference that says ‘when the leader gets better, everyone gets better.’ I hope that I can continue to become a better leader for the sake of Daps Magic and whatever influence I have in the world around me. I hope that this also inspires others to do the same. After all, who wouldn’t want to create their own version of The Muppets and make the world a better place?
