PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

July 31, 2024

MACRO MANAGING

In a retrospect of the early days of television Tony Orlando was interviewed about the “Tony Orlando and Dawn Show” which ran on CBS from 1974 until 1976.  For the most part he felt ill-prepared and uptight the whole run of the show.  Orlando felt as if the whole success of the show was squarely on his shoulders.  His response was to try to micro manage everything.

One day Orlando met Carol Burnett in the hallway.  She was the host of the highly successful “Carol Burnett Show” which ran from 1967 until 1978.  When Tony shared with Carol the pressure he was experiencing being the host of a popular television program, she gave him the following advice: “You need to relay on others to help shoulder the load.”

Burnett’s advice came out of her own practical experience.  Her hit show was a product of a team effort.  Especially important was the input supplied by the supporting case of Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner and Tim Conway.  Tim would always save a few things for the actual live broadcast of the show.  His intent was to see if he could break up the other members of the cast, especially Harvey Korman.

An integral part of the success of the “Carol Burnett Show” was Bob Mackie, the costume designer.  Every week he had to produce clothing for each of the sketches.  Carol allowed him to have a free hand with his creations.  Mackie is best known for his “curtain dress” which was featured in the show’s parody of “Gone With the Wind.”  Today, the dress can be found displayed at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.

Tony Orlando took a micromanagement approach to being the host of his television show while Carol Burnett took a macro.  Orlando had his finger in the complete running of his show while Carol delegated.  In their interviews Orlando used the pronoun “I” much of the time while Carol used “we.”  When they met in the hallway, Orlando was uptight, anxious, stressed and feeling overwork.  Carol was relaxed, calm, and enjoying what she was doing.  Today, “The Tony Orlando and Dawn Show” is a blip on television history.  “The Carol Burnett Show” continues to be described as one of the all-time great television programs.

The above comparison would seem to indicate that a macro management approach has many advantages over a micro approach.  Never-the-less, the micro style remains attractive because of one central issue-control.

My natural inclination is to take the micro approach.  I like things to be done my way.  When you delegate responsibilities to others they may not do things the way you would.  They will tend to do it their way.  When you get done too it, in most cases there is no right or wrong way of doing something, just you way and their way.

In his letters the Apostle Paul takes the team approach.  All of us are on a team where we can use our strengths and abilities to work together for the common good.  To describe this model Paul uses the image of the human body.  All of the parts have their important function to play.  The one part that no one plays is that of the head.  This is left for Jesus.

Carol Burnett has given all of us an example of how to have a successful television show.  Most agree that the key to her success was to have a macro management approach which encouraged and celebrated the input of others.

(This article was originally published July 31, 2011.  Comments may be sent to davidh15503@embarqmail.com.)