Muppet Performers Share What It Was Like To Work For Jim Henson | Fast Company | Business Innovation
Jim Henson didn’t need to lead by pulling rank or putting anyone down. He set the tone with his behavior--fearless, hardworking, generous, and calm--and allowed those qualities to radiate outwards from the center.
A good boss, like a good teacher, empowers his employees. This, though, is too easy to say and very hard to actually do. Most of us have egos that get in the way, worrying we will be thought of as too soft, slow, or indecisive. Henson’s agent said he “rarely spoke above a whisper.” Henson’s wife Jane said he was “so patient she sometimes want[ed] to kick him.” The creator of Kermit the Frog had what was indeed a very rare management style.
Jim Henson didn’t need to lead by pulling rank or putting anyone down. He set the tone with his behavior--fearless, hardworking, generous, and calm--and allowed those qualities to radiate outwards from the center.A good boss, like a good teacher, empowers his employees. This, though, is too easy to say and very hard to actually do. Most of us have egos that get in the way, worrying we will be thought of as too soft, slow, or indecisive. Henson’s agent said he “rarely spoke above a whisper.” Henson’s wife Jane said he was “so patient she sometimes want[ed] to kick him.” The creator of Kermit the Frog had what was indeed a very rare management style.
