What if the key to better stage management isn’t doing more, but showing more of yourself?
In Episode 20 of Backstage Banter, Liza Marie Hackman joins Jay and Bryan from Playa del Carmen to unpack the invisible pressures stage managers carry. What unfolds is an honest, funny, and deeply human conversation about authentic stage management leadership, identity, and what it takes to be fully present backstage.
Table of Contents
The Hidden Weight of Emotional Labor
Stage managers don’t just run cues and build schedules. Much of their leadership lives in the invisible work of carrying other people’s stress while keeping their own in check.
- The constant expectation to appear calm and composed can be draining.
- Wearing the “professional mask” often means setting aside how you actually feel.
- Recognizing this split between personal and professional selves is the first step toward healthier leadership.
Authenticity Over Perfection
Liza reframes leadership as a practice of integration, bringing the “real you” closer to the “professional you.” Authenticity, she reminds us, isn’t about being flawless.
- Teams connect most through humor, humility, and vulnerability.
- People rarely remember if every cue was perfect, but they remember how you made them feel.
- Trust grows when stage managers show up as human beings, not facades.
Boundaries as Leadership Tools
The conversation also dives into the importance of protecting your own well-being. Being the calm in the storm doesn’t mean sacrificing yourself.
- Self-care and rest are not indulgences—they’re tools for sustainable leadership.
- Boundaries help leaders remain steady without burning out.
- Honesty with yourself and your team allows you to lead with presence and balance.
A Human-First Reminder
Our conversation is a reminder that authentic stage management leadership isn’t about erasing your humanity. It’s about embracing it. When stage managers lean into their full selves, they create environments of steadiness, trust, and genuine connection.
The Strength You Weren’t Taught
Liza shares what happened when she stopped pretending to be the “flawless” leader and started asking for help. That shift made her team more engaged, more collaborative, and more connected.
- Stage managers often feel pressure to perform strength rather than build trust.
- Admitting what you don’t know can open doors to stronger team dynamics
- Transparency invites others to lead alongside you—not just follow behind.
Shared Ownership encourages authentic stage management leadership
Liza inherited a rigid, task-based role structure that didn’t reflect the reality of collaborative work. So she’s rewriting it to prioritize flexibility and teamwork.
- “The ASM always does X” mindset leads to burnout and isolation.
- Collaborative role design encourages adaptability and shared problem-solving.
- Good leadership isn’t about following rules — it’s about designing systems that reflect how people actually work.
Reuniting the Persona and the Person
Bryan and Liza explore how stage managers often create a split identity: the calm professional and the private human. The real growth happens when those identities merge.
- Performing a leadership role can create distance instead of connection.
- Unified presence—being both professional and personal—deepens empathy and trust.
- Letting go of the “persona” opens space for real leadership and team resonance.
Key Takeaways
- Vulnerability is a leadership strength, not a flaw.
- Breaking out of rigid job definitions creates stronger, more flexible teams.
- The most powerful leadership is human, not perfect.
- You don’t have to choose between professionalism and authentic stage management leadership
- Real connection fuels collaboration—and trust starts with you.