How do you address power struggles within the event crew when managing individuals with strong personalities?

As a former producer/director, I’ve been there. For strong personalities, clarity is key: set non-negotiables upfront, assign ownership to channel their energy, and lean into active listening to align egos with the mission.

To address power struggles within the event crew, I promote open communication and clearly defined roles from the start. I acknowledge individual strengths while reinforcing team goals over personal agendas. When conflicts arise, I mediate calmly, listen to all sides, and redirect focus toward collaboration. By fostering mutual respect and assigning responsibilities based on skill, not ego, I ensure everyone feels valued. Regular check-ins and team huddles help maintain unity and reduce friction, creating a productive and positive working environment.

Start with shared meaning and purpose, not just shared goals. When people see their identity reflected in the purpose, alignment becomes intrinsic, not enforced.

Clear communication, defined roles, and mutual respect are key to managing strong personalities on event crews. Addressing conflicts early and fostering a team-first mindset helps turn potential power struggles into productive collaboration.

Power struggles often dissolve when people shift from “me” to “we.” Reinforce shared goals and mutual interdependence—no role is trivial when the outcome is collective. Like a jazz ensemble, success depends less on solo brilliance and more on attuned collaboration. Use micro-team rituals, peer shout-outs, or post-milestone debriefs to build relational trust. When individuals feel seen and valued in the flow, their ego softens and their contribution sharpens. Remind them: it’s not about whose voice is loudest, but whose support makes the work sing.

Indeed, the team is the greatest asset of any project or company. As the saying goes, two minds are better than one. Listening to your team, encourage them to express their thoughts, collaborate effectively, and support one another towards the common goal.

Surface assumptions early. Diverse decision-makers carry different mental models — uncovering them avoids misalignment masquerading as agreement. Create psychological safety for dissent. People align faster when they trust their voice won’t be punished for challenging priorities

When conflict surfaces, don’t rush to resolve—I invite a story. Ask each person to share a moment when things felt misaligned, without blame. This surfaces unheard intent and reframes confusion as the root cause. Then shift: co-create a future narrative—“Six weeks from now, we delivered under pressure and stayed in sync. What changed?” From that shared story, extract explicit team norms. Close by having each person commit to one specific new behaviour. You haven’t just defused tension—you’ve upgraded team culture through reflection, design, and ownership.

Your behavior sets the emotional and ethical tone. If you model fairness, curiosity, and respect—even under pressure—your team is more likely to mirror those same values. Leadership is magnified in conflict. Think of Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk: two figures locked in decades of entrenched opposition, yet able to demonstrate restraint, mutual recognition, and a long-game mindset. That posture didn’t erase tension—but it enabled transformation, culminating in a joint Nobel Peace Prize. The lesson? When you rise above the fray, others often rise with you. In any crew, culture cascades from the top. Choose to be the signal—not the noise.

If I see something happen in a manner I done 100% agree with, I'll try to show by doing more so then coaching. I think sometimes it's better to show a person how to interact in a more positive manner then it is to explain it.

Feedback isn’t just a mechanism—it’s a message: you matter. When crew members see their input not just heard but acted upon, hierarchy gives way to shared ownership. It’s how control transforms into contribution. Consider how high-trust environments—such as elite flight crews or surgical teams—operate: constant loops of feedback, low ego, and high precision. The same applies here. Invite suggestions early, implement visibly, and close the loop. When people feel part of the process, they stop fighting for position. They start focusing on outcomes. Feedback, when used well, doesn’t just improve execution—it diffuses conflict before it starts.

When patterns of friction persist, don’t just manage the conflict—*reconfigure the system*. Adjust roles, shift pairings, or recalibrate responsibilities to unlock better chemistry. Great leaders see structure as fluid, not fixed. Think of a conductor reshuffling sections mid-rehearsal to elevate the symphony. Sometimes, a subtle role swap or workspace adjustment can reset the emotional climate. You're not avoiding conflict—you’re designing around it. By treating team dynamics as modular, you preserve talent while creating conditions for trust and flow to emerge organically.