by Carolyn Ortman | Leadership
The house lights stayed low. The stage was empty.
But no one moved.
The crowd just stood there, clapping, cheering, hollering for more — hoping for just one more song.
Then — the bass player walked out. He grabbed his instrument, turned to leave… and stopped. The crowd roared.
He came back to the front of the stage, put his finger to his lips, and whispered:
“Shhh. They turned off the PA — you have to be quiet.”
And then, in the stillness, he started strumming “Isn’t She Lovely.”
Moments later, the star himself walked back on stage — now in a different outfit, holding a melodica (like a mini piano.) The audience erupted.
He pulled up a stool, joined the bassist, and started to improvise.
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by Carolyn Ortman | Leadership
Last week, I shared how hiring a wedding coordinator taught me the power of delegation — leaders don’t need to do it all themselves.
This week, I’m thinking about what I experienced on my honeymoon at Turtle Island in Fiji: a small, tight-knit community that worked like a single heartbeat.
Building on the Fijian culture of strong communities, the staff of local villagers— from gardeners to boat captains — had one shared mission: “Create life-changing memories for every guest.”
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by Carolyn Ortman | Leadership
I said “I do”… and then I let go.
A leadership lesson from my wedding. 💍
A friend convinced me to hire a “day-of” coordinator. At first, I resisted—I like to be in control (anyone else?).
But trusting her was the best decision.
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