Why Ethical Leadership Matters in Entertainment

Ethical leadership isn’t just about making the “right” choices—it’s about building trust, fostering respect, and creating an environment where people feel valued. In the entertainment industry, where pressure and stakes are high, the way you navigate gray areas has a ripple effect.

When you prioritize ethics in your decision-making, you:

Strengthen Relationships: People trust leaders who act with integrity. Ethical leadership shows your team that you value their well-being and contributions, which fosters loyalty and collaboration.

Set the Tone for the Culture: As a leader, your actions define what is acceptable within your team. By consistently choosing fairness, safety, and empathy, you establish a culture that others want to uphold.

Enhance Long-Term Success: Ethical decisions might feel slower or harder in the moment, but they build a foundation of credibility that can sustain your team through challenges. Productions are remembered for their artistic quality and the experience of the people who created them.

Leave a Legacy: Ultimately, ethical leadership defines how you’re remembered. Were you a leader who treated people as expendable, or one who empowered them to thrive? Your decisions shape not just the production but the careers, lives, and attitudes of those who work alongside you.

Ethical leadership doesn’t always lead to easy answers, but it creates a meaningful impact. It turns fleeting productions into lasting memories and transforms ordinary teams into communities built on trust and respect. That’s why it matters. That’s why it’s worth the effort.

Bryan Runion
Production Stage Manager -UNITED STATES
Bryan Runion is a professional Production Stage Manager whose credits include: Drawn to Life (Cirque du Soleil and Disney), Netflix’s Stranger Things: The Experience, Duel Reality (7 Fingers), La Perle (Dragone), The Voice of Tolerance (The Ministry of Education, UAE); Mastercard Experiences (Mastercard); Everybody Black (World Premiere), Queens (La Jolla Playhouse), Ken Ludwig’s The Gods of Comedy (The Old Globe), TEDx (Chula Vista), Mark Morris Dance Company, Joey Alexander Trio, Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain (La Jolla Music Society), The Bridges of Madison County (Arkansas Rep). Bryan earn his M.F.A. at The University of California, San Diego and his B.A. at The University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and The Stage Managers’ Association.

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Bryan Runion

Bryan Runion is a professional Production Stage Manager whose credits include: Drawn to Life (Cirque du Soleil and Disney), Netflix’s Stranger Things: The Experience, Duel Reality (7 Fingers), La Perle (Dragone), The Voice of Tolerance (The Ministry of Education, UAE); Mastercard Experiences (Mastercard); Everybody Black (World Premiere), Queens (La Jolla Playhouse), Ken Ludwig’s The Gods of Comedy (The Old Globe), TEDx (Chula Vista), Mark Morris Dance Company, Joey Alexander Trio, Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain (La Jolla Music Society), The Bridges of Madison County (Arkansas Rep). Bryan earn his M.F.A. at The University of California, San Diego and his B.A. at The University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and The Stage Managers’ Association.