6 management lessons from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay

6 management lessons from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay6 management lessons from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernayAs the first black female director to be nominated for an Oscar and the first woman of color to direct a $100 million movie, Ava DuVernay is a pioneer of her industry, who is clearing the path for those who will come after her. On Sunday, she shared an email to a new filmmaker seeking her adviceon Twitteron how she could succeed like DuVernay has.Her bulleted list of tips was directed toward a colleague but her practical advice is useful for any first-time manager.Heres how we can apply these lessons to our own careers, even if were not working in HollywoodLeaders set the toneDuVernays advice begins with an etiquette lessonKnow your crew members by name. They are the lifeblood of your film.Remember that actors and crew are the same. Grown-ups. Treat them all with the same grown folks respect. No one is better than anyone else just because theyre in front of the camera.By treating every person under her management with respect, DuVernay sets the tone of what kind of workplace her movie sets will be. Part of transitioning into a boss role is recognizing that everyones eyes are on you. What you permit to pass under your watch sets a precedent for the employees you lead of how they should behave.If you want to promote a positive workplace of mutual respect and collaboration, you must make sure your actions are consistent with that message - down to the fundamental detail of knowing each of your many employees names. It shows them you dont see them as nameless cogs in your machine, but as equal collaborators who can give meaningful contributions.Take care of your bodyChange your socks at lunch, makes you feel like a new woman.Hydrate throughout the dayAlthough drinking water and changing ones socks may not seem relevant to the task of making movies, what DuVernay is saying is that to be a leader, you need to put as much thought into taking care of your body as you do your work. Leading others begins with leading yourself. Your mind can only go as far as the body that houses it.Theres only one bossDont let your actors watch playback. Your job is to watch them so that they dont watch themselves. Their job is to portray real life.Even if youre not an eager actor who wants to get real-time feedback, DuVernays advice applies to any manager dealing with an employee who is overstepping his or her role. Your job as a manager is to put your employees in the best position possible to succeed. When managers delineate roles clearly about who will do what when, it helps everyone stay focused on the work they were hired to do.Be honest with feedbackNever tell an actor it was good when it wasnt.Dont make promises you cant keep as a leader. One major trustbuster between employees and managers is when words dont follow actions. That includes not giving honest feedback about an employees performance. No manager likes giving bad feedba ck to an employee, but hiding your feedback in false compliments wont help the employee grow and wont solve the problem of work not getting done correctly.Be transparent about what you know and what you dontBe prepared for hundreds of questions per day. You are now Question Answerer and Chief.Dont be afraid to say you dont know the answer. You dont have to know all the answers to everything. More than half of peoples job is to help you find the answers.As a leader, your job is to be the person people can turn to in a crisis. Preparing for this role means anticipating problems and questions before they happen. Know as much as you can and delegate the rest, DuVernay is saying.Put your work in perspectiveLaugh and keep a warm atmosphere. Were making movies not splitting the atom.Remind yourself why youre telling this story every morning on the way to set. Why its important to you. What you want to say. Every morning.During a long-term project, its easy to get lost in the nitty gritty o f arbeitszimmer squabbles and daily deadlines. DuVernays advice is to remind yourself to take a step back and remind yourself what motivates you to wake up in the morning. Why are you doing this in the first place? What got you into this business?Reminding yourself of your values and inspiration will keep you focused and calm even when people and crises threaten to distract and derail you.