Adolescence a great example of a great way of working.
Writer, Director, Actor
It all begins with the story. That’s what separates a great experience from a good one—or a bad one. The story sets the tone, the rhythm, the path everyone will follow. It defines how people move, what they feel, and where they’re going. The writer lays the foundation. Everything else builds from there.
Next comes the director—the one who takes that story and breathes life into it. Some directors manage to elevate a weak script, shaping something memorable against the odds. Others, even with strong material, lose their way. But when a great director meets a great story, magic can happen. With care, sensitivity, and insight, the story grows into something deeply human—something we recognize in ourselves. This is me. This is my life.
Then come the actors—the ones who stand at the front, giving voice and movement to the script. Their job is to make us believe, to keep us present in the story from start to finish. When they’re trusted and given space, their skills shine. But when they’re overmanaged or doubted, the performance suffers. You can always tell.
Now think of an organization. The script is the company’s offering. The CEO is the director. The coworkers are the actors—bringing the offering to life, shaping the customer experience moment by moment.
A poor script can be saved, but it’s a struggle. A good script, on the other hand, flows naturally. That’s why it always starts with the story. With a strong, compelling offering, you’ve already done half the work. But if the core is shaky, then the CEO has to compensate constantly. If the foundation isn’t stable, it takes huge energy just to move forward. The story structure is the bedrock.
Direction, in this context, is about leadership. The CEO creates the conditions for the business to breathe and evolve—an atmosphere where coworkers grow, contribute, and make the company’s vision real.
Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller, Erin Doherty as Briony Ariston, in Adolescence Courtesy of Netflix
Philip Barantini, who directed Adolescence for Netflix—a series watched by 124 million people in six weeks—put it this way: he lets actors make mistakes. He welcomes them. Because mistakes bring a kind of aliveness. His leadership is structured, but trusting. His actors know they won’t be punished for taking risks. That trust frees them to go all in.
And that’s what coworkers need, too. Whether you’re in tech, service, or creative industries, your team is your power. You need to be able to trust them. You need to know they can face tough challenges and figure things out. In Adolescence, that role belongs to Sarah Lucas. She runs the first assistant director team—eight people who understand Phil’s vision and pass it down to the second and third assistant teams. They’re the bridge between intention and execution.
What makes Adolescence so extraordinary is that every episode is filmed in one single take. No edits. No cuts. That means hundreds of people must be completely in sync—aware of the whole and alert to every detail. To make that work, the leadership has to let go. You need coworkers who can self-direct, adapt, and solve problems in real time. A decentralized, high-trust team. Strong individuals with integrity, all aligned toward one shared goal.
Everyone who worked on Adolescence speaks about the same thing: the joy. The joy of creating something ambitious and alive. A great story. Great leadership. Great people lifting each other’s work to new levels.
That’s what a great company does too. A compelling offering, a CEO with vision, and coworkers who make the story matter—together. Not as a buzzword but in real life.
