5 Lessons in Grace: What Directing a Prestigious Award Night Taught Me About Leadership

The ballroom glowed that evening at the Luxury 5-Star hotel we booked for this event.  Chandeliers sparkling like gossip, linen so crisp you could hear it, and the sea outside murmuring as if even the waves wanted an invitation. My blue satin gown caught the light just enough to make me look composed, which was impressive considering I had been orchestrating a six-figure-budget award night for six months, fuelled mainly by caffeine, spreadsheets, and charm.

Backstage, I could hear the low hum of guests arriving: ministers, CEOs, our sponsors.  This is the sort of audience that makes you wish you had memorised your speech and your facial expressions. One of my team whispered, “Ready?” I smiled and said, “Of course,” which in event-director language means no, but we’ll fake it beautifully. Then the music started, and there was no turning back.

🎙️ 1. Grace Speaks Louder Than Volume

When I stepped on stage, the microphone felt cold…or maybe that was just my hand. I took a breath and said,

“Tonight we don’t celebrate perfection. We celebrate courage.  The quiet kind that changes lives before it’s noticed.”

The room hushed. Even the air-conditioning seemed to pause. And that’s when I realised leadership isn’t the loudest voice in the room; it’s the calmest.

💎 2. Authority Inspires Compliance. Grace Inspires Commitment.

Our team was made entirely of volunteers.  Unpaid, unstoppable, and occasionally unfiltered. They didn’t follow because they had to. They followed because they wanted to. Leadership, I learned, is like perfume: if you have to announce it, it’s probably too strong.

☕ 3. Composure Under Pressure Pairs Well With Caffeine

An hour before the event, the dessert table nearly collapsed. One of my coordinators yelled, “Not the macarons!” We saved them. Well, barely. Later, a sponsor said, “You made it look effortless.” I smiled.

“Effortless,” I said, “is twelve hours of panic disguised as poise.”
Grace, I decided, is keeping your cool, and your canapés, intact.

🌸 4. Gratitude Ages Better Than Ambition

When my speech ended, the applause rolled through the hall like a soft tide. I looked toward my team, tired, radiant, proud. That was the real standing ovation.

The truth? The most beautiful part of success is seeing other people shine in your light, not your spotlight.

🌙 5. Stillness is the Final Stage Direction

Later, when the cameras stopped flashing and the sea breeze slipped through the terrace doors, I took off my heels and stepped outside. The scent of salt and orchids lingered in the air. I could hear laughter from the hall.  My team celebrating the night they built.

And that’s when it hit me: leadership isn’t about standing out; it’s about standing with.

That night taught me that grace isn’t about perfection: it’s about presence. And sometimes, the most elegant thing a woman can wear is composure… preferably accessorised with comfortable shoes!