I have a confession to make… I’m a reality show junkie. I can’t help it. I am addicted. I admit I watch some of the dumbest shows on TV, and I enjoy them! My favorite part of watching reality TV is finding that small morsel of valuable content. The life lesson, the ethical dilemma, the cultural significance, the hidden leadership and management skills are what I’m hunting for when I watch reality TV. It is like “Where’s Waldo?” but instead it is “Where is the hidden lesson?” It is amazing what you find sometimes under the surface when watching these shows, which is why I’m a fan of several shows on Bravo TV and E! Television.
One of my newest guilty pleasures is watching Below Deck on Bravo TV. Right before finals last winter, they had an episode marathon. I needed some downtime and a pick me up, so I watched a whole day of the show. I love boating so I found myself captivated by the boat and crew. I also found so many delicious morsels of content that I was then hooked.
Photo Credit: bitchbybravo.com
The leader on Below Deck is Captain Lee. He is an old school, call it how you see it, pull no punches kind of guy. Service is the number one priority on his yacht, and if you screw up he isn’t shy about calling you out. He also has strong leadership skills and builds a great crew culture during the season. He has integrity and leads by example. Captain Lee is a great character! He always has the best comments and assessments of situations. His advice is right on target. He is so eloquent with his words of wisdom that fans have gone to the internet to document his comments as Captain Lee-isms.
Check out this hilarious Below Deck promo video!
This week I finished watching the most recent season and last night I watched Part 2 of the Reunion Special. Captain Lee shared one of the best life lessons ever during the show. He said “You have only one shot at integrity.” Isn’t that the truth!?! Think of how many people are missing this basic concept in life. Integrity and trust go hand-in-hand. It is all about being honest and fair. I’ve been reflecting on his message a lot today and how it relates to being a professional.
If you don’t act honestly or fairly you can damage your reputation and not get a second chance. Once you make an impression it can stick. When it comes to business deals and relationships there is a lot of value in your integrity. It is incredibly important. Your relationships can often make or break you in business, especially in the special event production industry. No one wants to work with someone they can’t trust that doesn’t have integrity. You either have it, or you don’t.
So there you go. I may be addicted to reality TV shows, but at least I can find the life lessons buried in the fluff.
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