Julian Reeve on Burnout, Perfectionism, and the Leadership Mistake That Changed Everything

My guest for Episode #253 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Julian Reeve, former Musical Director for the musical Hamilton and CEO of Perfect Equilibrium, Inc., a firm that provides consulting services related to employee burnout and retention.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Julian graduated with honors from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, England, before embarking on a highly successful career as a musician, educator, and entrepreneur.

He performed for millions across six continents around the world as a Music Director, winning The Los Angeles Drama Critic Circle Award for Best Music Direction on the Broadway musical Hamilton before leading it’s first presentations at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (DC) and at the Centro de Bellas Artes Luis A. Ferrè in Puerto Rico (with Lin Manuel Miranda).

Julian has built four thriving companies in the creative sector, including the London-based boutique talent agency Boland & Reeve Ltd (now Collective Agents) and Perfect Equilibrium Inc. in Los Angeles.

In this episode, Julian talks about his “favorite mistake,” a turning point that occurred early on in his career that challenged his understanding of leadership. This not only shaped his communication skills but also transformed his perspective on perfectionism. With fascinating real-life experiences, he explains the crucial role of self-awareness, the power of accepting and utilizing feedback, and the impact of approach and attitude on leadership and personal development.

Questions and Topics:

• What's your favorite mistake?
• Was that authority-based approach modeled to you by teachers?
• Did you learn to ask for feedback?
• Should we cut you some slack since you were young?? Learning from those mistakes — and getting other chances?
• How do perfectionists tend to respond to feedback?
• What led you to leave your work in the music industry??
• The ways perfectionism is helpful?
• Does it help to reframe standards of excellence and expectations?
• Was there ever a mistake-free performance of Hamilton?
• Why does Perfectionism lead to not just burnout and depression?
• Self-compassion — Kristen Neff Episode 183
• Tell us about your company – and how you help individuals and organizations
• Julian's TEDx talk