slate.com: What’s it like to be the woman at the helm of one of the most beloved contemporary TV comedies? Aline Brosh McKenna, the co-creator, showrunner, and head writer of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, talked with me about day-to-day life making a hit TV show for my new podcast, Women in Charge. McKenna told me about how she was able to build a team she could rely on, and an environment in which everyone can succeed.
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I was already a big fan of the show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, but, after reading this article, I actually appreciate it a lot more. Aline Brosh McKenna is an incredible leader and, as far as I can tell, has the ability to inspire people to do their best work without perpetrating a toxic and panicked environment. I was especially struck by the process she uses to select people to work with. McKenna says that she takes care to hire people who she thinks will do any job even if it may not be specifically in their job description. By selecting these people, she is able to create an environment where everyone takes care of everyone else. Her ability to put out an incredible show without the panic and rush that is often associated with production is admirable and her methods should be more widespread in the industry. I also think that a lot of what she said can be applied to regular life and not just show management. It is more important, as she says, to assume that everyone is trying their best and, if mistakes are made, they should be dealt with in a mature and patient way, instead of in an angry manner. On top of this, it is also important to be aware of what kind of people you surround yourself with and that there is not one way to treat people; instead, the way you treat people should be individual and you should be aware of certain people react to certain things.
I originally clicked on this article because of my love for this show, but wow this sounds like a great job! My favorite part of my experiences (both in stage management and in technical direction) has always been running a project and learning how to interact with all types of people. The way that she runs this show is exactly what I try to do when running a shop or rehearsal. One thing she says that I absolutely strive to do is to "come from a place of assuming that people are doing the best they can with the information they have". I always try to tackle problems with the person, rather than say that the person IS the problem. I think this woman is insanely well spoken and careful with her words especially when speaking about being a woman in the industry which is something I could absolutely work on. I’m really happy to have read this and feel like this is an interesting career path I might want to look into.
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