We recently connected with Amanda Watkins and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Amanda with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
Hands down, my work ethic comes from my Father. What a role model. This man understood and took to heart the phrase “if you work hard and are kind, amazing things will happen.” He was in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and put himself through college. He then began working as a lineman for Georgia Power and worked himself up to District Manager in Gainesville, Ga. He was up before dawn, and I never once heard him complain about his job or the people with whom he worked. He took pride in his tenacity and never stopped until the job was completed.
What’s wonderful- is that when he retired, he implemented that very same work ethic into the caring of his garden, and the caring of his home. He took this work ethic to the grave with him, having the most impressive positivity towards his lung cancer. He spent his last days still trying to keep his garden afloat.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I often lead with “I am a friend, daughter, wife, stepmom, and child of God” (because my personal life is such a priority for me now that I am in my 50’s), In my work I am a theatre producer. I work at Alliance Theatre, developing and producing new plays and championing emerging writers from across the country. Lifting up new original stories and assisting in expanding the hearts and minds of our Atlanta community brings me absolute joy and it’s a privilege to go to work every day. My career in this business has had many twists and turns, and this job at Alliance, working as a producer and literary manager, is to me, the perfect culmination of all of the plot twists in the story of my career. I began as a ballet dancer, went to college for Music Theatre, worked on Broadway, in regional theatre, Off-Broadway, and on National Tours as an actor/singer/dancer for 14 plus years, went back to NYC grad school for my Masters, produced on Broadway for 8 years, and then moved home to Georgia and started in this job. I always say to students when they ask about my trajectory from performer to producer that I don’t remember ever having an AHA moment in regards to switching careers- I simply stayed open and present and continued doing the next best thing I loved!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Curiosity, kindness, grit.
(You will notice that I listed qualities, not skills or knowledge areas. You can always learn new skills and acquire knowledge. The real secret sauce is in the lifetime development of personal “qualities”. Although I will say excel, accounting skills, and multi lingual capability- are all a plus)!
Curiosity- staying open. Assume good intentions. Read. Research. Ask questions. Get to know someone who is very different than you.
Kindness- this goes so far! Firstly, the theatre business in particular is actually a fairly small industry. The reputation of “that person is a team player and kind” goes so much further than you think. Think before you speak. Don’t be afraid to listen more than talk.
GRIT- you never ever know what tomorrow will bring. Just keep on keeping on. I marvel at some of things I have accomplished simply bc I didn’t give up.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
TEAM OF RIVALS by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Admittedly I am a history geek. Besides the fact that it’s BEAUTIFULLY written, this book taught me so much about diplomacy in leadership and tactics around never compromising your moral compass, but understanding that just as you have your agenda, so does everyone else. The book focuses on Lincoln’s reconciling all of the conflicting personalities and political factions on the path to abolition. I devoured this book when I first read it and have skimmed passages over the years when I have hit a communication snag or truly complicated situation at work.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @awatkins280
Image Credits
Second photo- Aniska Tonge
