Robbie on responsibility. “I’ve got to be superhuman quite soon. And there's a lot of people there. I know they're not there to see me fail. And I know that, innately, who I am as a human being, and what I do for a living, is to entertain. And that will come out. But there's something about constantly having to deliver that just just makes you feel queasy… It's the weirdest thing to put yourself through. Plus, look at this Volvo truck. That Volvo Truck's there because of me. This piece of wood's here because of me. Have a look behind you. All that wooden structure that's in our backstage area, it’s there because of me. Every bolt, every nook, every cranny, every person; you just want to run away sometimes.” The Robbie Williams documentary on Netflix has many flaws. Why is he interviewed in his underpants? It’s also a poor use of the genre. It’s another glossy output from the Documentary Industrial Complex. Documentary should give voice to the voiceless rather than provide another platform for the famous. But that’s another story. The passage above is from Episode 3. Williams is backstage in Roundhay Park, getting ready to entertain a crowd of tens of thousands of people, plus millions more watching the live broadcast. He’s not boasting about everything and everyone being there because of him. He’s not being a diva. He’s anxious. The responsibility is a burden that threatens to crush his fragile confidence. It’s a poignant moment. Williams is the head of a multi-million, multi-national enterprise. Most international enterprises can keep going if their CEO decides to chuck it all in and walk away at short notice. Not this one. If Robbie fails the whole thing collapses. He knows it. He hates it. He’s not equipped to be this consequential. Ambition often manifests as a desire for more responsibility. Robbie’s plight in this moment should serve as a cautionary tale. Be careful what you wish for. You need confidence to deal with responsibility and sometimes that's hard to come by. As the MD of an ad agency I used to look with dread at the gaping hole in our income forecast at the beginning of each year, knowing that if we didn’t win enough new business I’d be forced to find ways to reduce cost. That chair’s there because of me. That photocopier is there because of me. Those people. But only a confident agency will do great work and win more than its share of pitches. So, in some ways, leadership is a confidence trick. You keep the dread to yourself and project a confidence you don’t always feel. In my agency days I was lucky to be in a team of people who looked out for each other. The burden of responsibility was shared. But poor Robbie didn’t know who to trust and no one appeared to listen - there was no one close to him who could afford to listen - when he talked openly about his mental health issues in an era when that wasn’t the done thing*. *See Siobhán's comment below that contests this point. #leadership #responsibility #mentalhealth
Stuart Randall
6mo
nice observations Phil Adams but especially love your definition of documentary "Documentary should give voice to the voiceless rather than provide another platform for the famous.", have never thought of it that way before 👏
Craig McGill
6mo
A lot of Willliams' early work, including Come Undone, has always skirted with this. While he has his periods of being annoying he also has incredible self-awareness at times (and, as the episode shows, the pressures that come with it.) He is an incredible example of the tortured artist.
Will Humphrey
6mo
My father (who also ran an agency - this one in the West Midlands; they came up with the Old Speckled Hen fox) used to share similar feelings. He found it very hard to share with us/others when the place went through the ringer. So much of your story/Robbie's resonates. Thank you for sharing.
Konrad Brits
6mo
Thank you for this intelligent and insightful post, Phil. "He's not equipped to be this consequential." My favourite.
Andy Greene
6mo
We expect so much from our leaders and hold them to impossible standards. Brian Chesky was speaking very openly on S.Bartlett’s pod about his sessions with a coach, who had said that fellow CEOs had 2 common anxieties: 1. I feel I’m different (not necessarily in a good way) and 2. Am I good enough? It’s a sad state when fame, money and success leaves you in a place where there’s few people you can trust and you feel burdened with the sheer weight of keeping it all going. As the Economist said, it’s lonely at the top.
Communications and Media Professional
6moHi Phil, would just query the point "Robbie didn't know who to trust and no one appeared to listen" ...Rob has one of the best management teams in the business ie:music. Led by the late, great David Enthoven and Tim Clark, they have constantly surrounded him with love, respect and unerring support and, importantly, have always given him time and space when needed. As RW himself says "I don't know where I'd be without their support and guidance...they came into my life at the time I most needed them".