Downstage, Darling
A garden lesson about putting people exactly where they're meant to shine.
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My husband and I were in the garden last weekend, figuring out where to plant everything. And without thinking, I pointed to the front of the bed and said, "Put the Georgia Blues downstage."
He looked at me. "... Are you directing the flowers?"
Fair question.
I explained in the voice of the truest part of my identity: theater kid. Downstage means toward the audience — the front of the stage, in full view. Upstage is toward the back wall, set further behind. It's been wired into my body for so long that it just slipped out, naturally, as if the garden were a set.
And then I caught myself explaining why the placement mattered:
"The sunflowers are going upstage because they're going to grow tall. If we put them in front, they'll block everything else. But the Georgia Blues — they stay low. They spread wide. They're meant to be seen up close. They go downstage."
He nodded slowly. "So you're giving everything the right placement."
Yes. Exactly that.
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Here's where it stopped being about theater or even gardening.
How often do we put our tallest (or loudest) people in the front — because they seem most impressive — and then wonder why everyone behind them is struggling to be seen?
How often do we overlook the ones who grow quietly, spread wide, and bloom in full color, simply because they don't shoot upward?
Talent development isn't just about recognizing who your high performers are. It's about understanding where they belong — and what they need to do their best work. Some people are sunflowers. They will grow tall, lead with presence, command a room. Let them. But put them where that height is an asset, not an obstacle.
Others are Georgia Blues. They work close to the ground. They create warmth and color that draws people in. They hold the whole composition together. And they absolutely need to be in the front row — not because they're "entry-level," but because that's where their gifts are most fully expressed.
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The mistake I see most often in organizations — and in leaders — is confusing visibility with value, impact and readiness.
Someone quiet gets passed over for a stretch assignment because they didn't raise their hand loudest. Someone analytical gets pushed into client-facing work because they're "smart enough," without asking whether they thrive there. A natural connector gets buried in individual-contributor roles because no one thought to ask what they actually need to grow.
We plant everyone in the same spot and then act surprised when the garden looks wrong.
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Knowing where someone belongs takes curiosity. It takes conversation.
It's one of the questions I bring into nearly every coaching engagement: Where do you feel most alive in your work? When do you feel like you're performing — in the bad sense — versus performing in the fullest expression of who you are?
The answers tell you everything.
Because when people are in the right spot — when they're upstage or downstage, front of house or behind the scenes, in exactly the role that fits their gifts — you don't have to push them to perform. They just grow.
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What would your team look like if everyone had the right staging?
If you're ready to start asking that question — for yourself, your leaders, or your organization — I'd love to chat. Book a complimentary session and let's figure out where you belong.
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Casey Schaffer is the founder of Definitions Coaching & Consulting. She helps individuals, teams, and organizations discover their purpose, develop their story, and define their success — one vulnerable conversation at a time.
