Our eagerly anticipated Saturday night arrived. Our faces painted in a tribute to Ed, T-shirts adorned; we were ready for Maiden!

The Iron Maiden story is an incredible one and one I probably would not have shared if I had not have been snowed in in New Zealand with nothing to do but spend 6 hours engrossed in a four part documentary on Iron Maiden. As the DVDs continued, my perception of their talent changed. I no longer saw them as just a heavy metal band; I saw a tight knit group of talented and passionate professionals. Incredible storytellers whose focus on continuous improvement and creating a strong culture forms the basis of their success.

3 things Iron Maiden taught me about leadership
 

Be authentic - the best you can be

Their story is an incredible one, did it resonate with me because one of their previous drummers Clive Burr had MS, or the fact that Bruce Dickinson is a commercial pilot and flies their Ed Force One jet they tour on, or was it because as their story unfolded I learnt of a group of enthusiasts who each searched to challenge the status quo?  

You could never call them ordinary and I have long been fascinated by what drives people to be extra-ordinary. 

Skill, passion and beyond belief ability! In the corporate world, that recipe directly impacts on the bottom line!

On stage, these guys perfectly transcribe that recipe.  There is something to be said about watching a person in action who you can trust to deliver something more than ordinary. These guys love what they do! And why wouldn't they when their fans are beside themselves revelling in their art.

Take what you do seriously, have a vision and a shared goal

Be wildly passionate and deliver your message with conviction. These guys get the statistics: 55% body language, 28% tone of voice and 12 % words. They never stop moving, every action designed to ignite passion and commitment to their cause. An orchestrated show where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Bruce Dickinson, with his incredible voice, Adrian Smith's spectacular rifts, they quickly capture your attention and respect as they immerse you in their passion, vision and beliefs. Every song perfected to reflect what they believe the DNA of their music to be. 

Say no to average!

Steve Harris’s galloping beat on the bass, his hands miraculously orchestrating the story, Nicko McBrain’s busy drum patterns and tremendous technique, Dave Murray’s devilishly fast guitar playing, the flashy performance style of Janick Gers on guitar; quite simply sensational! I am not known for my musical talents, but those boys can string together a bar or two which is guaranteed to make your soul soar! I don't know how they do it, but they connect, involve, model passion and share. Share the dream that if you believe.... You can!

Michael Burrough The Raven Age….The answer is simple, success takes hard work!

With the concert over, we headed back to the hotel to debrief on the highlights and continue revelling in the atmosphere with fellow Iron Maiden enthusiasts. Little did we know, the highlight of the night was still to come. Michael Burrough fronts the Iron Maiden support band, The Raven Age. A chance meeting at the bar started a night of amusement and opportunity to ask what he attributes his success to. I loved his honest answer: hard work and commitment.

Michael left me with no doubt that if you believe it is your journey, you will succeed! The Raven Age stage show and album is a tribute to his beliefs. I gained such insight on leadership and created memories that this girl will never forget!