Innovation: what makes Cirque du Soleil unique it’s that they’re actually don’t utilize animals in their shows. However, they offer a wide range of acrobatic and musical numbers as well as scenic arts. Therefore, they created a different definition of circus. The company is a lean organization: they cut the elevated expenses of caring and training for animals (by omitting them) and focus not on the big name, costly stars but on an excellent lower-cost unity. Moreover, the creative team is autonomous. In other words, team members can use their imagination without any interruption or random changes.

For instance, Sean Mckeown, its artistic director, mentioned that the Cirque du Soleil added theatre elements and used the painting style to show the plots. The firm embraces ideas from a variety of resources not only from the creative team, but also from artists and behind scenes staff across the world. Therefore, they host every year a workshop so that employees can express their ideas freely. Even more, the company gathers feedback from temporary workers and new technology innovators. Data driven approach: at the time they have a new show, the marketing team conducts a market study and identifies which topic or theme interests an audience the most. Next, the creative team creates a storyline using this results and decides what kind of sceneries and performers should require.

Furthermore, they have a comprehensive database that collects their performer’s strengths and weaknesses. For regular circuses, if a crew performed a show well, they’d normally conduct a new one using the same crew. On the contrary, the Cirque du Soleil will choose each artist based on the theme, plot and requirements from the creative director’s specifications through a global database. This guarantees that the best suitable performers are picked for each show. Furthermore, the company knows that the most relevant element in a show is the public. The emotional attachment that performers create through their movements, facial expressions and linking it with music, ambience and lightings can really touch an audience.

Leadership: Guy Laliberté, the creator of the company and current CEO, leads the team and sets minimum limitations to extract every employee’s full potential, know-how and ideas. Nevertheless, at the time of decision making, he becomes a demanding boss who asks for high quality without the slightest error. All the team works under pressure in order to fulfil the requirements and pursue excellence. Moreover, Laliberté, as a former performer, fully comprehends how to draw spectators’ attention and intends to be as objective as possible by not getting involved with the creative team on a day to day basis.