The Eleven Laws of Showrunning
While reading a discussion on HN, I noticed a comment mentioning “The Eleven Laws of Showrunning.” Following through the links leads to a typewriter-style essay in PDF form, written in 2016 by Javier Grillo-Marxuach1.
The essay is about showrunners, more specifically, writers and producers of television shows. It’s a bit surprising to see it referenced in an HN discussion on software engineering, but it’s late here, and I don’t have the energy to read 25 pages about running a television show to find out if there’s anything interesting in there.
Out of curiosity, I asked ChatGPT to summarize the article, and after reading the summary, I understand why it can be cited in a software development context: it’s about good leadership, something that applies well beyond television production. Of course, not all the laws apply verbatim in a software engineering context. But this interestingly forces some reflection on how they map to managing your own software projects.
Sharing the summary here in the hope that it might inspire some reflection for you as well.
Core Premise
The author argues that being a showrunner is both a creative and managerial role. To succeed, one must subordinate ego, communicate vision clearly, make decisions, and manage people wisely. The eleven laws are guidelines to help a showrunner lead a television show efficiently, humanely, and with integrity.
The Eleven Laws (Key Ideas)
It’s All About You — Stop Making It All About You > As the showrunner, your name is tied to the show. Use that power to empower your team, but don’t make everything about your ego.
Know Your Show and Tell Everyone What It Is > You must have a clear vision (tone, style, theme) and constantly communicate it to your team, so everyone aligns toward the same goal.
Always Describe a Path to Success > At the end of any meeting, people should know what’s next — what deliverables are expected and by when.
Make Decisions Early and Often > Indecision drains momentum. Commit quickly, explain your reasoning, then move forward — rather than letting ambiguity slow everything down.
Do Not Demand a Final Product at the Idea Stage > Don’t expect fully polished output right from the start. Ideas need development, iteration, and feedback. Let your writers develop the story before pushing for perfection.
Write and Rewrite Quickly > Scripts are the core artifact. Fast drafts and edits help the entire production chain stay in sync and avoid bottlenecks or uncertainty.
Track Multiple Targets Efficiently by Delegating Responsibility > There are many parallel tracks (writing, production, post, editing, etc.). You can’t micromanage all of them. Delegate to trusted lieutenants (senior writers, producers) who can act as extensions of your vision.
Resist the Siren Call of the “Sexy, Glamorous Jobs” > It’s tempting to intervene in departments like costumes, set design, casting, or editing — but doing so can steal time from the bigger job: overseeing story, writers, and the whole show’s cohesion.
Expect Your Staff to Perform at Varying Levels of Competence > Writers and staff will differ in experience and quality. Mentor them, give feedback tailored to where they are, but don’t expect everyone to deliver at your level from the get-go.
Deliver Good and Bad News Early and Often > Secrets, delays, and surprises corrode trust. Be transparent (especially when things go wrong) — it’s better that people hear it from you than via rumors.
Share Credit for Success to a Fault > Your name is already prominent; giving credit to your team builds loyalty, morale, and a healthier working culture. It also enhances your reputation as a leader.
Additional Observations & Philosophy
Grillo-Marxuach cautions against the romantic notion of the “tortured genius” showrunner. He insists that professionalism, structure, and respect for collaborators should not be sacrificed for artistic mythos.
He emphasizes that many dysfunctions stem from ego, fear of appearing weak, or insecurity. Admitting mistakes, owning up to them, and being transparent often strengthen leadership rather than weaken it.
The author frames the showrunner’s job as analogous to that of managing a startup or production company. You need to keep financial, scheduling, and human variables in balance.
Throughout, he encourages humility: your show is bigger than any single person, and the right balance of control plus delegation is what sustains success over a season (or more).