Jazz and Leadership
Warren Bennis on jazz and leadership:
I used to think that running an organization was equivalent
to conducting a symphony orchestra.
But I don't think that's quite it; it's more like jazz.
There is more improvisation.Jazz is a great metaphor for leadership. Jazz and leadership have a lot in common. We thought it would be interesting to explore how running an organisation might be more like jazz improvisation. Here are some jazz improvisation tips that we got from Meg. We’ve added our thoughts about how they apply to leadership roles … and added some leadership quotes to the quotes from some of the jazz greats. They seem to tell the same story!
Practice makes perfectYou don't have to sound like Charlie Parker but every serious jazz musician needs to be able to improvise. I have just begun to seriously practice improvising and my goal here is to share tips that have helped me. I do not plan to go in depth on the theory involved; you can research that for yourself.
Maybe we’re not all going to be a Jack Welch, Mary Robinson or Richard Branson. But if we’re going to develop our talent for leadership then we sure need to practice. “Some people try to get very philosophical and cerebral about what they're trying to say with jazz. You don't need any prologues, you just play. If you have something to say of any worth then people will listen to you.” - Oscar Peterson
Pay attentionWe can't stress this enough. Go out and buy/copy all the jazz music you can and really listen to it. Walk around your office, department or organisation and listen. Listen to what your people are telling you about what’s working well and not so well. “Listen” to other voices: the tone of emails and other internal company communications. Listen for dissonance. A financial company not a million miles from us has an espoused “No-blame culture.” Why then do key members of the work force feel fearful of voicing concerns? Warren Bennis: "What makes a good follower? The single most important characteristic may well be a willingness to tell the truth. "In a world of growing complexity leaders are increasingly dependent on their subordinates for good information, whether the leaders want to hear it or not. "Followers who tell the truth and leaders who listen to it are an unbeatable combination." Are you listening? How deep do your values run? What are you really telling your people you value – compliance? “The most important thing I look for in a musician is whether he knows how to listen.” - Duke Ellington.
SingSing instrumental parts along with recorded music and absorb the different patterns into your memory. Sing a phrase you hear or of your own and then try to play it on your horn. ‘Sing’ your own future. What does the tone – or the register – of your communications need to change to? What key will the future be written in? How will the voices in teams, committees and board rooms change? What words will you put to that music? Create a 10 word ‘song’ that expresses the meaning and the future potential of your organisation and repeat it as often as you can. "Well, if you find a note tonight that sounds good, play the same damn note every night." Count Basie.
Make It GroovyYou can play all the "right" notes and not sound good. Or, you can play "wrong" notes and sound great. It isn't about the notes. It is about making whatever notes you play groovy. What makes your playing groovy? I can't tell you. You have to find it for yourself because it is whatever works for you. To quote a popular cliche, "It's not what you say, it's how you say it". Experiment till you find your grooviness. We all respond well to sincerity and to passion. We have amazingly powerful ‘sincerity monitors’. You can say all the right words but people know if you are being sincere or not. If you are sincere and passionate about what you are saying, it does not matter if you are ‘word perfect’. Take the risk of making mistakes. Let people see you are human. “As it enters the ear, does it come in like broken glass, or does it come in like honey?”- Eddie Condon.
Want to stay in touch with "Jazz and Leadership" ideas?Like this jazz and leadership stuff? There's more to come! Why not sign up for our e-Zine, The Balanced Leader? It’ll keep you in touch with our site as it develops. Just fill in the form below.
If you like the jazz and leadership vibe, tell us how you’re using it in your organisation.We’ll be happy to pass on your experiences (and include articles if you make it clear they’re for potential publication). The links here will help you find out more. 'jazz LEADERSHIP' is the theme of our current leadership development workshop series. They are held bi-monthly in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
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