Companies & Bands: Follow-Up

Erik Barnlund's article from my last post offered a couple of questions worth reflection:

• What qualities do you believe are integral to building a strong, healthy culture in your organization?
• Have you ever been part of a music band? What lessons have you carried forward?

It's been a couple of years since I was a leader in an organization, but some favorite core principles:

1. Humility. You reap what you sow, so take care of others. Give credit, take blame. Speak simply. Use "I" sparingly. When in doubt, listen rather than speak.

2. Persistence. Problems are solutions in work clothes. A big setback is a big setup for a big comeback. Failure is a learning experience.

3. Figure out your passion, get the right people on the bus, and go for it. Make your goals and expectations clear while being flexible. Resist distractions from the mission. Celebrate milestones. Identify and capitalize on people's strengths, build a diverse team. Optimism rules; toss rocks overboard; have fun!

As for bands, I have been in two, one currently. The first band taught me multiple ways to be a bad band member.

1. The leader is the leader. We were something of a start-up band for a contemporary church service. As such I was given some opportunities to lead parts of worship through speaking, to play the guitar, even to write a song for Easter. It went to my head. As the band got established, my role was diminished by the leader. A perfect opportunity, as John the Baptist said regarding Christ: "He must increase; I must decrease." Only I fought that with every selfish bone in my body. These days, when I suggest a song or some other creative aspect it's with an "if you'd like" tone; happy if it's accepted; happy if it's not. Leading a band is hard work, my goal is to support the leader, especially by smiling.

2. Perfect joy trumps perfect music. It'd be interesting to identify how much of the audience's experience is influenced by the quality of the music, versus the spirit of it. Our rehearsals used to stretch for more than two hours as we tried to master every cutoff. What we gained in precision, we might have lost in joyfulness, and my guess is that it was at best a wash. Despite any amount of practice, there are surprises. These days, my natural reaction is to smile rather than scowl.

3. Find happiness in the moment, rather than the masses. Yes, it's nice to get some applause from those in attendance. But, it's out of our control. A successful service is one where we nurture each other in the band, give our very best focus musically, and project maximum uplifting energy through the speakers. Whether or not it inspires someone listening to give outward appreciation, we can be assured that we've at least planted a seed of hope into their souls.