Blog Post: Leadership Lessons from the Jazz Masters, part 1

1. Listen Closely. In jazz, there is no exact "script" or "road map" to show you the way to go. All the notes are not on the page, and since the bulk of the music is improvised, the musicians must listen very closely to each other to work together effectively. When this is done correctly, and everyone is moving, breathing, and thinking as one, we get great synergies. Music becomes much greater than the sum of its parts. This is the "magic" that's so palpable when you listen to the great jazz recordings or attend a great live concert. This "magic" is not some sort of telepathy or voodoo, they're actually just listening very closely to each other.

How exactly does a jazz master listen? Well, they listen carefully, they listen for direction to know which way to go next, and they "listen with generosity." Hasse means that they don't listen for the shortcomings of the players, but they listen for the uniquely beautiful aspects of each musician's playing. Miles Davis was not listening to the occasional flubs or squeaks in John Coltrane's saxophone solos, rather he was inspired by the way Coltrane would constantly get out on the skinny branches and take risks. By not playing it safe, Coltrane stoked Miles to new creative heights.

We are all able to apply this technique to our job search or our business. Each member of our team, every organization, every interviewer - comes with a lifetime of knowledge, energy, enthusiasm, and skills. Listen for the beauty in your colleagues' ideas, not the flaws. By doing this, your current team can think and move as one, or you may gain more in-depth understanding of what a potential employer wants from a new team member. Great things will begin to happen if you can listen with an appreciative ear!