My son (a professional musician, and leader of his band) shared with me the secrets to building a band that will stick and grows together.
It sounded a lot like how to build a leadership team. Now I am sharing his advice with you!
(Note: There is also a photo of my son and I performing together, as you can see below, for those interested.)
1. Bandmates Must Like Each Other
It sounds obvious. But it’s critical since they will be spending so much time together.
For a business that means that your teams should be willing to spend time together, respect each other, and be honest with one another to work through critical issues and disagreements.
“Trust and openness” is critical to team success.
If your team doesn’t have that, you can “team build” or do an intensive strategic retreat with a business consultant like myself, in order to build those bonds and develop real high-level conversations on strategies and decisions.
“Trust and openness” is critical to team success. Click To Tweet
2. Bandmates Must Dig The Music They Are Making
This may also sound obvious, but good musicians tend to have varied interests and play all kinds of music. Not just the kind you hear them play at a concert.
So they need to be able to commit long-term to whatever type of music the band is focused on.
For business, this means your teammates need to have passion for “the work” they do and that the company does.
Working for money, or because their best friend works there, is not enough.
Passion helps you make it through the low points, and reach higher for the stretch goals.
Passion helps you make it through the low points, and reach higher for the stretch goals. Click To Tweet
3. The Band Needs To Be Going Somewhere
Serious bandmates want to be part of a musical group that has momentum and is showing progress towards a specific direction. This can include:
- Improving musically.
- Gaining traction in their scene.
- Building an audience.
The same goes for business leaders and any employee with ambition.
They want to be part of a company that has a clear purpose, and business vision, that is making constant strides forward!
4. Bandmates Need To Get Paid, Eventually
Serious musicians can’t work for free. They may start out as starving artists. But at some point, they also need to eat, go on vacation, and raise a family.
For business owners, this means running a company that is financially successful, and that shares the success with its teams.
For front-line leaders, it means they are able to make a good wage and have a place where a solid career can be built.
Your job as a leader is to keep the momentum happening and keep communicating to your teams on the company’s progress.
Your Challenge: Improve How Well Your Teams Are Forming And Performing
How would you rate your leadership team? Divisional teams? On a scale of 0-10?
- Do they perform as well as The Rolling Stones (a “10”)?
- Or are they more like a one-hit-wonder (a “0”)?
I work with many landscape leadership teams that start out as raw talent and end up performing like rockstars. It takes perseverance and the right decisions leader, and sometimes it needs “a little help from my friends.”
As the song says “Don’t stop believing” and you too can achieve greatness!
P.S. Here is a photo (and video link) of my son and myself playing a song during my 25 yr wedding anniversary party. He is on guitar and I’m playing two harps.
This is my first time ever performing, and our first time ever playing together.
Regards, Jeffrey!
