Leadership Tip
How Well Do You Improv?
I attended a jazz concert
last night featuring a trio.
It was to consist of
a pianist, a drummer and a bassist.
The show started with the
pianist and drummer in their places
and an empty space on stage for the bass.
After the third number
an audience member shouted
an inquiry as to the bassist’s whereabouts.
(We were all wondering this).
The lead pianist skirted the issue
without addressing it directly.
Those of us in the audience
were left wondering about the bassist
for the entire first set.
A leader’s role is to be able to
dance in the moment and deal with change.
As a leader, it is best to address an issue directly,
rather than leave others wondering.
In silence, people make things up.
It would have been preferable
to acknowledge that the trio was now a duo
and that the bassist was delayed en route.
Instead, the audience members were in the dark
and left wondering.
Acknowledging a situation, being direct and filling
in the blanks
is more effective than ignoring it or silence.
Improv is key to both jazz and leadership.
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