Musical or Magical Collaboration

8 Cues for Team Collaboration from Percussionists

When it comes to client centric business growth or driving a cultural change in the organization like client centricity, digging deeper for the root cause of a lack of sufficient growth or poor customer orientation, a lack of team collaboration invariably finds a place on the list.

I tried to take cues from non-business setups where people collaborate well. What grabbed my attention was this Indian musical concert that happened 10 years ago in New England with four eminent percussionists from South Indian and Hindustani classical music. It’s a 15-minute video, but I have condensed it to a 6-minute clip here. You should watch it below (use headphones).

Right below, I have listed a few lessons on how to constructively collaborate on strategic initiatives and make the most of them.

Source: New England Kannada Koota. YouTube Channel : Mr.Raju Alagawadi

If you are interested in the full 15 mins video, you can watch it in YouTube here .

8 Cues for Team Collaboration from Percussionists

1. Know why you are there in the team:

Just as musicians in a concert are there to contribute their unique skills and talents to create beautiful music together, you are part of a team because everyone or someone of authority believes you have the unique talent needed for the success of the initiative. So be confident that you are necessary and sufficient in all aspects for the team. But you need to be clear about why you are on the team, what role is expected of you, and what specific contributions will be valued. Understanding your purpose within the team helps maintain focus and alignment with the team's goals.

2. Hold Up - There Is a time for your talent:

In a music performance, not every musician plays all the time. They patiently wait for their cue or the right moment to showcase their talent. And when they do pitch in, they don't try to impress each other or show off, in which case there won't be a symphony. But they certainly aren't shying away from showing their talent.

Similarly, in a team, it's important to recognize when to step forward, when to keep quiet, and when to support others. Timing is key to successful collaboration.

3. Be actively involved:

Musicians in a concert are actively engaged in their performance, constantly listening and responding to each other. They understand the need to communicate effectively through both verbal and non-verbal cues. They maintain synchronization by listening attentively to each other's performances.

Likewise, active involvement in a team means participating in discussions, sharing ideas, and contributing to the team's objectives. Passive participation can hinder progress. We can also learn the importance of clear communication. Nowadays, phones are the biggest hindrance to team collaboration and often lead to personal misunderstandings. You can develop the simple habit of putting your phone in your pocket or bag every time you get into business. McKinsey consultants are explicitly instructed and trained during induction to keep their phones in their bags when they step into a conference room with their clients.

4. Enjoy the activity and get immersed:

Musicians often find joy and satisfaction in the act of creating music, and this immersion in their craft can lead to a more harmonious performance. This is true for more artistic pursuits and even simple hobbies. Prof. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a famous psychologist, calls this phenomenon "flow". If you are interested, you can check out his book "Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience".

In a team, when members find enjoyment and satisfaction in their work, it can boost morale and productivity. Passion and dedication often lead to better results.

5. Synchronization wins, it's not about who is the loudest:

In music, it's not about playing the loudest instrument but about synchronizing with others to create a harmonious composition. Musicians trust each other to maintain synchronization and create a cohesive performance. They shift the center from either of them to the outcome.

Similarly, in a team, success isn't necessarily about individual dominance but about working together in harmony. Think about it: 20 years from now, you won't remember what you said in a meeting or what others said, but if the collaboration led to a grand outcome, like launching a successful product for your company, you will never forget it. So collaboration and synergy often produce the best and most memorable outcomes.

6. Adaptation to Changes:

During a concert, unexpected situations may arise, such as a tempo change or improvisation. Musicians adapt quickly to maintain synchronization, in spite of several well-defined principles and rules governing music.

Unfortunately, not all team meetings run smoothly. Someone pulls up a "rule or policy" spoiler to derail the synchronization. It is important to be flexible and able to adapt to changing circumstances by adjusting strategies or tactics when unexpected challenges arise. Nothing good can come out of stopping a change by hiding behind a rule, policy, or past scenario.

Image Credit: Rounik Ghosh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

7. Encouraging others won't hurt your bank balance!

Percussionists often exchange encouraging glances or nods during a performance to boost each other's confidence and maintain synchronization.

Likewise, actively encouraging your team members with words of appreciation, acknowledgment, and support to boost their confidence and motivation will go a long way toward your personal success. From now on, make it a habit to openly and genuinely appreciate at least one colleague in each meeting you attend, and see the difference it will make to your personal success in the short and long term.

8. Someone needs to set the drumbeat :

In music, there's a conductor who provides direction and keeps everyone synchronized. Indian music doesn't usually have an exclusive conductor like Western music. When an occasion arises, one of the musicians takes the lead as a conductor, and all of them trust the conductor's leadership.

Just as a percussionist sets the rhythm and tempo in a musical performance, a team benefits from having someone who provides structure and direction. It need not always be a person of authority or title. It can be you.

I'm happy to learn from you about your best practices along the same lines.

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