HBR On Leadership What Jazz Can Teach Leaders about Innovation and Teamwork
9 snips
May 3, 2023 
In this engaging conversation, Frank Barrett, a jazz pianist and management professor, shares his insights on how jazz informs leadership. He emphasizes the importance of forgiveness in the face of mistakes, encouraging leaders to embrace an improvisational mindset. Barrett discusses the parallels between jazz and leadership, highlighting the need for adaptability and creativity in today’s fast-paced environment. He advocates for fostering supportive team dynamics, where experimentation is welcomed, allowing innovation to flourish even under pressure.
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The Mess of Leadership
- Leaders often try to control the mess of constant change and uncertainty.
- Embrace the mess and acknowledge the need for action despite incomplete information.
Improvisational Mindset
- Adopt an improvisational mindset; leap into action with affirmative competence.
- Say "yes, and" to build upon ideas and create a safe environment for risk-taking.
Kind of Blue
- Miles Davis's Kind of Blue recording session exemplifies unlearning and embracing the unknown.
- The musicians, given minimal structure, created a groundbreaking jazz masterpiece.
