My son Scott is a saxophone player. One summer in high school he enrolled in the jazz band. It was a small group that required tryouts to make the team. He did not make it the year before, but this year was his. At 15 he had gotten good at the sax.
Near the end of the class they had an Improvisation Night for parents and friends. I did not know much at all about jazz, but I was excited to see him play. Sometimes jazz sounds like musical chaos to me, a bit of a disaster. But then the group takes a few notes and makes a theme, and it blossoms from there. That there was a conductor was a bit of an anomaly; he introduced the players, snapped his fingers for the beat and then stepped aside.
After playing a theme, each player stood up in turn and added to it. There were riffs and embellishments, each adding their interpretation. Errors appeared to be opportunities, to take the notes in a new direction for a bit. Each player emphasized their instrument and strengths. Applause followed each.
While the temptation is to think that this is about making order from the chaos, it may be more about the reverse: to shake up the status quo. To try things at the edges. And to invite each person to shine. Notice the leader, who gets things started and steps aside. How would you apply this in your organization? |