Sunday, January 26, 2014

What does a grand piano have to do with leading?

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What does a grand piano have to do with leading?

88 Keys.  Sleek.  Sophisticated.  The right player will captivate the audience.
Now what does that have to do with leading?

The piano forces you to embrace every aspect of music:  rhythm, sound, volume,  dynamics, emotion, focus, discipline.  When it was first developed, it could have been thought of more as a machine that should be conquered.  According to The Telegraph, it takes over 12 months and 50 people to create the perfect piano.  The grand piano can be an intimidating instrument, with so many things to control. You have to think about the notes you are playing, when to use the pedals to sustain, how long to sustain. You can dampen the sound of the notes.  You can infuse emotion into the sound.

And all of this comes from within the person.  They must think, respond, act, and pull something out of this machine that is full of emotion and still sounds like music.  A true pianist may ask if they will ever master this beautiful instrument, or if they will be a forever student in process of creating a masterpiece.

And so is leadership.  We are students of what we are leading.  We are called to listen, maybe even with more intensity that we may be willing to risk.  We have so many things to think about at one time, and yet we have to produce something grand.

Soft piano is playing now in the background in my home, bringing a sense of peace (where 5 kids are now tucked in bed), reminding me that we must not stop feeling if we are going to lead well. 

So, may we take a risk and lead with feeling, listening intently to what is happening around us.  This risk may lead us to our greatest work.

For extra fun on understanding the beauty of the grand piano, read The Telegraph Object Lesson on Steinway & Sons grand piano.  A wonderful video accompanies . . .

leadership lesson: Be challenged to listen in ways we have never done before, embracing a new perspective or understanding.

dream builder:  Listening & leading with feeling may lead us to discovering our greatest work.


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