I had the immense pleasure of meeting David Dimbleby after I was invited to BBC’s Question Time at the Mick Jagger Centre the other week. Click on the image to watch the show in full. I managed to get a comment into the debate about globalisation, around 38 minutes into the piece:
Click to view Question Time at the Mick Jagger Centre
The question I addressed was about global trade and its impact on working conditions. Globalisation is an inevitable consequence of the internet and global communications and is probably connected to the time when we were first able to move goods around the world. Like most things, it has desirable effects and less desirable consequences. It is too simple in my view to suggest that we can regulate bad practices in sweatshops of the world by social disapproval or tariffs, nor is it realistic to expect that ‘the market’ will solve the problem by refusing to buy cheap goods. Having travelled and worked widely in India I was surprised to find myself agreeing with David Starkey, the controversial historian, who accurately pointed out that no significant growth had ever occurred without the exploitation of human capital. That said, I also agreed with Shirley Williams, who pointed out that this did not make exploitation right or acceptable.
This problem is complex and systemic and it therefore requires a systemic and multifaceted solution. I was reminded of the ‘wicked problems’ grid, which we use in our consulting on complex and interconnected business topics:
Such topics do not lend themselves to ‘digital’ A or B type answers and I was pleased to see that this came out in the debate. Some general transferable points on ‘wicked problems’:
To resolve complex problems requires us to ask great questions. THis has the effect of reducing the uncertainty inherent in such problems.
It’s ALWAYS a mistake to jump to ‘solutions’ to ‘joined up problems’ or attempt to reduce them to A or B dialectics.
Complex problems can often be resolved by a combination of visionary thinking and systematic divergent and convergent thinking.
More on this topic in our books Best Practice Creativity and Sex, Leadership and Rock’n'Roll, available at BOOKS.
On a lighter note, we had a bit of fun off camera. When David Dimbleby arrived, his first question to the audience was “Has anyone seen the show?” to which there was only one reply I could give: ”No, is it a new series?” Later on in the ‘warm up’, I responded to the trial question, which was “Should Her Majesty the Queen now hand over power to her family?” As we were in the Mick Jagger centre, I was compelled to break rule No 2 above by saying to the panel:
“If Mick Jagger were here, he would say ‘Not Fade Away’ – in other words, she should not retire”
On that note, let’s see the song that inspired the quip:
Confessions on a dance floor – The Royal Institute of Great Britain – a superb venue for science … and dancing
I attended Entrepreneur Country’s forum recently and was so impressed that I decided to write a post on some of the lessons learned. Held in the auspicious surroundings of the Royal Institute of Great Britain where the 1st Industrial Revolution began, I heard a lot about how entrepreneurship will reboot the UK plc. Although I started life as a scientist and have had 18 years teaching MBA’s and doing business improvement, music has been a constant though my life. I could not help but notice just how well the Royal Institute of Great Britain’s lecture theatre could transform into a dance floor, given the somewhat mythical arrival of Madonna as one of the guest lecturers! Oddly enough, the day was characterised by entrepreneurs telling real life stories of their hopes, fears, successes and failures, hence my title Confessions on a Dance Floor. Cue the music:
Hung up
Just like Madonna’s fitness video, a lot of the discussion was centred around what entrepreneurs do to avoid burnout. Ed Bussey of iTrigga was a prime example, having come to the conference after an all night vigil at hospital on the occasion of his wife giving birth! He did however point out the importance of pressing the OFF button from time to time to avoid the possibility of crash and burn entrepreneurship.
If what you are doing isn’t working, STOP in the name of doing something different
Others talked of rituals and routines such as working out in the gym, taking forced holidays, running the London Marathon, going to the North Pole (that’s hardly chilling out!) and so on. Seemingly obvious advice, yet not always taken by busy entrepreneurs. Recall the post on STOPPING.
Like a Virgin
Several speakers gave witness to the importance of maintaining naivety if you are to succeed as an entrepreneur. Madonna’s contribution to this area is via her blockbuster hit “Like A Virgin”, which translates to the need to treat each new business situation like it’s the very first time, or at least to see it with fresh eyes. In particular Sir Will Sargent of Framestore painted a picture of the importance of intuition, creativity and the ability to remain adaptive and flexible as your company grows.
“If I stand still for 12 months, I will be out of business 12 months later“
Express Yourself
Perhaps the personification of Madonna’s hit record about expression was the opening addresses by Julie Meyer and Dr Mike Lynch. Julie presented her ideas about entrepreneurship clearly, concisely and without apology for wanting to create an enterprise economy, which produces both economic and social benefit. Business gets enough hard knocks and we need to see business as an engine of improvement, rather than an evil empire as it is frequently portrayed by Governments and a self-riteous public sector, who sometimes try to interfere in business and enterprise. Mike Lynch extended Julie’s strident start to the day by giving us some home truths on entrepreneurship:
”Without good marketing you can have something amazing and no one will know. Marketing is not cheating“
“Avoid the myth of doing things properly”
Mark Hoffmann of Oxygen Finance added another subtle dimension to Madonna’s title. It would be too easy to assume that ‘expressing yourself’ was the realm of extroverts. Mark calmly pointed out that expression can come from an introvert stance:
“I’m quiet but very driven”
Like a Prayer
Stephen Linnecar suggested that we gotta have FAITH – Not an allusion to George Michael, but the summary of his presentation which focused on five factors which he regarded as key to success as an entrepreneur: Future, Attitude, Improvisation, Timing and Help. You had to be there to get the detail behind these buzzwords. Picking up on one of these characteristics, improvisation featured strongly throughout the day, a point that resonated personally with me, having taught creativity, improvisation and innovation for the Open University MBA for 18 years. Let’s hear Madonna’s take on faith:
Hair
What impressed me most of all about the speakers at the event was a real and unusual sense of authenticity. Truths were told about successes. Much more importantly, we gained an insight into mistakes and outright failures. It’s much more important for an entrepreneur to learn from their mistakes than their successes and many speakers were candid about their regrets. We learned the perils of not owing up to mistakes via Peter Whent’s wonderful story of “United Breaks Guitars”, when a musician could not get any satisfaction from complaining to the airline after they broke his guitar. He resorted to a viral youtube campaign and United’s share price plummeted as his youtube figures climbed exponentially:
Lady Gaga’s vulnerabilities show up in her song called Hair, which she performed unplugged and therefore conceptually ‘naked’ in her appearance on the Paul O’Grady show. I feel it’s entirely appropriate to add Lady Gaga into a piece about Madonna, as she had clearly stood on the shoulders of giants in developing Madonna’s music into her own unique brand. Listen to the words of “Hair” to see behind the makeup, pizazz and lighting to the soul of a true artist:
So, there we have it. Five lessons for Entrepreneurs from Madonna and Lady Gaga:
Hung Up – Don’t get hung up by flogging yourself to death – use the OFF switch
Like a Virgin – Treat each day like it’s the first time to remain fresh
Express Yourself – Be clear, bold and concise in your communications.
Like a Prayer – Have faith in yourself and others that can help you realise your dreams
Hair – Be aware of your vulnerabilities, successes, failures and learn
I’m offering two x 66% discount vouchers for for my Online Learning Programme, “The Music of Business” – MBA level learning for entrepreneurs blended with ideas from the world of music. That’s JUST 65 dollars for 10 hours of world class learning in exchange for a review or less than a pint of lager every hour without a hangover! There is also an option to join an affiliate scheme to earn a residual income whilst you get on with running your business. To examine the programme take a look at the slide deck below:
On Thursday May 16th we take to the high seas in the same way as the Sex Pistols did on their Jubilee boat trip in 1977:
Friggin’ in the Riggin’ – The Sex Pistols on board in 1977
Our trip takes us back to a point in history when the steady state of music was disrupted by Punk Rock. Punk grabbed Prog Rock and Glam by their crown jewels and reduced them to a quivering mass. As a self confessed lover of Genesis, Pink Floyd, T.REX, Bowie etc. I also loved the energy that punk brought back into music and its ability to wake up the establishment. Given that there is much talk of disruptive innovation in today’s management landscape, can we learn anything from the realm of punk rock? This is a theme I’m taking up with 250 Senior Public Sector HR Leaders and CEO’s this Friday, so wish me luck. I’m expecting to be about as popular as Johnny Rotten on the Bill Grundy Show! Lest we forget – bad language warning!
Here are 3 transferable lessons for business innovation from punk rock:
Punk was all about simplicity and brevity. Businesses must aspire to the same qualities when dealing with their end users, even if their technologies and processes are complex. In a busy world, simplicity and brevity are watchwords of success.
Punk destroyed itself in the blink of an eye. This is NOT a transferable lesson. Successful businesses are sustainable rather than one hit wonders.
People talk of the need for disruptive innovation, yet punk was too disruptive for some and this led to its destruction by the establishment. The corollary of this is that, if a product or service is perceived as too ‘dissonant’ with existing products or services, it may not be adopted.
There ain’t half been some clever bastards – The Blockheads from Left to Right : Mick Gallagher, Peter Cook, Chaz Jankel, John Turnbull, Derek Hussey
I had the good fortune to interview “The Blockheads” of Ian Dury fame for a TV programme last week. It was a rare pleasure to interview Mick Gallagher, who has worked with Ian Dury and The Clash, plus Sir Paul Mc Cartney, Robbie Williams, Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart. Clearly Mick managed to adapt from punk to the mainstream and this probably accounts for his durability as a musician. The parallel lessons are clear for businesses:
Adapt or die
Be Nimble
Be Quick
We have some innovation events coming up soon. The first of these, aptly titled “Innovation, Business and Punk Rock” is on a historic lightship on May 16th in Kent. The event is sponsored by The University of Kent and in collaboration with The Chartered Management Institute, The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply and The Open University Business School. Details below:
p.s. If you are attending the Public Sector leadership conference on April 19, you have been warned!
Last week, the BBC reported on how ‘complacent’ British universities that fail to respond to the rise of online universities will be swept away by global competition. Even Jimmy Wales of Wikipedia agreed – see Jimmy Wales. I have to agree that the BBC, Wales and REM were right: “It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine”.
Why so? I worked for the Open University Business School for 18 years on their MBA programmes and certainly would not be where I am today without the superb learning that I gained from taking and teaching their programmes over an extended period. I am eternally grateful to people such as David Mayle, John Martin, Norman Maxfield, Don Cooper and Jane Henry – modern day geniuses in their field.
However, despite my love of the institution, I must say that the university has been slow to respond to the changing expectations of the current generation of students. From the white heat of technology in the 1960’s The Open University and many other traditional universities have turned into slow followers of change in the education sector. I wish I could say otherwise. Sir Michael Barber agreed: “There are too many universities doing the same thing.” There are already big US networks of universities offering courses to students anywhere in the world, with two consortiums having already signed up almost four million students.
For my part, I was approached by Californian Online Learning Provider Udemy, who asked me to develop an MBA level online learning programme on Leadership, Strategy, Creativity, Innovation and Change. The programme, entitled “The Music of Business” offers a contrast to traditional university courses:
The programme can be taken at the learner’s pace and their own time, as it is available for life, during which time it continues to be updated.
MBA level learning at non-MBA prices.
For individuals, the programme is available for direct purchase at $169.
Individuals can also join an affiliate scheme to gain an income from referrals.
For companies, the programme can be customised, licensed, branded and embedded on corporate online learning platforms.
Take a look at the syllabus:
Will Universities go the way of HMV? The early warning signs are there. Post your thoughts on the likely fate of our Universities here. p.s. It’s got absolutely nothing to do with the post, but I enjoyed the REM track so much that I thought it was time to post another one:
Introducing Alex Watson. By day, Alex works as a senior manager for Lloyds Register in London – A high pressure / high performance job. She manages to combine this with being lead singer and writer for suburban soul group Bastedo. Check out their work:
The Music of Business is a really enjoyable read. Great insights in how to approach 21st century business challenges, using lessons from the world of rock music. It’s funny and thought provoking whilst absolutely hammering home the messages of strategy, collaboration, and project execution.
I wanted to find out her own story about mixing the two disciplines in perfect harmony:
On authenticity
Peter : I know that you have walked away from record deals with Sony BMG and so on. What has guided your decisions to keep to your authentic self?
Alex: I’d always wanted to be a singer from a very early age since from around the age of five or six. When I left school, I actually started to think about how I would do it. As I sought out and became involved in a few opportunities, I began to see that there were choices about what I expected from music and what others expected from me. The way others saw me and what musical contribution I could make, was at odds with my vision. I have always relied on my intuition rather than manuals and books, or even the advice of others, to decide on what I would do with my music. I have never had any formal training, and cannot (yet) play an instrument to any practical level. However, I had my voice and the ability to write songs. I’ve tried to expand on these talents and to evolve and grow them. It is these gut feelings married with the ongoing experiences that I picked up, that guided my decisions about staying true to my authentic voice.
The parallel with leadership is very clear. You can have good and bad leadership. Leadership by consensus, or by command and control. Those in positions of leadership need to be able to make sound decisions based on lots of information streams. Trusting yourself and standing by your decisions when they affect many others takes a lot of courage, but also a strong sense of purpose. When the relationship between you and those you work for is consonant then you have an agenda for doing your best to mutual advantage. It’s about deciding what trade offs are ones that you can cope with in order to reach your dreams.
Peter : So, what’s the difference between good and bad leadership in music and business?
Alex : In terms of leadership. Good leaders are those that allow you to become your best, to harness your potential and leverage it in ways that are mutually beneficial for the business and you as the individual. Bad leaders can stifle progress, assist in the creation of toxic atmospheres and act based on purely selfish motives.
I’ve had some tremendous opportunities to work with record companies, publishing companies and individuals who I have had deals and dealings with. For example, when I was at still at University, I also had a retainer with a major record company which allowed me to have the financial leverage to work on my music and not worry about how I would survive from month to month. It allowed me to work with top songwriters and producers. However, there are always trade offs that come with such freedoms. As a songwriter, that meant I didn’t have any control over the agenda, or who I would work with. Working in some of those circumstances, I became fully aware I was part of a machine, and it often made me feel disconnected from music itself! Once I started to work with kindred spirits, I felt much happier, and less concerned with the commercial outcomes. It was always important to me that I worked with the right people as I am not necessarily that commercial with my music. That’s pretty much transferable to the business. Of course business is focussed on the bottom line, but ultimately, sustainable businesses add true value.
Urban Soul Sister
Peter : How do you create?
Alex : Creativity can happen in different ways and at different times. There is often a modus operandi for me. A natural flow and way of figuring out melodies and building a song. Often I’ll come up with an interesting melody or concept…and I try to capture it somewhere. On my phone, on paper etc. These ‘nuggets’ will often form the basis of new songs or work their way into ideas at some future juncture. For example, I have a song called “Let Me Be”. This was created over a long time period. The lyrics and the melody were written a long time (10 years) ago and had been stored in my memory bank until an opportunity to record the piece. I then shaped up the lyrics whilst working with my then guitarist Vinz, who provided accompaniement. The song finally had the opportunity to see light. It’s not a manic obsession with pleasing an audience but I have one eye on that.
However, the beauty of collaboration is that there is always a sharing of process. From these experiences you learn new ways to create. Every artist has the tension between art and commerce. Creativity is borne out of art. Vangelis pointed out that “Chariots of Fire” was perhaps not the most important piece of music he has composed, but it was THIS piece of music that captured a large audience. What he views as his most important works are ones we’ve likely not even heard of!!
Peter : How has music helped you do your job?
Alex : I find that being a musician gives me an empathy and a sympathy, that enables me to bring humanity to business. It allows me to bring more creativity when solving workplace issues. The fact that I am a musician also gives me a strong identity and sense of self, regardless of the current political tide, latest business fad, change program or initiative
Peter : Do you find that skills such as presenting your ideas and so on are enhanced by being a musician and a performer? If so, please say how.
Alex : Being a performer definitely helps with your confidence when presenting to people or putting your ideas across. As a Learning Professional, being able to present your ideas is key. Preparing training programs, working with subject matter experts, developing content, preparing for performance. There are a lot of parallels. Its that whole Preparation, preparation, preparation thing isn’t it? Know your subject. Prepare and plan well…then off you go. Monitor your performance. Take away key learning points and fold these back into future performances. I do this in both Music and Business. I also very mindfully reflect on what I am learning in both business and music, and use any lessons to improve performance in either arena.
Alex with Richard Strange at our interview meeting
Peter : Have there been any setbacks for you professionally from being a musician?
Alex : Hmmm. That’s a difficult one. I’ve definitely had setbacks. Many setbacks. The musicians road is not a straightforward one. It’s often difficult to make a decent living. So yes, there has been setback…and sacrifice. All for the love of music.
Peter : What’s transferable?
Alex : For me, the act of creating music is a pleasurable one that can often put me in my state of ‘flow.’ However, depending on what you are trying to achieve, you do need to put some mental elbow grease into the creative process. For example, if I am asked to write a top line for another artist, that’s a different mindset to writing for myself. Different brain muscles. In business, I try to look at each project, challenge or issue within its own context. The days of one size fits all solutions seem to have gone. So being able to use my creativity to solve problems is very useful.
Humility is also transferable skill from being a musician to being a leader. When I have written songs, rehearsed them, then finally bring them to an appreciative audience…its not only satisfying…it’s humbling. I try to bring that gratitude to the workplace. To appreciate the people that are there doing their bit. To pay attention to small kindnesses. The time someone takes to explain something to you, or show you how to do something. Those little favours people do for you at work that nudge things along for you. They don’t have to. I don’t take it for granted. When we provide solutions for our clients and do a good job..we should feel proud of our achievements.
Alex offered three tips from music to help you be your best
Mentors are essential to success. Unless you are in a hothouse like Motown or PWL, you can find yourself in a vacuum.
Get out and perform rather than keep rehearsing – you learn faster and better
A polished performance is the result of a lot of background practice and preparation. This is a direct analogy for meetings at work. It’s prepared spontaneity.
Alex performs with Bastedo at Cabaret Futura in London on Monday May 20th.
*************************
About the Blogger: Peter Cook leads The Academy of Rock - Keynote events with a difference and Human Dynamics - Business and organisation development, training and coaching. Check his online programme The Music of Business out. Grab discounted copies of his books by mailing him at peter@humdyn.co.uk
I was privileged to meet Doug Morris, CEO of Sony Music the other week at The University of Oxford Said Business School, thanks to Steve Mostyn who contributed the Led Zeppelin case study to the book “The Music of Business“. Doug Morris is widely regarded as the most influential music executive in the industry. Throughout his career, he has worked in many different capacities with some of the most popular and influential artists of the past four decades, including The Rolling Stones, Phil Collins, Pete Townsend, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Nicks, Bette Midler, Tori Amos, INXS, Mariah Carey, Jay-Z, Stevie Wonder and U2, among many others. Morris wrote “Sweet Talkin’ Guy” for The Chiffons, produced “Smokin’ In The Boys Room” for Brownsville Station and was behind “You Sexy Thing” for Hot Chocolate. He became President of Atlantic Records in 1980, working alongside Ahmet Ertegun. Later on, he renamed MCA records as Universal Music, to erase the well-known view of MCA as Music Cemetry of America. He gave a superb talk and I was delighted when Doug accepted copies of “The Music of Business” and “Sex, Leadership and Rock’n'Roll“.
He’s a Sweet Talkin’ Guy – Meeting Doug Morris at Oxford University Said Business School
Here’s Oxford University’s own report on the evening – Oxford University. From my own point of view, here are some parallel lessons about music and business:
Doug Morris on Personal Development
Focus – Morris started life with an economics degree and started life as a songwriter after a brief spell in the army. Although its clear from the opening song in this blog that Morris has a fine ear for writing hit songs, he realised that he was better at sales than writing songs and changed direction. Perhaps that’s the first important parallel, finding what you are really good at.
Passion– He came from a family of lawyers and doctors and his parents were horrified when he said he wanted to be a songwriter. Turned out that he was right to take this career direction, pursuing his passion.
Oxford University Said Business School – The Premier location for Business Excellence
Doug Morris on Business
Simplicity – Doug pointed out that some of the most successful records on the planet came out of the first, fourth and fifth chord progression. It’s the sequence that “La Bamba”, “Twist and Shout” and many many more songs are based on for the non-musicians. Businesses and musicians forget this point when they invent complex things which nobody ‘gets’.
Love – Morris described his relationship with Ahmet Ertegun as one of a great friendship, recalling that they would listen to what each other was playing in their adjoining offices. ”If I heard something I loved, I would bang on the wall and if Ahmet heard a sound that grabbed him he would do the same”. At the end of each day there would always be laughter and hugs. Doug applied the lessons of “Sweet Talkin’ Guy” to his dealings with artists he wanted to sign, often telling the musician’s wives or girlfriends how good their partners were, and then sit back and watch the artists decide to sign with Atlantic Records. Testimony for Morris’ power of attraction comes from people like Jay-Z who has mentioned him in several of his songs. I must say that I found Doug magnetic, warm, focused and charming. I would also hazard a guess that he does not suffer fools gladly. All qualities of great leaders.
Talent management – Morris was asked “what makes a successful record” and he pointed out that there’s no answer. However he went on to say that he has always relied on people who could ‘see round corners’. The quality of foresight is just as relevant to leaders in business as it is in the music business and I would say from Doug’s answer that this is still largely an intuitive rather than an analytical process. Doug told a wonderful story of how he missed the chance to sign Bob Seger because Ahmet Ertegun passed up on it, rather than going with his own judgement. He reflected “If you believe in something, don’t pass on it”. We discussed how intuition is undervalued in business in the post ‘Basic Instinct‘.
The Future – For the first time in over a decade, profits in the music business have begun to grow. Morris believes that this is the beginning of a turnaround for the music industry as it is pulled up by approaches to monetisation by related industries.
The title of Doug Morris’ talk was The A – Z of Music – From Adele to Zeppelin – let’s finish with examples from both artists:
To get your copy of The Music of Business and / or Sex, Leadership and Rock’n'Roll, get in touch direct by e-mail peter@humdyn.co.uk and I will deliver at at an author discount. Here’s an updated preview of the new book:
Postscript: Here is the lecture in it’s entirety:
******************************************
About the Blogger: Peter Cook leads The Academy of Rock - Keynote events with a difference and Human Dynamics - Business and organisation development, training and coaching. Contact via peter@humdyn.co.uk
Just 3 points away from ‘The One Minute Manager’ and ahead of ‘From Good to Great’
Thank you all for your assistance through purchasing copies of “The Music of Business” and through all your tweets, facebook, linkedin, G+1 etc. It was truly a fantastic day on 31 1 13 and I was humbled by your support for the book. We gained articles in The Guardian, The Sunday Times and have had offers from the BBC and Sky News for features. We reached the Top 10 on the Amazon chart, passing evergreen books by world class authors such as John Kotter and Jim Collins, author of ‘From Good to Great’ and nearly passing ‘The One Minute Manager’ by Ken Blanchard. This is unheard of for a book produced in this way. Click on the logos to read some of the articles.
In case you had not realised, The Music of Business is an indie release and NOT backed by a large publisher such as The FT, Kogan Page, Penguin, Wiley and so on. Having published several books with established publishers, I chose NOT to do this on this occasion. That makes the achievement even more remarkable. I was firmly told by several PR agents that “I would not get anywhere on my own without their help”. This proved to be wrong. So, what could we learn from this ‘media experiment’? Someone wisely observed that we succeeded in this enterprise through Creativity and Collaboration. They are fundamentally correct. Here’s a bit more detail for those of you seeking to be DIY entrepreneurs and authors:
I had already built a considerable following through previous book releases, face to face networking and social media.
I systematically went out to get a range of high quality endorsements from companies such as Lloyds, Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson, HP, University College London etc. These were matched by references from Richard Strange and Harvey Goldsmith in the music world. Some of this was planned, the rest relied on a degree of luck. As Louis Pasteur observed “Chance favours the prepared mind”.
I carefully planned a launch day and communicated this to national and international media. This was to involve as many people as possible, taking offers of goodwill as they came.
At the same time, we remained open to opportunities and offers which could not be planned in advance.
My wife points out that I was also on the job 24/7 to make this happen. Innovation is part inspiration, but mostly perspiration!
In the event, people were exceptionally kind in spreading the word via various media and I must thank them once again for this kindness.
Contact us if you would like to harness this kind of power for your own marketing and PR, whether it’s for your business or for a personal enterprise such as a book. I’ll be at Entrepreneur Country this Wednesday 27th February and the University of Oxford Business School the day after if anyone wants to catch up.
As a special thank you, I am offering two free vouchers for my new online learning programme “The Music of Business” in exchange for a few words by way of a review. Claim your free voucher HERE by Sat 02 March. Read all about it here:
Finally, in the spirit of TOTP, let’s see some of the great moments from that show including a rare live performance by David Bowie:
Last week saw the 50th anniversary of the recording of The Beatles first album “Please, Please Me”. This caused me to go out and play a version of “Blue Jay Way” from “The Magical Mystery Tour” as a rather unusual contribution to a 50th anniversary night on the Fab Four. It also set me thinking about the enduring legacy of The Beatles music as compared with the long tail of one hit wonders that typify the music business. Given that businesses rarely last 50 days let alone 50 years, it also made me think about some comparisons with businesses that have longevity. Thankfully, my own business has lasted 18 years.
Perhaps one single fact that we learn in business from the example of The Beatles is that managers (and people in general) are rather bad at foresight. After recording fifteen tracks for Decca records, the group were told that “guitar groups are on their way out” and “the Beatles have no future in show business.” Decca instead chose a group called the Tremoloes, who were local and would not cost as much money. In business, Sony missed the digital revolution probably because they had a record company. The question for the smart leader is:
“What long range future trends are we about to miss, because of our investment in the present and the past?”
Beatlenomics – “Give me money, that’s what I want”
The Beatles flexed musical styles within the context of pop music and broke many boundaries of what could be considered to be pop music at the time. We can hear their influence in ELO, some of Prince’s orchestrated work, Oasis, Kurt Cobain, Siouxsie and The Banshees, Paul Weller, Blur and so on. Perhaps this has ultimately helped them maintain longevity, as others have built their music on the ‘safe scaffolding’ of what they did. It probably also helped that they stopped making records before sliding inexorably down the other side of their ‘innovation S curve’.
The challenge to modern businesses, leaders and entrepreneurs is to change what you are doing even when there is apparently no need to do so, at the top of your ‘S Curve’. The question for the smart leader is:
“Where are you on your S Curve?”
The S Curve and Reinvention
What other business lessons can we learn from The Beatles? Post your thoughts here.
To learn more about The Beatles and Creativity in Business, try my new online learning programme “The Music of Business”. Claim a 50% discount voucher (7+ hours of top quality learning for just $65 instead of $125) HERE. Read all about it here:
To read “The Music of Business”, get in touch with me for your signed copy, delivered worldwide via The Music of Business.
We leave with the title of this blog and a video I made for the online programme on the creativity contribution from The Beatles:
It may be a tad self-indulgent, but I’m extremely excited as today is the launch day for “The Music of Business”. This has spawned a special post to celebrate the day. I’ve gathered together some music videos from some of the artists who feature in the book. The Music of Business is on special offer TODAY. Please can you buy copies and ask your contacts or colleagues to do the same. I am keen to find out just how far we can take this independent production into the Amazon charts against the mammoth resources of the big brands:
To reward you for this, you will be able to pick up a free copy of our iPhone app in the coming weeks – daily tips on business and personal development fused with music, developed in partnership with Jason Bell of Datasentiment.
Footnote : The book reached number 10 in books on Amazon thanks to your efforts!
OUT Today – Click on the picture to order copies
So, here we go with some great music from the featured artists:
I spent many an hour on top of the stairs at the age of 15, trying to play Ritchie Blackmore’s licks
The Kaiser Chiefs are pioneering new business models
A surprisingly sublime piece from Britney Spears
The genius of Bill Nelson, performing one of his instrumental pieces at his Legends concert for ITV
David Bowie’s magnificent reflective piece “where are we now”
Gaga’s anthem about her identity shows her to be more than a passing fad
One of our corporate events at Pfizer on career management with two hit wonder and micro star John Otway
Madonna, causing a commotion as usual, this time with religion
Art, Empire and Industry – Rowena Sian Morgan of BASCA on the photoshoot for the cover of The Music of Business – just before we were asked to leave the scene by security guards …
We stand just 72 hours away from the launch of my new book “The Music of Business”. The book is already available to buy at AMAZON.CO.UK, AMAZON.COM, and KINDLE. Signed copies directly from the book WEBPAGE. On 31 1 13, the book will be on special offer for the day. If you are planning to buy copies, it would help enormously if you did so on 31 1 13 to help secure a place in the Amazon charts in an interesting experiment to see if it’s possible to beat the major publishers at their own game.
To preview the book, this week I’m taking a break from my regular blogging content. Instead I’ve just selected some cool videos from some of the artists who feature in the book. Normal service will be resumed soon and I will stop being over excited!
Gaga controls the music business and is Queen of Social Media marketing.
I grew up on the Beatles, having blown my ear drums out screaming to Twist and Shout when I was 5 years old with an orange plastic Beatles guitar. This was the beginning of my 1st love and perhaps was the 1st inspiration for the book, swiftly followed by Jimi Hendrix.
AC / DC are a miracle in making a ‘formula’ work over nearly 40 years. Most of us have to flex and bend in order to stay alive.
Madonna is a reinvention guru. What made her that way? Read all about it in The Music of Business.
The best day of 2012 was the moment when I performed on stage with Bernie Tormé. Can business be this fun? Yes it can! We offer 24 hour strategy retreats that synthesise business excellence with the power of music.
Prince teaches us about the art and discipline of improvisation in the context of peak performance.
Scott McGill – a virtuoso jazz fusion musician and teacher gives valuable lessons in ‘musical escapology’ with important parallels for business creativity.
Richard Strange – Quoted as “The Godfather of Punk” by Johnny Rotten explores the dark side of creativity and innovation. If you are in London and wish to meet up, I often attend Richard’s alternative mixed media event Cabaret Futura.
Bill Nelson offers us lessons in principled leadership and reinvention in The Music of Business. Check this music master’s work out at Bill Nelson.
Ch, ch, ch, changes from the Thin White Duke, who has shape shifted many times over 40 years, keeping his audience. His latest work sees him turn full circle back to a reflective style that won him fans 40 years ago, but with a post-modern edge to it.
My life was never the same at the age of 13 when I discovered Marc Bolan. Bolan was a great innovator. Check out Lesley Ann-Jones’ book on Marc on Amazon.
And of course, the title of this blog from the Bard of Barking – what a great wordsmith:
Hoping your week rocks! Please spread the word about the book launch on 31 1 13 on social media, e-mail, carrier pigeon and any other mode of communication. Thank you for all your encouragement and supports, which have been pivotal in completing this project.
Later on in the ‘warm up’, I responded to the trial question, which was “Should Her Majesty the Queen now hand over power to her family?” As we were in the Mick Jagger centre, I was compelled to break rule No 2 above by saying to the panel:
