Managing and improvising: lessons from jazz

Abstract

Offers a model of leadership development based on the metaphor of jazz improvisation. Examines the meaning of improvisation as applied to jazz and shows how managers’ lives are similar to that faced by jazz improvisers in that they often face problems which are unstructured and ambiguous. Shows how the metaphor can be applied to other areas of organizational innovation.

Citation

Barrett, F.J. (1998), "Managing and improvising: lessons from jazz", Career Development International, Vol. 3 No. 7, pp. 283-286. https://doi.org/10.1108/13620439810240719