Managing by jazz

Citation

(2003), "Managing by jazz", Measuring Business Excellence, Vol. 7 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/mbe.2003.26707cab.005

Managing by jazz

How the hell could jazz and management ever work together to solve business problems? Close your eyes and remember some beautiful tunes by Mozart. Can you hear it? Fine. But definitely not jazz.

In classical music there is a strict separation between the orchestra and the audience. Even if you are part of a live concert, you are not allowed to join in the song, and it is only appreciated if you applaud at a specific time. Classical music is a metaphor for classical management. Strict hierarchies, rules, limits.

Jazz on the other hand with its elements of jamming, improvisation and changing leadership, with its need to understand and bring in cultural differences offers a wide range of possibilities to create innovation from limits. The basic principle of management by jazz is to be able to balance at the same time the two contradictory ideas of freedom and discipline.

Innovation – inspiration – intuition

Innovation, inspiration and intuition symbolize jazz as a metaphor for new personal leadership competencies. The global market with its strongly demanding audience for better, cheaper and quicker products and services is more like a jazz club, with only hidden rules, than a formal concert hall. To be successful in this turbulent environment is not about being the best soloist or conductor seeking applause, but more about acting like a leader who selects a cross-cultural team and has a high empathy for the team. The principles of jazz are a perfect example for these requirements for the international leaders of tomorrow.

Understanding cultural differences

The big question nowadays is: how to understand each other and cooperate within this global world? The universal language of jazz therefore provides functional solutions to overcome intercultural barriers and achieve successful global interaction. A summary could sound like this:

Globally successful managers need the cultural competence to:

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  play in harmony with other cultures and learn from them to "cross-over";

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  use differences and borders to gain creative solutions;

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  act like a film director who fixes the setting and encourages the actors to play authentically, convincingly and at their best; and

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  have the courage and create a new, flexible and functional working culture.

Changing leadership and empathy

Jazz allows a maximum of freedom to develop as an individual on the one hand and subordinates the individual to the collective to contribute to a common goal on the other. Jazz musicians do not need a strong hierarchical system for functioning together. At the beginning the musicians harmonize and start playing in unison. Then each instrument takes command by leading the band – playing a so-called "solo" for a certain amount of bars. The others support the leader by generating a subtle carpet of sound. It is given relief with small dialogues of instruments or with the setting of single inspirational accents. The point of leadership change is signaled round through almost imperceptible signs. The piece of music ends in unison.

The managers who want to be successful within the "jazz club of global competition" are not soloists who play better than the rest. They are not the conductors of big orchestras looking for approval, but artists that bring out the best in others. Therefore they need the personal competence to:

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  technically master their instrument in an excellent way;

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  be brave enough to experience new ways and take risks;

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  make original mistakes and enjoy it; and

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  practice jamming and leave their "comfort-zones".

They need the social competence to:

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  empathetically listen to the others and understand what they want and where they want to go to;

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  encourage others to do something extraordinary – in other words to leave their own "comfort-zones"; and

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  stop fighting for leadership

From theory to practice: some case studies

McDonald's, for example, demonstrates the changing leadership principle. Since Ray Kroc's death in January 1984, McDonald's has been honoring his memory by celebrating "Founder's Day" on the first Friday in October around the globe. On its Founder's Day every year, the big bosses of McDonald's fry the hamburgers themselves: So what is the effect of changing leadership on McDonald's? A lot of top managers started their careers by roasting hamburgers in the kitchen and serving clients. And Founder's Day gives them the wonderful opportunity to go back to their roots. Changing leadership works as an example for social competence and empathy.

Jamming on the other hand – the process of improvisation in jazz – is based on the principles of order and chaos. One of the world's most creative advertising agencies, Lowe, shows that the best creations require clear limitations. The necessity of borders and rules for the process of improvisation is crystal clear – the company's philosophy is inventing extraordinary ideas through limits.

So what is in it for you?

How different could everyday life look like by applying the principles of jazz? Are you brave enough to try new things, to take risks, to make outstanding mistakes and above all to enjoy all this? Start with your personal jamming session:

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  How many books or magazines on topics totally new to you are lying on your desk, e.g. Zero – The Biography of a Dangerous Idea by John Seife?

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  When did you last give a presentation on a topic which is not your specialty but which fascinates you?

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  Have you ever painted a picture using real colors and canvas?

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  Do you have in your home a creative zone, where you really feel relaxed?

Here are 6 rules to use when working for clients, or creating products and services, to generate creativity between chaos and order:

Rule no. 1: have fun. Try not to accept client commissions that may be boring, routine or torture. Sometimes it is not easy, but it in a long term view it makes a lot of sense.

Rule no. 2: success means changing habits. The limiting borders of client commissions should be reflected and used in a creative way.

Rule no. 3: wisdom is to be found between the lines. Never think that there is only one solution. Combine different and even contradictory schemes drawn from eastern, western, old and new solutions

Rule no. 4: do less more effectively.

Rule no. 5: think the big style – live the big picture. Learn to deal with the paradox of feeling at the same time the pressure to perform and the growing desire for more sense and sensitivity in life. Develop your own personal way of living with more reason, joy and success. And help others to do likewise!

Rule no. 6: act strong and wise. Surround yourself with the best people in reach. Learn to love moving along the border from order to chaos: do not be afraid of the immense complexity reality and its problems consist of.

Adapted from: "Management by jazz – creating innovation from the principles of chaos and order", by Nana Walzer and Andreas Salcher, Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 35 No. 2, 2003, pp. 67-9.