7 Leadership Lessons from 50 Years of Jethro Tull

When I saw that the band Jethro Tull was going to be playing a concert within walking distance of my home a month ago, I knew I would go. I last saw them in concert during their 1988 tour. Seeing them again reminded me of how much great music they produced over the 50+ years they have been active, with an estimated 60 million albums sold worldwide. They also are recognized as one of the founders of the subgenre of rock music called ”progressive rock.”

I am glad I went. In addition to enjoying the music, I learned several lessons about the group that can be helpful for leaders outside of the music industry.

1 - A Leader is Key to Longevity - The band has had many members over the decades, but one member has defined the band and kept it going - Ian Anderson, the band’s lead singer and principal songwriter. Anderson was part of a trio who formed the band. As they evolved, band members came and went but Anderson was the constant force keeping it as a continuing enterprise and brand.

2 - Persistence Pays - After forming in the mid 1960s, it took the band a while to find their right team makeup and their musical identity. The band struggled to get repeat gigs at clubs, so their booking agents started changing the band’s name frequently so they could get rebooked. The name changed so often that Anderson later recalled that he once did not recognize his own band’s name on the club’s poster at a gig. One name the agents came up with was from an agricultural scientist from the 1700s named Jethro Tull. Somehow that name stuck.

3 - Create a Unique Visual Image - As the lead singer, Anderson became the image of the band. When he took to wearing an old overcoat while playing the flute and taking a one leg stance, the image made the band stand out. It played up how they were different than other rock bands. The band still uses Anderson’s silhouette as an icon for the band.

4 - Find a Niche - Like many band leaders, Anderson originally played guitar. After hearing other guitarists like Eric Clapton playing, Anderson realized he would never stand out as a great guitarist. So he bought a flute and taught himself to play that instead. The flute was not that prevalent in rock music at the time and help defined Jethro Tull’s sound.

5 - Don’t Let Critics Scare You Away - Jethro Tull was nominated for the 1989 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock / Metal Performance. The band Metallica was favored to win. Some fans questioned whether Jethro Tull even was even in the hard rock / metal category. The band listened to the naysayers and did not even show up to the Grammy Awards because they were sure they would not win. When Jethro Tull won, none of the band was there to receive the award.

6 - Evolve and Adapt to Improve - Much of Jethro Tull’s style has evolved as Anderson worked through his own strengths and weaknesses. By dropping the guitar to take up the flute, Anderson gave the band a unique identity. Anderson also shaped his songwriting to his vocal skills that have changed over time and are not as big and booming as some other rock lead singers. His songs sound more like spoken word stories than arena-shaking screams.

7 - Set Clear Expectations - Anderson did something to manage the audience that I had not seen at a concert before. There was a sign on the screen asking people not to photograph or use their phones during the show. As the first song played, people largely ignored the request. So Anderson asked the audience to respect the rule but said he would make it worth their while by offering a deal. He asked people not to use their phones until the last song, and then he said they could do whatever they wanted to record the finale. After he said this, he played another song and pointed out someone in the audience who had not respected the deal. I think he was making it up, but he was making a point to say he would enforce his rule. That worked in a surprisingly good way in creating peer pressure to keep people from using their phones.

If you see that a band you liked is going to be in your town, do yourself a favor and go. I am glad I did. You may just get more than nice music and memories. You might actually learn some stuff that can help you in your life beyond being a music fan.

About the Author of this Article: Victor Prince is the #1 executive coach for financial services executives. He is also an Amazon Top 20 best-selling leadership author who helps organizations build leadership, strategy, communications, and critical thinking skills . Follow Victor on LinkedIN to access his 100+ articles on leadership, strategy, learning & development, and more.

All facts sourced from Wikipedia.org.