The Blues Brothers Guide to Balanced Leadership

One of my favorite movies of all time is the iconic, star-studded musical comedy, The Blues Brothers. I often recommend this film to clients as an entertaining example of how the steps of?The Balancing Act?can lead to success. If you haven't had the pleasure of watching this hilarious 1980 classic, I highly recommend it.

The Superpower of Balanced Leadership process provides a clear road map for leaders (even accidental ones like the Blues Brothers) to leverage their natural powers for maximum impact. The six powers outlined in the Compass image below are 1. Core (Values & Identity at the Center); 2. Vision (Air/East); 3. Mission (Fire/South); 4. Interactions (Water/West); 5. Structure (Earth/North); and 6. Synergy (the Whole Compass Circle).

Let’s explore how the Blues Brothers instinctively followed the 6 steps of Balanced Leadership and achieved all the powers they needed to accomplish their "Mission from God".

Step 1. Elwood Blues picks up his brother Jake Blues from prison when he's released on parole. They visit the Orphanage of Perpetual Delinquency, their childhood home, where the head nun (aka "the Penguin") asks them to save the school from foreclosure.

Because the brothers'?Core Identity & Values are aligned with this orphanage that has helped so many children, they agree to take on this worthy cause…and this is how our unlikely heroes start their great adventure.

Step 2. ?But the brothers don't have any idea what to do. Seeking inspiration, they go to church.

While there, Jake "sees the light" and has a Vision of giving a concert to save the Orphanage. Happily, this clear Vision aligns with Jake and Elwood’s Core Gifts as musicians -- they're not just delinquents, you know.

Step 3. The Blues Brothers now declare that they’re on a "Mission from God". With this newfound fervor and focus, they’re determined to accomplish this one priority as soon as possible,

?With this strong driving force, the Blues Brothers can stay on track and overcome really big obstacles that block their way to success. This one-pointed focus allows them to get past unfriendly State Police, a nasty rival Country Western band called?the Good Old Boys, a dangerous mystery woman who is out to kill them, AND the Illinois Nazis!! (Whew! And you thought you had problems.)

Step 4. Now that Jake and Elwood have a clear Mission of giving a concert to make money that will rescue their orphanage, it’s the right time for them to put their band back together. The?Interactions stage of Balanced Leadership makes sure we connect with the right people who will help us achieve our Mission. Collaboration and teamwork, represented by the diverse band members with their unique instruments, are essential to success.

?In the movie, we are treated to performances by many Blues legends, including Aretha Franklin who insists on R-E-S-P-E-C-T, which of course, is vital for healthy Interactions. Additionally, once the band is finally together, everyone in the group has to broadcast the word to everybody they know...and have them, in turn, tell all their friends so many people come to the benefit concert.

Step 5. The Blues Brothers concert is a roaring, roof-raising success. Because they managed all the necessary logistics in the Structure?step of Balanced Leadership, they were able to deliver an electrifying performance to a packed house and collect all the money they needed to save the orphanage.

?And as if that’s not enough, they were able to make a great escape, dodging bullets and roadblocks to bring the money back in the nick of time to save the Orphanage. YEA!!

But the story does not end there, for the Blues Brothers or for Balanced Leadership!

Step 6. At the end of the movie, the Blues Brothers have landed back in jail. However, the closing scene shows them giving a Jailhouse Rock concert to their captive audience. ??So, who's to say? Maybe this is actually Synergy for the heroes of this story.?They certainly seem to be enjoying themselves!

What I know for certain is that this is a fantastic outcome for anyone who loves the Blues. If you don’t believe me, listen to this final clip where you can enjoy the best-ever cover of “Jailhouse Rock”.

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In conclusion, I hope you enjoyed The Blues Brothers Guide to Balanced Leadership which shows how this superpowered approach to leadership leads to success, even for “outlaws.”?

I wholeheartedly recommend this iconic movie for its entertainment value and the insights it provides. I also encourage you to explore the Balanced Leadership approach for leveraging all your natural powers to achieve your goals. To learn more about Balanced Leadership, please refer to the links below!

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Wishing you all the best, Sharon Seivert

CEO, Core-Learning-Services.org and CoreCoachingConsulting.com

Author, The Superpower of Balanced Leadership in Unbalanced Times

Contact: linkedin.com/in/sharonseivert/