Here are 7 lessons we can learn about leadership from playing music.

If you’re like me, music is something you can’t live without.

I started playing bass guitar when I was 12.

One day while walking home from school, I heard this incredible sound.

My neighbor was thumping on the bass, and it inspired a passion that burns to this day.? I started taking lessons the next week and, by age 17, I was an accomplished musician.

I played in the high school jazz band, joined the college jazz ensemble, and formed several groups that enjoyed reasonable success.

I also learned about leadership.

There’s a strong correlation between music and intelligence.?

Studies by EG Schellenberg have shown that kids who take music lessons have higher IQs.? Other studies clearly establish a strong relationship between music training and cognitive ability.

When we listen to music it floods our brain with dopamine, which is the chemical associated with pleasure, motivation, and reward.

Neuroscientists have discovered that our brain gets programmed to enjoy certain types of music.? This creates a pattern of prediction that culminates in intense pleasure or disappointment.

Music has the capacity to lift our mood, motivate, inspire, create empathy and validation.

Listening to music with other people is powerful and playing music together is one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying.

Being in a band isn’t easy, and the leadership lessons are humbling.

“If music be the food of love, play on.” – William Shakespeare

Here are 7 things we can learn about leadership from playing music:

Commitment

I have met many flaky musicians throughout my life.? Highly creative and incredibly talented people that lack commitment when it comes to rehearsal, scheduling and collaborating well with others.? I took practice seriously and became well versed in being prepared, organized and respectful.? Becoming an accomplished musician takes dedication.? Using that skill to work well with other people is a completely different talent.? Consider how many amazing bands have fallen apart over the years.? Leading a band that stays together requires remarkable leadership skills.? ???

Patience

Playing music with other people takes patience.? Working through complicated charts and sorting through diverse musical interests requires patience and finesse.? Many incredibly talented people are impatient and struggle with perfectionism.? They are hard on themselves and even harder on other people. Great leaders have patience and leading a band requires plenty of it.

Respect

Most bands come together and forge straight ahead.? Respect is lost as egos collide and conflicting priorities become apparent.? Temperamental talent is tough to mitigate when everyone thinks they're “the star”.? Leading a band demands creating an atmosphere of respect.? Working with talented people can be difficult when everyone believes they are exceptional. Cultivating a culture of respect is imperative for strong organizations.?

“The music is not in the notes, but in the silence in between.” –?Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Receptive

Highly creative people can get distracted with their own inventiveness.? It’s difficult for creative people to open their mind to the possibility of better alternatives.? Having an open mind and being receptive to collaboration can create incredible innovation.? Great leaders inspire a spirit of cooperation that facilitates collective creativity.??

Vision

Many bands I participated in didn’t have a vision, and establishing one wasn’t easy.? Some people wanted to play jazz, others wanted to play country or rock and roll.? People argued about who would sing and write the music.? Without a vision, every band or entrepreneurial start up is destined for failure.? Great leaders have a vision and it’s articulate clearly and everyone needs to do their part to make it happen.???

Responsibilities

Empowering people to tap their full potential is critical for success.? Great bands and great businesses have leaders that rely on the remarkable skill of their teams.? Each person knows their responsibility and understands expectations and objectives.? When people have no direction, it’s easy to get lost.? Each band member needs to do their part to ensure the performance is a success.? It’s no different with our business.

Communication

Great teams communicate well and treat their colleagues with respect, kindness, empathy and understanding.? Team members understand the importance of learning to disagree but articulate their differences respectfully.? Great teams communicate frequently and effectively, and they listen attentively.? They remain open-minded and in control of their emotions.? They listen to understand and resist letting emotions get in the way.?

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.” – Plato

Sum it up.

Any other ways music helps inspire better leadership?? Share your thoughts in the comments section and please like and share this article. I love learning from you as well.

About Steve:

Steve Wohlenhaus is CEO of Weatherology, the leading company in the world at disseminating audio weather information.?? Steve began his career as a major market television weather anchor in Minneapolis, where he received several Emmy Awards for science programming.? Steve is the author and host of the podcast program Anatomy of Success.? Reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn.? Learn more about my work and grab the free Weatherology mobile app by clicking any picture in this article!