Keeping Your Job: It’s Not Only Rock n’ Roll

My buddy is a live sound engineer for a touring musician and his band. The last date of their 2014 US tour coincided with my winter vacation, so we met the night before the show and shared some brotherhood, road stories, and a few drinks.

NOT joining us was an accomplished member of the band whose resume spans more than 20 years and includes stints with many well-known bands and artists. It turns out that when the tour starts again in a few weeks, he will no longer be a part of the group. He has no idea he has been replaced.

At this level, it’s not just about talent. Every musician on the stage is capable of working with the most talented touring ensemble. But living in busses and planes and hotels for months at a time across several continents brings out a person’s true colors. In this case, more than one band and/or crew member reached a conclusion about this guy that made all the difference.

They don’t like him.

He talks down to people. He doesn’t always play his instrument in a way that supports the musical dynamics of the song. He doesn’t seem to understand that it’s not his name printed on the tickets. His wardrobe choices on stage are more befitting a band of a completely different genre. And his skill set, while impressive, is replaceable.

When you have the type of alienating personality that this guy does, people don’t tell you. They just quit inviting you to the party. They don’t go out of their way to share drinks or road stories with you. The same considerable talents that got you hired in the first place are drowned out by the screeching feedback of an irritating temperament that, over time, changes the way people react to you.

In the book “The Likeability Factor”, author Tim Sanders describes how “the choices other people make about you determine your health, wealth, and happiness.” I’m not saying you have to be liked to be successful, but I know of at least one person on the naughty list this year whose future employment options have been impacted because he has a low likeability factor. He might be rocking around the Christmas tree this year, but he’ll be doing it alone.

How many talented people do you know who could stand to improve their likeability? Do they know how replaceable they are?