Leadership Lessons from “Listening to Kenny G”

I considered myself the ultimate Kenny G fan for many years. I owned every CD, captured every media appearance I could on my VHS recorder, read every article, and anything else about him I could get my hands on. I thought I knew everything there was to know about Kenny G. At one time, I admired Kenny G so much that I could answer almost any trivia question about him.?That all changed on December 2, 2021, when I watched the HBO documentary “Listening to Kenny G!” This documentary (available on HBO Max) is very well done. I learned fascinating new details about Kenny G!?I watched this documentary as a fan of his work. Instinctively, however, something else happened I did not foresee—I started looking at Kenny G through a new lens. The leadership developer in me came out. I see several leadership lessons in “Listening to Kenny G.”

More Than One Way to Lead

Kenny G had a belief in himself and tested it when others kept telling him there was only one way to succeed as a musician.?Kenny G chose to create his own unique sound.?In making his sound, he established a new genre of jazz—smooth jazz!?This form of jazz was born out of Kenny’s boldness.?

I remember listening to WNUA 95.5—the first radio station to use the phrase “smooth jazz” (as I learned from the documentary). I loved listening to WNUA!?I was one of the fortunate callers who received Kenny G tickets when he came to Chicago in 1989.?I was only 14.?I’ll never forget my mom taking me to see Kenny G and Michael Bolton—my very first concert!?

I was in high school when I discovered Kenny G and started playing the soprano saxophone because of him.?While my friends were blasting rap music, I was blasting Kenny G.?While my friends were practicing basketball techniques on the “hardwood,” I was practicing my Kenny G riffs.?I studied his every move and every note.?

The only image of me playing before a live audience I know to exist.

Kenny G is quite a performer.?I learned a lot from how he handles audiences and incorporated his showmanship into my performances.?

The leadership lesson: There is more than one way to lead. Leaders often talk about “thinking outside of the box” but then quickly want to put everyone back in the box when they break with tradition to do something different.?This, however, is a necessary part of innovation and must be nurtured rather than mocked or squelched.?Kenny G ignored the naysayers who mocked him.?Even highly regarded musicians, journalists, historians, and professors condemn his music as not “real jazz.”?Nevertheless, he continued to create his own path and produce a new genre on his way to becoming the highest-selling instrumentalist of all time! Few people can readily tell you about the great legends of jazz these days, but many can tell you about Kenny G!

Sometimes detractors are an indicator you’re doing something right.?It's easy to follow the worn path and do what everyone else is doing.?It's quite another to literally march to your own beat, take a different path, and bet on yourself. All leaders can learn from Kenny G in this regard.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Kenny G is the most recognized and awarded instrumentalist in history. In the documentary, he revealed he still practices 3-4 hours every day.?I was not surprised to hear he still practices every day, but I was surprised that he still practices the length of time he does.

There is a lesson here for leaders.?At the end of every episode of the Keep Leading!? podcast, I always say, “it's not the case of once a leader, always a leader.” My point is you can never say you’ve made it as a leader, so you can sit back and coast. Being a leader is a continuous act hence the appeal to Keep Leading!??

I’m also reminded of the words of the great Dr. Ron Heifetz, whom I studied under at the Harvard Kennedy School in the Art and Practice of Leadership Development program.?He gave the program that name and helped us see leadership truly as an art form and not as one of the other sciences many leaders might espouse.?He believes and teaches that leadership is an art that can never be fully mastered. You are always practicing.?He said that as both a skilled surgeon and as one of the world’s foremost thought leaders on the subject of leadership.

Kenny G shows that being great means never being complacent. He is the epitome of perseverance, patience, and practice.?You must keep practicing, keep refining, keep learning, keep growing, and keep challenging yourself to keep leading in your chosen vocation.?This applies to anyone who desires to be a great leader.

The “Listening the Kenny G” documentary captivated me and took me to where I had not been in years.?I initially thought I would listen to it while working and quickly found myself unable to do anything else until it was over.?It made me go to my closet and pull out my horn and run through a few scales—something I don’t do much anymore.

I enjoy the smooth sounds of Kenny G. He is one of my favorite entertainers.?I now look at him as a model of the art of leadership as a result of “Listening to Kenny G!”

While I don’t perform anymore I did play to my daughter while she was still in the womb to help her develop a love for music and Kenny G.?

Tech Tips

My first career was in information technology. I’m still a tech guy at heart who enjoys keeping up with the latest tech tips and trends.

?DogDog.org: A Google Alternative

Are you a dog lover or do you know one? If so, you may want to consider an alternative to Google the next time you want to search for something on the internet.?Visit https://www.dogdog.org/ to use the search engine that donates half its profits to dog shelters every time you search.?To date, it has donated more than $7 million.

Source: https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/iphone-tips-tricks-ios-secret-expert

What Happened to the Address Bar?

Are you one of the many people frustrated by Apple moving the address bar in Safari? Here is how to change it.

Step One: Click AA in the address bar as shown in the image below.

Step Two: Select the option to "Show Top Address Bar" as shown in the image below.

Book of the Month Recommendation

My friend and fellow Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches member, Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez released the Harvard Business Review Project Management Handbook: How to Launch, Lead, and Sponsor Successful Projects on October 19, 2021.

??Get your copy on Amazon! https://amzn.to/3E1bjPW

?? Listen to my interview with Antonio, the world champion of project management, talk about his book on the Keep Leading!? podcast: https://bit.ly/3ijFOpJ!

Books Available for Pre-Order

How to Begin: Start Doing Something That Matters

Michael Bungay Stanier, Author of the Coaching Habit

??Pre-Order?your copy on Amazon!?https://amzn.to/339nLjx

The Success Factor: Developing the Mindset and Skillset for Peak Business Performance

Dr. Ruth Gotian, Chief Learning Officer

??Pre-Order?your copy on Amazon!?https://amzn.to/31AhFIk

The Seismic Shift In Leadership: How To Thrive In A New Era Of Connection

Michelle K. Johnston, Ph.D., Management Professor

??Pre-Order?your copy on Amazon!?https://amzn.to/3rPeuY2

Podcast of the Month Recommendation

My friend and fellow Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches member, Scott Miller is the host of FranklinCovey’s top-rated OnLeadership podcast.??This podcast features some of the greatest minds in the world! Past guests include Matthew McConaughey, Stephen M.R. Covey, Daniel Pink, General Stanley McChrystal, Anne Chow, Susan David, Kim Scott, Bill Engvall, Chester Elton, Julie Zhuo, Carly Fiorina, Nick Vujicic, Stedman Graham, Janice Bryant Howroyd, Emmanuel Acho, Ursula Burns and many more!?

Visit?https://resources.franklincovey.com/on-leadership-with-scott-miller

I recommend this podcast because of its quality and the amazing guests they have featured as noted above.??I’d be remiss if I did not share I too have had the honor of being a guest on this incredible podcast.??According to feedback from viewers, listeners, and friends, this is perhaps one of my best interviews ever!??FranklinCovey wrote a wonderful blog post to accompany the episode.??

???60 Second Preview???

Turn Up Your Leadership with Eddie Turner full interview available at:

https://bit.ly/3Gnlv6E

"Show Up and Show Out" blog post:

https://bit.ly/3Gs01pf

Harvard Business Review presents: Coaching Real Leaders with Muriel Wilkins

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coaching-real-leaders/id1545444200

This is a wonderful podcast for anyone who is a coach or wants to experience a coaching session from one of the best coaches in the business.??

Keep Leading!? Podcast (On Pause but Powerful)

I’ve paused the production of the Keep Leading!? podcast but love looking back at the powerful words of the incredible leaders I interviewed. Check out this look back at one of my most memorable episodes with the Premier Expert on Women’s issues—Sally Helgesen!??How Women Rise, Sally's book, was just selected as one of the top business books for women to read in 2021!?https://teambuilding.com/blog/leadership-books-for-women?She shares words of wisdom for women about promoting their value in this 60-second clip.

???60 Second Preview???

Visit?https://bit.ly/2kQ9e6k?for the entire episode or wherever you listen to podcasts!

A final word about podcasts:

According to the Podcast Business Journal, Apple has fallen from number one to number three.??Spotify is now the number one destination for podcasts consumption.??YouTube is number two.??This is important for podcast producers, so they know where to direct their efforts.??It's important to podcast consumers as they decide where they will consume podcasts based on the available catalog and other user experience options.??Finally, this matters to advertisers who always want the most significant reach possible.

About Eddie Turner

Top 10 Ranked Motivational Speaker in the World—Global Gurus | Preeminent Authority on Emerging Leaders—Forbes | Certified Executive Coach | International Best-Selling Author | Master Facilitator | Former C-Suite Radio Host of the Keep Leading!? Podcast | Member of Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches | #ICFCoachoftheWeek | Top 25 Thought Leader—Thinkers360 | Top 30 Biggest Voice in Leadership to Watch for 2022 —leadersHum | Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education Alum: Public Leadership