The situation is the boss
David Johnson
I help businesses grow rapidly and perform at their best with marketing strategy and execution
"The situation is the boss."
That's a quote from Steve Parish, long-time roadie for the Grateful Dead.
What does that mean? People would always ask Parish "Who's in charge here?" and that's what he would reply. The situation was in charge.
If the truck broke down, it was the boss at that time. If the gear broke down, it was the boss. If the venue had an issue, it was the boss. If the drummer's dad stole all the money, it was the boss. If the keyboardist overdosed, it was the boss.
How does this apply to your business' strategy and operations?
It's a way of thinking about how the best laid plans are just plans and all go out the window the moment you get out there and go to work. You need contingencies for potential issues, ability to pivot when assumptions don't play out, and have to have endless creativity when black swans swoop in.
It speaks to how to respond to challenges with priority and agility. Resilience and adaptability are the greatest strengths.
Where the rubber meets the road, all you can really count on is the seat of your pants and your wits - and your teams' wits. Collective wisdom, collaborative creativity, and diverse perspectives are where it comes from. Your team needs to be a think tank who can turn thought into action.
That's how you keep the show on the road and make everything work when the lights go up night after night, even when everyone around you is whacked out and watching monkeys fly in their mind's eye.
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Why should your business learn something from the Dead?
The Dead isn't just a band. It's a bootstrapped family business that was an endless juggernaut of innovation. Ran their own label and tickets, saw the value of freemium content decades before others, built a brand like no other. Were online in the Well in 1985 and involved in the EFF. Gathered a rabidly loyal fan base that became its own culture and economy and is still growing with new adopters who weren't even born when the original band was touring.
Band members died. Popularity dipped. Embezzlement. Arrests. Comas. Electric shocks. Logistical nightmares. Everything that could go wrong did. But night after night, every situation was dealt with. 2,300 shows. The highest grossing live act at the end. And today, the Dead are just one a few bands who actually make money streaming live concerts - serious money.
Your business? The financial markets go from bull to bear. The company culture. The product roadmap. The sprint blockers. Market competitors. Changes in regulations. Supply chain hiccups. Everything any business faces...
...the situation is the boss. The challenge is always in charge. Leaders who always deliver no matter what know this - and know it takes a team to do it. The Dead were essentially leaderless, and yet they were leaders unlike any other.
The Dead were a family business. They never laid anyone off. When they were exhausted and ready to quit... they kept going for no other reason than just to take care of the family. And the family took care of them. The person who solved the situation came from anywhere.
The music never stopped. We will survive. Are you kind? Their lyrics are the mission statements of one of the most amazing - and improbable - businesses that's ever existed.
That's how you become legendary. By being grateful... in all the ways.
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