Top 5 Business Lessons I learned from the Grateful Dead

I have been a life-long fan of the Grateful Dead, having jumped on the bus in Alpine Valley, WI in 1987. I have just recently returned from seeing Dead and Company in Las Vegas at The Sphere. On the flight back to San Francisco, I thought a lot about how much this band, this music, these lyrics, this culture has influenced me in my life. I thought I would share some of the many ways being on this journey has helped guide me in situations in work, business and leadership. Here are my top 5.

Believe it if you need it, if you don't just pass it on.1

A Band Beyond Description 2

Undeniably, one of the keys to the Grateful Dead success and longevity has been their ability to adapt while still staying true to their core nature. Whether you like them or not, the fact remains that the Grateful Dead have been a defining force in American Culture and Music for nearly 60 years! Founded in 1965, they have evolved from a blues/rock/folk band fronted by Ron "Pigpen" McKernan in the mid-sixties, through a myriad of other genres and styles and side-projects (Shout out JGB!) but always remaining true to who they are. Even in the Post-Jerry-Era with the various configurations: Further, The Dead, Fare Thee Well, Rat Dog, Phil and Friends and Dead and Company with their epic 3 month long residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas… they have remained more than relevant. So what does that teach us? Embrace new technologies and don't be afraid to evolve, change with the times, experiment, take risks, but always hang on to the thing that makes you special… the thing that makes your company or your business or your team or you as a leader unique! The Grateful Dead have a long history of embracing (and pioneering) new technologies, from the incredible Wall of Sound to Phil Lesh’s Bass (Big Brown) to Jerry’ Garcia's Doug Irwin guitars with onboard effects loops but they never got too far away from what made them unique.

Be a Leader Beyond Description, or a Company Beyond Description.

We Used to Play for Silver... Now we play for Life3

Whatever you do, whatever you pursue, find the love and passion within that endeavor. Play for Life. That doesn't mean that you should only pursue your passion in business at the expense of everything else (Scott Galloway has a great take on this) But rather find the joy in what you do and maximize that. Without Love in the Dream It’ll Never Come True? You see this love for the music, this love in the dream in every Jerry Garcia Solo, in every Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann Drum Jam, in every Brent Mydland Dear Mr. Fantasy, in every Bobby Lovelight, in every Phil Box of Rain and in every Robert Hunter lyric. But you also see it in the fan’s love feeding back to the band in an harmonious fractal-loop of improvisation, love and energy. Or what, business consultants put on a slide and call a fly-wheel. But without LOVE as one of the components of that virtuous cycle, it’ll never come true.

Sometimes the light's all shining on me, other times I can barely see?

Business is hard. Working is hard. It has its highs and its lows.. Sometimes you're strolling the Croisette in Cannes or sipping Rosé at the Carlton while your RSUs are vesting while other times you're fighting for the life of your startup, or in the midst of a Workforce Reduction where you have to let good people go. But the way the lyric ends is all you need to know.. “Lately it occurs to me... what a long strange trip it's been? .” I know it's cliche.. But it really is about the journey and not the destination… surround yourself with good people. According to Freshbooks we spend about ? of our life with our ‘work family’ .. make that time count. REMEMBER.. It's about the trip, man… not the destination. Have a relentless focus on the Journey. Whether it's your own journey or the Customer’s Journey The Grateful Dead always got this one 100% right. From the very start of the process, before you even step foot in the venue, the Journey begins. From the process to Mail Order tickets by filling out a 3x5 index card, placing it in a N0. 10 sized envelope and painstakingly coloring that envelope with skeletons or dancing bears or a steal-your-face, to camping at the venue for multiple nights. Shakedown Street / The Parking Lot Scene are as much a part of the experience as the show itself. Don’t neglect any part of the journey.

Pass the Whiskey Round?

The Grateful Dead made a decision to allow fans to record their show. The taper section led to some of the best bootlegs ever. Trading tapes was how the music went viral. While other bands kept the music behind a paywall, the Grateful Dead went the opposite way and gave the music away for free. It’s how they built such a loyal and dedicated fanbase and became one of the most profitable bands in history by giving away music for free. Not to say that walled gardens dont have their place in business, as I sit here and type this on my Mac while listening to my playlist on Apple Music but it is a case study in viral marketing at its finest.

Are You Kind??

Getting a Miracle Ticket or bestowing upon someone a Miracle Ticket is a time-honored tradition at Dead shows. Apply this same philosophy everyday to your work relationships. Help people out, become a mentor, respond to that In-Mail Message, make that introduction, take that call. If you are a Hiring Manager or a Recruiter please be mindful of the candidate experience. I know how overwhelming it can be when you are sourcing candidates; sifting through hundreds, sometimes thousands of applications. A good ATS will help you be responsive to the ones that don't make the cut, but once you have them in the loop… please don’t ghost them. Be kind.

I could go on and on as there are so many more lessons from this wonderful band that I have incorporated into my life and my work.

If you are so inclined, please comment with one of your favorite lyrics that have inspired you on your business journey.

1. Box of Rain (Garcia / Hunter)
2. The Music Never Stopped (Weir / Barlow)
3. Jack Straw (Garcia / Hunter)
4. Help On The Way (Garcia / Hunter)
5. Truckin’ (Garcia / Hunter)
6. Truckin’ (Garcia / Hunter)
7. Candyman (Garcia / Hunter)
8. Uncle John’s Band (Garcia / Hunter)