M(us)ic
Have you ever met someone who doesn’t like music? Just typing the question makes me cringe. If you don’t like music, then you probably don’t like food either. Music, to me, is as essential to life as food is. There are few things on earth like a good song that can bring me from one pole of emotion to the complete opposite.
I bring this up because I saw a concert recently at the Majestic in Madison, WI. My girlfriend and I love to see live music. We see anything and everything. Bands we have heard and bands we have no knowledge of. This particular concert stood out to me because I had no prior knowledge of this band and I did no preliminary research to see if I would even be remotely interested in hearing their music. Fortunately, Local Natives made a unique impression on me. Not only did they perform well, but they have incredible live music videos. One of which is filmed in one take as they walk through a shopping mall in Paris, France. Maybe it’s a stretch, but I admired it for several reasons that I believe are relative to the IT field and the corporate work world, in general:
- Locale. Playing music outside of your comfort zone is difficult. We often take it for granted, but playing music to an audience can be nerve wracking, to say the least. I can only imagine the feeling when in a foreign country AND in a shopping mall where people might not exactly be receptive to live music, foreign law enforcement included. I believe this feeling to be true for consulting as well. You get comfortable in one work environment and, then, as you establish a rapport with those you work with, you start a new project with a completely new team and a radically different work ethic. It’s those that are able to perform flawlessly in any environment that I find most admirable. On a complex project, or with a guitar in hand.
- Cadence. You’ll notice that, as the song progresses, members of the band are stationed in such a way that they enter the video exactly when their instrument is necessary and without apprehension. I admire this not only in music, but in an office setting. When a member of your team does exactly what they need to, exactly when it needs to happen. It’s moments like these when you really appreciate professionalism and co-workers with a similar sense of urgency and timeliness.
- Passion. You’ll notice that throughout the group’s performance, members of the band acknowledge those watching and enjoying their music. They don’t sing, they belt out in perfect harmony. Well practiced and polished; they’re passionate about what they’re doing and it’s obvious. So true with those you work with, no matter the setting. Those who are passionate about their work do it proudly, confidently, and without fear.
So take a moment and admire those you work with who do their jobs well. Great teams are made of passionate people, which yield successful results. Watch the music video and see what else you can relate to life and the world you work in, or just simply enjoy some music with feeling.
