How to find your Band and thrive.
The biggest secret of all successful Startup Founders is that, like legendary rock ‘n ‘roll stars, they know how to find, build and inspire a unique team!
“There is the sun, there is the moon, there is the air we breathe, and there is the Rolling Stones.” Keith Richards
We all have something we are a part of, be it a family, a community, a sports team, or a religion. It’s our little speck in the big blue dot — the world as a whole.
Something magical happens when the right combination of people come together. Like legendary rock ’n’ roll bands, startups need a certain chemistry among their members to flourish.
Keith Richards is certain of this : “Chemistry was one of those subjects in school that I was never good at … but I think it’s that unknown something, that mysterious spark, that makes it work. It’s the same with the Stones. I mean, put them up against the wall, and they’re the most unlikely good rock and roll band you’ll find! … There’s something to be said for a certain chemistry between people that makes for a certain kind of music.”
The Rolling Stones, just like the Beatles, owe much of their success and magic to the right combination of people. The right chemistry, or perhaps a magical combination. As Ron Wood recalls, “Individually we make little impression, but together we have a power that transcends us.”
The sum of the individual personalities, when brought together — as well as the instruments — creates a symphony, a song. The unity of a band is a conglomerate of balancing personalities and instruments. As a whole, it is stronger. While we must ultimately know and be true to ourselves, we should know that the true magic can come through the larger construct of the group.
It is through the group that the most beautiful things and art can come into being: “Rock ’n’ roll is really about interaction … It’s about the interesting tension and communication that goes on between one guy and another … You can’t find that on any meter in the studio. For me, songs are created by osmosis. The best songs are beautiful accidents.”
The mysterious spark of a startup, the creative bands of our time, is a team player.
The ability to collaborate effectively with others and add value within the dynamics of a group project is more important than ever in today’s fluid world. Few people succeed at work, in their families, or in any other social context without this skill.
Great team players tend to be rare.
True teamwork believes author J.C Maxwell requires tangible, specific behaviors: vulnerability-based trust, healthy conflict, active engagement, peer-to-peer accountability, and a focus on results. Fortunately, with enough coaching, patience, and time, most people can learn to internalize these concepts.
Startups and great music bands share common fields. The creative spark of team chemistry flourishes among them.
In both, you have to be adaptable because there is constant change. If you won’t change for them, they might change you. They are willing to learn new things, they are creative, emotionally secure, and they have the good of the startup team in mind. The good of the group. They think differently and outside the lines and look for unconventional solutions.
For the band, it’s important that you collaborate more aggressively with others, bring more to the table, and not just what’s asked. The perception of the whole means that you see the others as collaborators and not competitors.
The collaborative spirit is the basis for a win-win game.
The band needs your 100% commitment. Committed by choice and based on the core values of the band. In all successful startups, you have to live in them.
The spark of disciplined thinking is eternal. You always have to pay the price. The reward always comes after. Always think focused and control your emotions and remember that action separates victory from defeat.
Do the necessary and unpleasant work first and then accept the challenge.
Believe in the band. Follow the other members, serve their needs and inspire them.
Start your day with enthusiasm that goes viral. Every action counts, to write your story you just need a good, strong reason. Simplify, say no to junk and distractions, stay focused on the band. Act purposefully, navigate your band and find your Moby Dick. The members of your band need to know where the band is going. If you are the leader, like Mic Jagger, then lead, don’t waste your time explaining or complaining. The fulfillment of the band comes first and do everything you can to accomplish the mission. Be prepared for any changes.
Respect is another important ingredient in the secret spark. So are shared memories and experiences. Being together is essential. Trust comes to the forefront.
The “we” comes first. Be generous to others and avoid ulterior motives and selfishness.
It’s a marathon, remember. Refuse to give up on any problem. All are solvable in one way or another. Rethink and break the rules. Never give up. Never. Don’t rely on fate or the stars or providence. Go beyond the limits you think you have. More. The game and the show must go on.
If your dream is really big and you love to see the world turn, you’re ready to fly. Embrace it.
Evolve along with your band. Keep moving. Change yourself. See new things. Go where things are different, where there is different music. Follow where the arrows point, or where the wolves can’t find you. Keep yourself open to change. There’s a lot of world out there. The more you see, the more places you go, the more you are. Observe your universe and the universes in your backyard.
Learning is almost like talking to other people from past centuries. Keep moving, keep seeing “how the world turns”; but keep one eye forward and one eye backward the whole time.
You are in every note that you create. Everything about you is in every note.
To find your band is to find your true self. This is how unicorns are created .
