"Entrepreneurs are like jazz band leaders, Ucbasaran argues, insofar as they have to “build creative tension and give individuals their heads†while working within the framework of a collective. They have to harness the “disparate egos of highly talented people†and somehow keep them working towards the same goal. “To the uninitiated, jazz seems like chaos, whereas the reality is that it’s very ordered,†she says. “Underpinning the structure is a long tradition of education and practice.â€
Ellington’s laid-back approach meant that he kept a cadre of long-serving core musicians together over several decades. [Miles] Davis, however, rarely chose musicians who knew each other. As the paper puts it, “he felt that prior relationships might lead to the development of routines which hampered innovation and improvisationâ€. So creative tension was his over-riding priority? Lockett nods. “He was less concerned about stability than the other leaders. If it worked, it would be brilliant. If not, he’d disband the team and start again.â€
Blakey was much more of a father figure, he says. “His speciality was bringing on young musicians. And he was much more concerned about the decorum and behaviour of his team than the other two.†Which of the three offers the best guidance to the entrepreneurs of today? “It’s impossible to say. All three offer lessons that can be taken on board.â€
Which Jazz Band Leader Are You As An Entrepreneur? - Forbes
