Exploring the unique relationship between music and leadership
I’m a music aficionado and a self-trained vocalist who loves jamming with our band in Xanadu as well as with my friends and family. You’ll always find me picking up the mic on social occasions and belting out the classics from the 80s and 90s and sometimes even the latest ‘happening’ tracks.
As the CEO of a thriving organisation that Xanadu is, I have discovered that the world of music holds valuable lessons that extend beyond its melodious tunes. Music has been a driving force in my life, and its principles have seamlessly integrated into my approach towards leadership. Drawing inspiration from my experiences and real-life business examples, I understood how the power of music can shape a cohesive vision, build high-performance teams, drive strategic adaptation, foster collaboration, and ignite innovation and creativity.
Music & Math: The Magic of Numbers
There is a strong correlation between numbers and music. A confluence of notes create a melody, an art that's just a probability of notes in different combinations. One small change and suddenly nothing adds up. Great musicians create multiple tunes with minute changes to the notations. For a layman, however, it sounds different.
I have always believed that the foundation of a sound decision-making is built on cogent analysis backed by clear data. Without the data, leadership is blind to the happenings of the business and wouldn’t know what is working and what needs change. Instinctive decisions are not enough to be successful. Data has become an important part of not just my way to lead but I believe it is critical for any leader to make wise decisions.
Preparation & Practice: The Same Thing?
Preparation and practice are very different from each other. Practice helps develop the expertise of a certain skill that is mastered over long periods of time for it to become muscle memory, whereas preparation is all about fine tuning the skill for an upcoming concert.
Practice is boring, preparation is exhilarating. One can forget what was prepared for a concert after sometime, but what is practiced consistently over a period of time stays with you. One may be a good singer but to have the ability to sing at a certain scale needs lots of practice (Riyaz/Sur Sadhana). Once the skill is mastered, preparation helps to deliver a great performance.
Similarly, businesses can develop the habit of operating at a certain scale only by repetition of best practices. Mastering multiple skills over a long career is critical for a good leader. A burst of great performance here and there, for a month or a quarter is not good enough to build a world class organisation. Practiced skills help you overcome the uncertain times as it provides confidence in one’s own ability. I recollect how public speaking is a skill that I have mastered over a long period of time and my continuous tryst with music has helped overcome stage fright in the business settings.
Rhythm: Setting the Pace
Rhythm is important to define tempo. Same melody can be a ballad or a peppy dance number if the rhythm is different. Just as a skilled conductor sets the tempo for an orchestra, leaders must establish a clear and purposeful pace for their teams.
Rhythm defines the purpose of a leader. In common parlance, sometimes we define this as the leadership style such as dynamic leadership, passive leadership, etc. At Xanadu, I have developed a compelling corporate strategy, setting the beat, and articulating our vision and its potential impact. This rhythmic framework empowers our teams to move forward with clarity and unwavering dedication, fostering a shared sense of purpose and igniting a collective passion that reverberates throughout our organization.
Synchronised Symphony
This is my favourite part about music. High-performing ensembles are built on multiple performances in sync. There are multiple instrumentalists in our band like guitarists, pianists and the most favourite of them all, the percussionists. While these are the formally trained guys with specific talents, there are the ones that clap in sync or even find a table next to them to tap out some notes while humming in chorus. Similarly, leaders should understand the value of assembling diverse and talented teams while fostering an environment where individuals with different backgrounds and skills could collaborate effectively, bringing forth groundbreaking ideas. Like the blending of diverse voices in a choir, Xanadu embraces the value of assembling teams with complementary strengths and backgrounds.
By cultivating an inclusive environment where every voice is valued, we encourage associates to harmonize their expertise, share knowledge, and create a symphony of ideas. This collaborative spirit breaks down silos, nurtures open communication, and leverages the collective wisdom of our teams.
"Just as the orchestra conductor blends the sound of various instruments, bringing them together to create beautiful music, we must harmonise cross-functional collaboration to achieve organisational harmony." These words, inspired by the orchestral metaphor, reflect the importance of collaboration in Xanadu.
Having said this, it’s extremely important to listen to the feedback that you receive during a performance. I still get butterflies in my stomach before every special situation, but these are the excellent butterflies that push you to listen to your customer and constantly improve your delivery.
Background Score: Discovering the Unheard
The most visible elements of a band are the vocalist, the drummer, and the guitarist, but the least observed one is the bassist. Bass is essential in every music as it provides the foundational elements, supports the harmony, influences the emotional impact, and promotes communication and unity within a musical composition. Its presence enriches the overall listening experience and contributes to cohesion and dynamics of the music.
At Xanadu, we also realised the value of bass i.e., support functions after a considerable period of time. At the inception, Xanadu got conceived as a human capital powerhouse with very visible strengths in marketing, strategy, and sales. However, these strengths weren’t enough to bring success and consistency to the business. With clear weaknesses in compliance, CRM, technology, finance, and HR, we discovered that our support functions were the bass that was missing. This had to be strengthened to integrate everything together. Our business is becoming more resilient with strong focus on these functions. Support functions can become lead functions once integrated comprehensively into the value chain.
Innovation & Improvisation: Orchestrating New Possibilities
Even though the classicals are timeless masterpieces, music of today is very different from that of 90’s. Innovation is a long game and sometimes risky too. However one doesn’t have any other option but to innovate as music has to evolve to be relevant with its times. The music industry itself is a testament to the power of innovation and creativity. The evolution of genres, the emergence of new artists, and the fusion of different styles all showcase the transformative impact of creative thinking.
Legendary musician and composer Ludwig van Beethoven once said, "To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable."
Likewise, the business landscape is constantly evolving, and leaders must be adept at conducting strategic adaptation and navigate in the ever-evolving market conditions. Like jazz musicians who embrace improvisation, we must learn to adjust our strategies and seize emerging opportunities. Drawing inspiration from the words of Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric, we have cultivated a culture of innovation. Welch famously said, "Change before you have to." The most commonly used phrase at Xanadu is ‘Naya Kya Hai, Bada Kya Hai’.
By fostering a mindset of embracing change and encouraging continuous learning, we have empowered our teams to respond swiftly to market shifts, technological advancements, and customer needs. An excellent example of this at Xanadu is our focused approach technology integration and advancement. Our efforts in digital transformation and the creation of ‘Xanadu Decision Engine’ (XDE) have certainly kept us at the cutting edge of what the industry has to offer. This mindset has allowed Xanadu to remain responsive to the external environment, as Darwin's famous quote highlights: "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change."
Still, every major innovation needs continuous improvisation to adapt to the challenges of execution and adoption. Real time monitoring of the change management and the assessment of its impact is critical for any innovation to be successful in real world.
Voice of the Maestro: Defining the Band's Signature
Cohesive vision is the guiding sheet of a musical melody! When I jam with my band, it’s extremely important as the group's lead vocalist to set the definition for the whole band as it is the soul of the melodious rhythm and the heart of any composition. Reflecting on this experience, I have realised the importance of creating and articulating a compelling vision for Xanadu. Just as a composer envisions the entirety of a musical composition and a vocalist sets the tempo, I follow the mantra of ‘Leadership in Action’. I genuinely believe that an active and visible leadership with the teams is the recipe of a successful organisation.
Part of that role is to clearly articulate your vision, strategic direction to make the impact we aspire to create and align everyone to foster a sense of purpose by igniting the collective passion. This has to be reinforced with consistent engagements across the organisation. At Xanadu, we strive to cultivate a shared vision that resonates with every team member. This alignment, empowers our teams to move forward with unwavering focus and dedication. An excellent example of this are my breakfast sessions called ‘Breakfast with CEO’ with the team, where we all come together to reflect on what we have achieved and set the vision and the goals for the coming future. These have turned out to be the biggest collaborative sessions that have inspired all the Xanaduites to march on and aim for greatness.
Closing Notes - Reflections and Conclusions
As I reflect upon my journey, I am reminded of music's profound impact on my leadership approach. By harnessing the principles of music and drawing inspiration from real-life business examples, we have created a symphony of success within Xanadu. The rhythm and tempo, harmony and collaboration, improvisation and adaptability, melody and counterpoint, and the unwavering pursuit of innovation and creativity have shaped our path to success.
As we embark on our individual journeys, I invite you to listen closely to the melodies of wisdom that music offers. Embrace the harmonies of collaboration and let the transformative power of music guide you as you orchestrate remarkable achievements, creating an enduring legacy that resonates far beyond the realms of your business.
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