The whole is greater than the sum of the parts
Tell you what, those old Greeks were smart bastards (the
current ones not so much) – not that good at rugby but they do get the whole
team concept pretty well.
I just returned from the latest Poets Day Roadshow and there
are most likely a few new blog readers this week (there better be) so just a quick
reminder about what it is you are wasting time on today. This blog is a bit
like Sesame Street, a bit of fun with maybe a little bit of learning but with
less dick jokes and way less subtext. It is the ramblings of a kiwi who might
have been there and done that or might just be doing this as Obamacare doesn’t
cover decent therapists.
Anyway, to this weeks theme, and surprisingly enough it is
about working as a team – in which the whole is greater than the sum
of the parts. Now for those of you who have read more than one of these blogs
you might recall a brilliant (no ego issues here) blog from last year about
changing team's cultures, starting with getting rid of the dickheads – but in
case you don’t I would suggest you read it now :)
This week a covers band at the end party event of the Poets
Day Roadshow up in Chicago inspired me. When they first came on stage it was
quite a mix of characters (yes I mean colors). You had the female lead (joined
by a second one later on) and a couple of male leads, lead guitar, 2 keyboard
players, sax and trombone, bass player (who was brilliant), drummer and a
taller man standing to the back of the stage. All dressed pretty much the same
but at the same time looking a bit disparate. I was hoping for some Blues
Brothers covers but no, no Sweet Home Chicago, instead an evening of music
ranging from The Boss to Bruno Mars to Jay Z to Ed Sheeran and, like every
party band for the foreseeable future, Prince and much more. Ok, enough
background information. So what does this have to do with the sum of the whole?
Well after 3 nights of liver abuse and too many hugs (and
apparently a few beard burns – sorry Brian and Melissa – they were not hickeys)
I just wanted to stand and enjoy being enveloped in their sound (in other words
I was too fucking buggered to dance and talk anymore). Whilst The English Major
was getting excited about when they dropped specific beats, something about
them having a great 'Biggie''--whatever that means, and waving his hand in
the air I was enjoying the team dynamic of the band, because they had it down.
The transitions from song to song, genre to genre were as smooth as my face
should have been to prevent the beard burns (I am sure Kathleen understands
Brian). When the rapper finished 'spitting' (according to The English
Major) he was aware of what was up next and if that meant he had to set up the
mic stand for the Ed Sheeran/Springsteen singer then he did. They worked as a
team and also appreciated the other talent in the band and what they brought to
the overall whole. During the last song of the night, Purple Rain, many
band members were videoing the show themselves, particularly of the
longhaired lead guitarist during his axe ripping solo. They were having as much
fun as the Germans there who were only disappointed that they didn’t cover Der
Hoff (and the fact that they had lost a couple of wars).
Now I cannot say that as solo artists that the music would
not have been so good, but as a whole I am absolutely positive that they were
greater than the sum of the parts. That is how a team needs to be. Every person
in a team should have a skill set that enhances the overall teams. Sometimes it
may be hard to discern what exactly that person's talent is – which is why
people often wonder what the fuck I am doing working with others – but the
whole needs that component to be greater. The Poets Day blog wouldn’t work
without the team that is involved in cajoling, editing and asking where the
fuck this blog is every week. So thanks to The English Major, Johnny Utah, The
Sales Monkette and a new name for y’all, I must kill the Queen, who always asks
why I am actually working on a Friday versus writing this thing.
As usual the only thing harmed intentionally in this blog
was the English language. My apologies for the lack of dick jokes however as
this was a hard blog to write I didn’t want to dangle too much in front of you
but it might be premature to say that there will not be dick jokes in the
future, teabag.
So work hard, play hard and earn your inspiration.
Happy Poets Day
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