A while ago, we explored the crucial step of understanding your leadership environment before leading. Assuming you’ve diligently observed and learned, you likely have a solid direction in mind for your team. The next challenge? Effectively communicating that vision to inspire your team to follow. The way you present this vision can significantly impact your team’s ability and willingness to achieve it. Let’s explore how to strike the right chord with your team, drawing parallels from an unexpected source: learning guitar chords.
Losing the Audience: The Mismatched Melody
As a guitar enthusiast, I find solace and continuous learning in strumming chords. While I’m no virtuoso, the joy of mastering new songs and experimenting with rhythms is immensely rewarding. Like many learners, YouTube is my go-to resource for guitar tutorials. The quality varies drastically, and some videos unfortunately miss the mark.
The least effective tutorials often promise instant guitar mastery with “mind-blowing guitar chords” or “licks” that will instantly make you a guitar hero. These videos typically feature someone in a casual setting jumping straight into complex instructions without context.
“Alright, begin at the fifth fret, place your middle finger on the fifth string, mute the fourth, and position your ring finger on the third.”
The resulting sound is often jarring and disjointed.
“Next, slide your middle finger up two frets…”
This continues for an extended period, a painstaking walkthrough of finger placements, producing a series of disconnected, uninspiring sounds. My focus wanes, my mind drifts. The question arises: what’s the point of all this?
Click. Video closed.
Hitting the Right Notes: The Engaging Performance
In stark contrast, the best guitar tutorials begin by showcasing the destination. Marty Schwartz, a favorite of many guitar learners, exemplifies this approach. His videos often start not with words, but with music – immediately playing the song or technique he’s about to teach. The sound is captivating, engaging, and sparks a desire to learn and play similarly.
After a brief musical introduction, he greets viewers and explains the lesson’s objective. Then, he circles back to the beginning, methodically breaking down the song, step-by-step.
Every few chords, he pauses to play the sequence again, demonstrating how the individual components fit together and highlighting the progress being made. Eventually, the lesson builds up to full speed, incorporating tips and tricks to enhance the sound. Sometimes, he even concludes with a jam session.
His tutorial on Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” is a perfect example of this engaging method.
Striking a Chord with Your Team: Vision and Harmony
What distinguishes these two teaching styles? It’s the communication of vision.
The first approach fails because it lacks a clear destination. The disjointed sounds offer no indication of a worthwhile outcome, making the effort seem pointless. There’s no compelling “song” to strive for, just a series of seemingly random “guitar chords.”
Marty, however, “strikes a chord” from the outset. He paints a musical picture of the potential, promising a rewarding journey. By consistently connecting each step back to the overall vision, he provides context and motivation. The individual “guitar chords” now contribute to a larger, meaningful composition.
This clear connection fosters a willingness to persevere through the challenging parts of learning, understanding that each finger placement is a step towards a desired outcome. The “guitar chords” become building blocks of a beautiful melody, much like individual tasks contribute to a team’s overarching goal.
Key Takeaways: Communicating Vision Effectively
When guiding your team, emulate Marty’s approach. Clearly articulate your vision and consistently demonstrate progress along the way. Here are three key principles to ensure your team is motivated to navigate challenges and achieve shared goals, transforming individual “guitar chords” into a harmonious team performance.
1. Start with the End in Mind: Just as Marty begins his videos by showcasing the final song, clearly describe the desired outcome for your team. As Stephen Covey wisely said, “Start with the end in mind.” This provides a clear direction, ensuring everyone understands the ultimate goal.
2. Be Clear About the Why: Understanding the “why” behind each task is crucial. Just as a guitarist needs to understand how each note contributes to the song, team members need to grasp the significance of their roles. When teammates understand and believe in the purpose, they are more likely to invest their effort and commitment.
When they believe in the WHY, the harder they’ll try. Click To Tweet
3. Keep Bringing It Up: Continuously connect individual efforts to the overarching vision, just as Marty frequently replays sections of the song to demonstrate progress. Highlighting milestones and showing how each contribution moves the team closer to the final goal builds momentum and reinforces purpose.
If the musical analogy doesn’t resonate, consider this wisdom from Antoine de Saint-Exupery:
If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea. – Antoine de Saint-Exupery Click To Tweet
To further develop your vision-setting and team motivation skills, explore the Essential Leadership Skills for the New Manager Course, offering resources to enhance your leadership journey.
Lead On!
