Effective and creative teams: case study of a jazz band

There is a wealth of research into what makes teams effective. I am most familiar with the research in healthcare, where we know that top-down approaches to leadership are the least effective way of managing healthcare organisations whereas inclusive and compassionate leadership helps create a psychologically safe workplace where staff are more likely to listen and support each other resulting in fewer errors, fewer staff injuries, less bullying of staff, reduced absenteeism and (in hospitals) reduced patient mortality. (1) 

Amy Edmondson found that teams with a culture focused around value and respect were more successful. Essential to the success of the team was team members feeling safe to speak up, share ideas, questions, concerns and mistakes without fear of embarrassment or humiliation, The high performing teams were the ones with greatest psychological safety. (2)

Research further suggests that in an inclusive environment with psychological safety, team creativity improves, innovation is more likely, information is processed more carefully, risk awareness improves, productivity improves, turnover declines and where organisational leadership better represents the diversity of staff, there is more trust, stronger perceptions of fairness and overall better morale of staff.

Mary Dixon-Woods and colleagues found that key elements were necessary for sustaining cultures of high quality compassionate care for patients: inspiring visions operationalised at every level by leaders; leaders ensuring clear aligned objectives for all teams, departments and individual staff; supportive and enabling people management; high levels of staff engagement; leaders focused on ensuring learning, innovation and quality improvement in the practice of all staff and effective team working”.(3) 

Outside healthcare. Google found that the most important factor in creating teams that were productive, innovative, creative and had the best staff retention were ones with high psychological safety where team members feel safe to take risks, voice opinions, and make mistakes without fear of judgment or embarrassment. In such teams members fundamentally believe their work matters and creates positive change. (4) 

Finally, Scott Page shows that identity-diverse teams, when underpinned by inclusion, are best at decision making, problem solving, creativity and innovation. (5)

The jazz band as a team

I recently spent a week in Washington DC at rehearsals and four sold out concerts by a cutting-edge blues and jazz band playing at the iconic Blues Alley. It struck me how relevant that research might be to the success of such a jazz band. I declare an interest. The band was founded by my little brother, Dave. The music was out of this world and comes from every corner of the world. I had the privilege of seeing close up how some of the principles from research I am familiar with. appear directly relevant to the making of a successful jazz band.

The band’s music is largely an eclectic mix of self composed blues, funk, and world music and the band members reflect that. Their last CD topped the US jazz radio charts.  It is easy to see how, without the inclusive tone of their rehearsals and concerts, it could all fall apart when you consider the individual talents and diversity (instrument, experience, age, style, background) of those playing:

1. Abena Koomson-Davis, vocals (with Natalie Merchant, Stevie Wonder, Anjelique Kidjo, Carly Simon)

2. Buddy Speir, a top lead guitarist and producer,

3. Chao Tian, world's best Chinese dulcimer player.

4. Dave Kline, violin, composer, band leader (with Chick Corea, Stephane Wrembel, David Murray.)

5. Lynn Veronneau, award winning French-Canadienne chanteuse

6. Olaolu Caleb, percussion, hails from Nigeria. (plays with Davido, Dbanj, Olamide, Don Jazzy, and Lagbaja)

7. Steve Davis, Grammy winning trombonist. Credits include Chick Corea (22 years), and Art Blakey (Jazz Messengers)

8. TJ Turqman, world class bassist.

   
   

   And joining on two of the shows were also:

9. Ken Avis, acoustic guitar and vocals (with Veronneau)

10. Tim Kaine, US senator. harmonica and vocals

11. Brian Simms top DC keyboardist

Somehow, the way the band rehearsed and played was more than the sum of their parts. No oversize egos were on show. Any authority in terms of how each composition should be played was earned through musical talent. No one was possessive about how many solos they played. Any comments about how others were rehearsing was constructive.

Humour was constantly on display. Tim Kaine made absolutely no pretence at being more important than other band members despite his political profile. Steve Davis and Abena never pulled rank despite their immense experience and standing. Chao Tian might be the best in the world on Chinese Dulcimer but she just merged into the band in which the band made space for her and she quietly starred.

A number of the musicians might rightly be described as music aristocracy but they never pulled rank. On the contrary they seemed to make it a priority to encourage band members newer to the band. Lynn Veroneau and Abena complemented each other rather than competed as vocalists. Olaolu Caleb, percussion and TJ Turqman on bass guitar had their own little happening going on which glued everything together. The pianist and the dulcimer player were constantly checking with each other. I could go on.

Dave Kline as Band leader pushed for the highest standards but in a collaborative manner – even when insisting band members turned up on time and gently fussing in rehearsals! It felt a place where team members could safely raise concerns, admit mistakes and bring themselves to work. I asked him if all musicians were as collaborative as this team. “You’ve got to be joking” he replied.

And the concerts were an uplifting joy. Research from other sectors seemed entirely relevant. If you don’t believe me, watch the clips or go see them https://daveklineband.com/

(1)        Carter M , West M , Dawson J (2008)/ Developing team-based working in NHS trusts. Report prepared for the Department of health;  https://publications.aston.ac.uk/id/eprint/19330/2/Summary_report.pdf

(2) Amy Edmondson et al (1999) Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams. (1999) Administrative Science Quarterly. Volume 44, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999

(3)        Dixon-Woods M , Baker R , Charles K , et al . (2013) Culture and behaviour in the English National health service: overview of lessons from a large multimethod study.doi:10.1136/bmjqs-2013-001947

(4) Google’s Project Aristotle https://psychsafety.com/googles-project-aristotle/

(5) Scott Page (2017) The Diversity Bonus: How Great Teams Pay Off in the Knowledge Economy