May 2004

Innovation Tips

...for thriving on collaborative innovation.

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Fire in the Belly

 

We were dazzled. For some, it was their first orchestral concert. Others had never stepped foot in the grand and enchanting Peristyle concert hall. Few of us had ever witnessed a group so passionately engaged in their work. Even those who had not seen the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra up close and personal, as we had with them on stage during their rehearsal, said they had never seen such "fire in the belly" in any orchestra.

 

The musicians were alive with the music; they owned it. They were main-lining the pure joy of doing what they loved to do; they knew they could each be trusted and respected to give their best to the work. They had found their collaborative genius. No wonder others have said of them that they are "the greatest chamber orchestra the world has ever heard...one of the great marvels of the music world."

 

The recent Orpheus Seminar ignited thoughts of new possibilities for all of us. How, we wondered, could we take the admirable attributes of Orpheus and transfer them to our own work? This was the key question that could not be answered that evening; time was too short. Executive Director, a.k.a violinist, Ronnie Bauch, imparted some intriguing gems—clues to how they do it.

 

"We don’Äôt leave our egos at the door;" he said, "we leave our insecurities." Everyone has an equal voice, but you have to earn the respect of others in the group—you earn the strength of your voice. Everyone has a say in how the music is performed. A small focused core group takes ownership for the artistic expression of a piece and then brings it to the larger group for refinement. People join these core groups based on their enthusiasm for a piece or for the composer.

 

We, in the seminar, picked up our own clues. We noticed that they were having fun, all night long. They kidded during rehearsals, making jokes and poking fun. They expressed frustrations freely. During rehearsal, one or two designated leaders went out into the hall to listen to the group and make adjustments. They coached one another during rehearsal. They affirmed one another in small ways. During the performance, their eyes searched, always touching base with the other musicians, cueing one another and staying in touch. They brought diverse energies to one compelling mission, to one smooth and integrated whole. They spoke like people fully alive and in love with their work.

 

How, many of us thought, as we made our way home from our inspiring seminar with Orpheus, could we bring this sort of trust, enthusiasm, and passion to bear in our organizations?

 

Though there was not time to talk that evening, many of us will be gathering again soon, at a follow-up workshop, to talk about that very question. The next Innovation Tips will share the lessons from that workshop. We will be seeking and no doubt finding access to what we all silently hope for in life and in work—fire in the belly.

 

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