Workflow Wednesday: Mastery, Structure, and Call & Response

Art by @basilonmypizza: https://lnkd.in/eF8FkWzN - https://basilhefti.ch/

What can playing in a band teach us about working in project teams?

Quite a lot.

It looks effortless. Almost magical. Musicians who have never met before come together on stage, exchange a few words that sound like banter, and deliver an exceptional track on the spot.

At least this happens where I spend my Sunday evenings.

But how does it work?

It starts with mastery. These people know what they are doing. They understand what to play, when to play it, and when to hold back. And mastery requires practice. As Yoda would say: much to learn, you still have.

Then comes structure. Bands rarely play at random. They follow the harmonic and rhythmic structure of a song, often established through the leading theme. This gives the music direction.

And most importantly: call & response. They listen. They leave space. They respond to what others are playing instead of forcing their own idea into every moment.

The same happens when you bring a team together to build an AI solution, a data product, or a report.

Without mastery, do not expect an elegant solution. Without shared structure, there is no common score. Each person follows a different song, a different architecture, and a different rhythm. The result is cacophony. Without call & response, isolated solutions get built. They may work individually, but they fail as a whole.

So, how do you bring such a team together?

Bring in people with mastery.

Create structure.

Foster call & response.

This may require a storming and norming phase. The longer a team stays together, the better it usually becomes at collaboration. So add a bit of patience.

But insist on the three guiding principles:

Mastery. Structure. Call & response.

What would it take for your team to perform less like soloists and more like a jamming band?

Art: https://lnkd.in/eF8FkWzN https://basilhefti.ch/