Music brings business principles to life

Through musical demonstration, the quartet, composed of saxophonist George Laidlaw, pianist Alan Ogborne, bassist John Griffiths, and drummer Bob Hughes, communicated some great ideas about creativity and working as a team. 

Whether they were purposefully all on a different page of music or not listening to each other while they performed, the band playfully illustrated communications principles through music. 

The live demonstrations really brought the communication principles to life for the HBAs. They could see how creativity is a group process; they could hear the importance of listening to each other in case one gets out of beat; and they learned that creativity is one part inspiration and many parts perspiration.

The idea to bring jazz musicians into the mix came from Janis Wallace, media relations officer with Western's Don Wright faculty of music, who saw how musicians routinely do things -- like listening closely to fellow players -- that can be applied to other disciplines.

Michael Sider, Assistant Professor, Management Communications at Ivey explains, “Just as musicians need to be aware of what's going on around them during a performance so they can be constantly adjusting, so too do those in the business world."

“A business group needs to be in tune with those they are working with to see the best and most creative results."

Not only did the band speak of other jazz players who had something to say about creativity - like famous jazz bassist Charles Mingus who once said that “creativity is making the complicated simple" - but they had their own anecdotes and ideas about what works creatively as a group.   

Among the bits of advice shared with students were tips applicable to being both in a band and working in the business world.

Alan Ogborne, the group's pianist, explained that one of the most important things is to show up and play. A band or a business meeting can't start until all members are present.

He also suggested developing a frame work and committing to it. In music there can be variations around the common structure, but it's important to have a structure. In a similar way, groups in the business world should decide how they'll tackle a project and respect that process.

Lastly, he divulged that effective team members don't have to be all that new or original. Jazz players often borrow from other songs or take something that already exists and works then try to see it in a new light. 

Amidst all the class's clapping and do-whopping, led by Bob Hughes, the band's charismatic drummer, students left with a better understanding of how working creatively in group works best - knowledge served them well in the follow-up “Creativity Project." The Creativity Project pits groups students against the clock in building a comprehensive business plan for a creative project or service in just 36 hours.