This is a very important topic, because they cause bands to break up. Because of them, we’ll never see or hear promising musical groups.
Some thoughts on conflicts:
— Unrelated topics of conversation will lead to arguments and squabbles. If you repeatedly bring up topics that cause disagreements and conflicting opinions within your team, disaster is inevitable. Wouldn’t it be better to simply avoid discussing “sensitive topics” with colleagues? Instead, find something in common, or roughly common.
— Conflict stems from within. When a conflict arises, it’s worth considering whether you failed to respond to your colleague’s behavior in a timely manner. You may not know what their current family relationships are like, whether their health is okay, whether a loan they took out is a burden, etc.
— Arguments don’t always stem from trivial matters. Don’t forget that what might seem trivial to you can be very serious to others.
— Clashes of interests arise at the intersection of two differences. Typically, what you consider “good” or correct, logical, someone else considers “bad,” unimportant, or secondary. What one considers primary and important, others won’t even consider.
Let’s take a real-life example:
We had a rehearsal space. I expected that local bands would soon be performing there. The guys, however, wanted the space to look its best: they renovated it, decorated it, and poured their hearts into the common cause.
They were great, of course, and I don’t blame them, but for me, that wasn’t the most important thing. For me, the most important thing was the concert, and I knew the audience would come to see and listen to the band, not the space. Even if someone didn’t like something, no problem, it could always be fixed.
It was important to me that the new musicians felt confident and were motivated to study and rehearse more productively. I wanted the guys to get on stage as quickly as possible and feel energized, and for me, that was “good” and paramount. But my colleagues had other plans: hanging the lights, creating a great sound, and so on.
Everything was going on around here. And I considered that secondary. They, however, apparently prioritized the spectacular visuals, leaving everything else for later, or perhaps completely ignoring them.
So, there you have it, a conflict.
They just don’t know what I know. They don’t know how a band begins. They don’t know how great rock bands took their first steps.
There is a conflict of expectations. Some want creativity, others want technical perfection.
Conclusion:
The problem of conflict can be resolved in two ways. Conflict can be avoided (ask people what they offer in exchange for disagreement, ignore it) or resolved (agree to a common solution or reach a mutual agreement).
To avoid conflict, you need to have shared goals (ask your musicians what they want from collaborating in a band) or find common ground. To resolve conflict, you need to make all your plans or visions public and find a unified solution, or compromise.
Less conflict, more understanding!
