A little personal.
Yes, I know few people like it when people talk about themselves, but an analogy is needed here. Please bear with me.
***
As a child, I wanted to learn aikido, but since my father loves karate and is a Kareta Do Shotokan instructor, my brother and I had no choice but to resign ourselves to practicing karate with him.
But after I saw a self-defense show on TV where a master in a white kimono defeated eight men without attacking or landing a single blow, I wanted to do the same. He will let someone pass by, touch someone, and lead someone. He uses the strength of others to win.
In my opinion, it’s a wonderful sport. By the way, it was invented by Master Ueshiba so that old people could stand up for themselves and fight back against the young.
But it couldn’t be helped; training under my father’s strict supervision and heavy workload was difficult for us. Although we trained in the gym and later in the hallway, spacious enough for one adult and two small children, neither I nor my brother ever became a karate athlete. Grandfather, looking at all this, just remained silent (he was involved in boxing in his youth, and even had some kind of rank). It was clear he didn’t like this kind of discipline.
That preparation, by the way, was only beneficial and often came in handy (in the army, at work, on the street).
Later, my passion for martial arts subsided.
***
Why do I prefer not to dictate what others should do, even though I know what to do and when, but to guide them voluntarily?!
There’s no need to demand anything from someone, and there’s no point in intimidating a student or colleague. If this is close to you, then offer and recommend in exchange for demands and fears.
For example, you need someone to learn a part, or prepare for a performance, or take responsibility for something. Instead of making strict demands, simply ask why they’re not doing what needs to be done. If the answer is, “I’m not interested,” then don’t waste your time and energy—let them go and do what interests them. If the answer is: I don’t know where to start, ask, are you interested in what you do, if not, then you already know what to do. If yes, that’s great, please show me a step-by-step plan. Where to start, where to continue, and how to finish.
There’s no need for persuasion, examples, or even inspiration. An interested person will do everything that can advance him even without inspiration.
The Aikido principle also includes managing people stronger than you. This means that what you do best is not play, compose, or arrange music, but organize people. If so, then put down the notes and instruments and take on this role yourself.
Your colleagues should be professionals in their field, every single one of them. A great guitarist, a talented songwriter, an irrepressible bassist, a crazy drummer, a killer vocalist, a powerful sound engineer, and so on. All these people cannot, and will not, coexist without a well-established management structure. And this should be done by a “so-so musician”, but an outstanding leader.
I wish that your team develops according to all the canons of the effective Aikido method.
Find a leader or channel your colleagues’ “power” in the right direction!
