Yes to the Mess

by Barrett, Frank J.

• ISBN13: 9781422161104
• ISBN10: 1422161102
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2012-08-07
• Publisher: Harvard Business School Pr

Summary

When faced with complexity and constant change at work, what do the best leaders and teams do? They iterate. They invent. They improvise. They string together a syncopated and rhythmic way of working that gets the job done but in a way that allows for flexibility, new ways of work, and new avenues for opportunity. In short, they say "yes" to the "mess" that is today's fast-moving 24/7 business environment. Frank Barrett, jazz pianist and management scholar, says this improvisational "jazz mindset" - and the skills and competencies that go along with it - is crucial for effective leadership today. Like skilled jazz musicians, organizations and business people must take this inventive approach to successfully deal with issues that range from crisis management to spontaneous decision-making to unforeseen new realities of our globally-connected world. Today's shrewdest leaders are constantly forced to revise their assumptions and experiment with new strategies. In this groundbreaking book, Barrett vividly shows and authentically articulates the jazz model, explaining the principles of jazz thinking and performance that can help anyone develop the competencies increasingly required in organizations today. Barrett urges readers to embrace the complexity of their lives and to take informed risks. Barrett's engaging lessons range across functional areas and will be relevant for anyone who leads or works with teams. Absorbing and insightful, consider Yes to the Messas your seminar on collaboration and complexity, against the soulful backdrop of the world of jazz.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xvii
All That Jazz	p. 1
Mastering the Art of Unlearning
"Yes to the Mess"	p. 21
Developing Affirmative Competence
Performing and Experimenting Simultaneously	p. 41
Embracing Errors as a Source of Learning
Minimal Structure-Maximal Autonomy	p. 67
Balancing Freedom and Constraints
Jamming and Hanging Out	p. 93
Learning by Doing and Talking
Taking Turns Soloing and Supporting	p. 119
Followership as a Noble Calling
Leadership as Provocative Competence	p. 135
Nurturing Double Vision
Getting to "Yes to the Mess"	p. 161
Advancing Engaged, Strategic Improvisation
Notes	p. 185
Index	p. 193
About the Author	p. 201
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