Organizations have a trust deficit.
That’s because trust is a high variance strategy. Sometimes it leads to tremendous results, other times it leads to failure.
But I think in our modern era we vastly overestimate the cost of failure, and underestimate the benefits of speed and creativity.
Ruben van der Laan recently interviewed me for an article (to appear on his site in the future). He told me that Jazz players understand this concept better than anyone:
When the group starts they don’t know where they’ll be heading and how the process will develop. There’s no preconceived plan, just starting elements. This requires the performers trust one and other, that others will not criticize your input because this breaks the process. So you have to give the benefit of doubt and never question the intentions of others.
This high-trust process can lead to music that at times can be messy. But then there’s those magical moments. Moments, when everything comes together, and the result is pure bliss. I think Jazz lovers are in it for those moments.
When I completed the interview with Ruben he offered to send it to me for review before he published.
“No need, Ruben. I trust you.”
Al Pittampalli is a meeting culture warrior. He's on a mission to change the way organizations hold meetings, make decisions, and coordinate action.