Innovate is a wonder to behold…
One of the great gifts my Father gave me was an ability to turn things around. He had a famous saying that rings in my ears daily: “If you can’t fix it, Feature it”. It is so nonsensical as to be comedic… yet true. Stepping into the “opportunity” that is in front of us – reframing whatever it is to be what it could be… that is the true Sage voice. I have added my own twist to it that I use often “What could possibly go wrong?” While framed negatively, I have seen it many times draw out that “worst” into the daylight – and exposed to that, the Saboteur’s voice is suddenly mute… if THAT is all, then heck, let’s try it. It is turning that negative into a positive path… which requires today’s voice – Innovate.
… and fun to see where it can take you
Of the Sage voices, this is by far the easiest for me. Both my grandfathers went through the Depression – and made it. They, and more importantly, my Father and Mother, were constantly thinking about how to “make this out of that” as the engineer in Apollo 13 said. After Explore/observe, Innovate is creating different approaches that may be hidden. It is the out-of-the-box thinking you hear so much about, but rarely see, as most teams celebrate the “rational” logical linear thinking. If you are a student of Improv, the same thing works here – simply quiet the Judge’s skeptic and say “Yes, and… ” and build on the idea. It also dies quickest with self-negotiation – “Everyone else must know something I don’t, I can’t possibly be the only one who sees this…” It is building the capacity to “not know” – to try something that may appear different, odd, illogical… and to use your outside voice. 😉
It brings out the best in everyone around it…
I knew this video would show up – it is an amazing group of some of the best playing at the top of their game, as with the Royal Albert clip. The drummer is Steve Jordan – a drummer’s drummer, and sought out by players around the world (don’t let that desk chair fool you). The guy playing guitar upside down and backwards is Doyle Bramhall II – who started playing other people’s guitars, and being left-handed, he has to reach extra far for his amazing lead breaks as the “high” strings are further away. The Bass player is, I think, Marcus Miller – one of the BEST bass players in the world, and even better producer in his own right (…yes I have one of his basses, no I do not sound like that…). Again watch the joy in everyone’s faces as they both play something they know well… and innovate great solo’s after supporting everyone else on the team…
All of this came from a breakdown… Eric finally realizing that he couldn’t beat addiction on his own. He found the road easier when shared, and eventually got out from underneath it. As the haze was clearing in the late 70’s he started to want to provide that for others, and founded the Crossroads Centre in Antigua. His focus at first was to provide it to people in the Caribbean but of course, it mushroomed, and before he knew he had ANOTHER breakdown – how does he keep paying for it? Of course, almost anyone would want to play with Eric Clapton… and once he started getting these amazing acts to agree to come, almost EVERYBODY wanted to pay to see them… and thus the innovative Crossroads Guitar Festival was born. And because of this, Eric was able to play with his heros Hubert Sumlin, Buddy Guy, BB King… and John Meyer, Johnny Lang, Derek Trucks all got to play with him. 😉
… and so needed in today’s workplace.
… and he is often at the back of the stage – as “just a sideman”… which was what he really wanted in the first place. All the way back to John Mayall and the Beano Album where we started, you can see him get progressively more comfortable NOT being the center of attention. Slowly turning down the volume on the Saboteurs, he started to really step into his own natural Sage. This song is an Innovation of its own, recorded originally with the Derek and Domino’s tracks, but lost as the band broke apart, and trapped half-finished for 40 years… pieces released on live albums, but never as originally conceived. For the 40th anniversary of Layla, they tracked down Bobby Whitlock to finish up his singing, and even after 40 years, the vocals flow seamlessly as if it was 1970. As you turn up the volume on your Innovative Sage, remember – take a step forward … and it can, and it will … Gotta Get Better…
