One of the most influential fusion groups came from a series of engagements through the late ’60s and early 70’s that we have talked about before. From Art Blakey’s incubator, through Miles Davis’ quintet and finally putting it together in the seminal Bitches Brew in 1971 the founders of this group had played off and on together. Now after completing that album, they wanted to continue to hone their sound, and they Valued the differences they all brought to the new world of Fusion Jazz. Individually they were all great, but together, they would eventually produce one of the finest albums of the late ’70s.
After leaving Miles’ band, the first few Weather Report albums were still highly “freedom” oriented, and while very challenging to play, it was also challenging to listen to and these first few albums are still mostly only known to aficionados. With this third album in 1974, he started to get back to rhythms that were “regular” and “funky”, borrowing from what was happening in Soul music at the time, and I, at least, find this much easier to digest, as did most critics and record buyers.
Leadership is a lot like Jazz I think – what is said is often not nearly as important as what leaders do. Your team is looking more at how your Values are demonstrated – is it aligned with what you are saying. “Authenticity” is something that can often be faked for a bit, but eventually followers and leaders will start to understand what is really Valued by both, and engagement follows. Remember that the number one determinant of retention is the relationship with leadership – both directions. Values – what are they, what do you do to discover and align them… and what type of Weather Report will that produce in your team?
