Many years ago I was in the car, headed to a show, with my piano teacher, Lou Stein. Lou had an illustrious career as a jazz pianist, having played with the original Glenn Miller Orchestra, recorded with Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald and Charlie Parker to name a few. Lou mentioned that he could remember five nights on the bandstand – five special standout performances in which everything clicked, the energy was perfect and magic was made. At the time that knocked me out; as a young up and coming pianist I imagined almost every night on the bandstand would be magical, (once I got to the bandstand). Years later, I realized that was a teachable moment and that Lou was trying to make a point. So much of what we do is hard work, nose to the grindstone, daily grind kind of stuff. But those are the requirements and prerequisites for getting to the good stuff.
When we work with leadership groups at large companies, we find there’s so much time spent mired in the day-to-day grindstone mentality that people actually lose sight of what the good stuff is. “Okay, we’re working hard, systems are functioning, I’m doing my job and you’re doing yours, but do we remember where we’re headed and what our strategic plan is?” Quite often, no; our clients don’t remember. But if they are reaching out to us, at least they’re understanding that it’s time to re-visit where they’re headed and time to bring into focus just what the good stuff is.
We help using music, story, engagement, laughter, creative brainstorming and plain fun to create a ‘great night on the bandstand’ moment for an entire company or organization. As facilitators immersed in the process with our clients, experiencing the energy and epiphanies that take place during our program we become energized, and we get to share in that wonderful feeling of being in a special moment. That’s the best way I can explain why we all have so much fun, and are so dedicated to doing what we do – providing effective, interactive and truly meaningful musical team building programs.
Billy Kirsch with Lou Stein – A teachable moment
Getting to the Good Stuff