Sharing the Stage
The “Uninfluential” Genius
Ever hear of Joshua Bell? Joshua Bell is the world’s greatest violinist. He is also a heartthrob. He is tall, dark and handsome. Unlike many classical performers, Bell is also cool. He walks onto stage in black pants with a black untucked shirt. He is in excellent physical condition and it shows in the way he plays. His whole body is involved. He plays a 3.5 million dollar violin crafted in 1713 by Antonio Stradivari. People pay thousands to see Bell and his concerts are always sold out.
On January 12th, 2007, Joshua Bell and his 3.5 million dollar violin strolled into the metro station during the morning rush in D.C. Bell played a 43 minute, six piece classical concert while 1,000 morning commuters walked by. Guess what happened…
Take a look at this:
Did you see what happened?
Nothing. That’s right, the worlds best violinist playing a 3.5 million dollar violin received almost no response. The vast majority of the 1,000+ people who walked by said and did nothing. Most treated him like he was invisible.
How does THAT happen?
I think the answer is that the most talented people, be they musicians or leaders, need context for their talent to shine. Joshua Bell still needs a concert hall, other musicians, a conductor, and an audience that cares about music in order to really shine. In the subway he is just another musician playing on the street.
In organizations this is true as well. You can’t just be a talented motivator, excellent technician, outstanding communicator, etc. You need balance and other skills to compliment you in order to excel. Organizations that are dominated by a single brilliant leader don’t go anywhere. Jim Collins refers to this as the “genius with a thousand helpers”.
If that’s you or your organization then it is time to invest in your talent. Otherwise you are Joshua Bell in the metro. A genius, yes, but without impact.
Keep moving forward,
Greg
I’d also bet that the average person avoids contact because they are expecting the musician to be looking for money in return for the entertainment. It’s a bit like the tree in the forest story… if a musician plays and everyone acts like they’re not listening does he really make any sound?
In the metro or other complicated potentially stressful social situations, people avoid contact so as to maintain momentum and low stress levels.
In Europe the tradition of playing music to be appreciated in public is much greater, and people actually interact with the player. I saw this recently in Montreal too, where a street magician had about 200 people working with him on his show.
I think you are right that the modality of the action has to fit the context its in if you want to achieve. Making the various parts fit can be a challenge. Being unconscious of these facts can lead to embarrassment or disaster. It requires critical thinking. Most US citizens seem to avoid critical thought.
Thanks for the post.
Diane