Six Key Qualities of Ensembles

Moving Beyond Leadership Development Training into the Shared Leadership Journey™
Photo credit: Justin Altman Photography

Teamwork makes the dream work—but ensembles can take us even further into creating (and sustaining) a more positive, innovative, and impactful workplace. Work ensembles, like musical ensembles, differ from teams.

Ensembles take collaboration and team development one step further by sharing leadership, relating first as an intentional group instead of individuals only playing specific roles. In an ensemble, every voice is heard, and every contribution is recognized as equally important.

One of our 2021 highlights was the day our Global Round Table Leadership ensemble spent at the Vermont Jazz Center with a trio of seasoned jazz performers: Claire Arenius, Malik McLaurine, and Eugene Uman. Together, we experienced and discussed the unique dynamics of an ensemble through live jazz performances and discovered new ways of thinking about the differences between teams & ensembles.

Here are six key traits that most ensembles share, plus practices to bring into your next team meeting:

Presence

"We have a relationship built on trust and love. So, the music is more effortless." — Eugene Uman

Participation in an ensemble requires presence—and we don't mean simply attending every meeting. Presence necessitates complete attention: staying focused on your colleagues without succumbing to distractions, showing your care and respect through eye contact and open body language, and not mentally tuning out or shutting down. The practice of presence isn't easy, especially virtually, but we know that this level of attentiveness builds trust.

Trust builds a strong foundation for any relationship. By "holding space" for each person in this way, we create the opportunity for everyone to be heard, even when disagreements happen amongst the group (because they will!). When everyone is heard and has a chance to shine, trust is a natural output, and the work becomes more effortless. Presence requires practice—it's not a skill you can solely pick up from a leadership course or executive coaching services. It's the same feeling of flow that our partners at the Vermont Jazz Center experience when they're improvising up on stage.

Wholeness

"As musicians, work and life are the same. Music is an extension of us. Work is an expression of us, too." — Malik McLaurine

We are who we are wherever we go. The myth of separating our humanity's personal and professional parts is just that—a myth. So a central tenet of sharing leadership is leading from our humanity: relating to one another first as humans, rather than through roles or status.

Moving from team to ensemble calls us to practice breaking workaholism, perfectionism, and competition—these old authoritarian, detrimental structures bind us and keep us from psychological freedom and creativity. A workplace that is a mentally & emotionally safe environment allows people to express themselves more fully.

Co-Learning

"I found that the community Eugene created helped me grow as a musician because everyone was learning. It's not just the students; the teachers are learning, too!" — Claire Arenius

One of the critical principles of sharing leadership is being a lifelong learner. Ensembles invite learning opportunities for everyone, no matter where they sit in the organizational chart. It can feel relieving to take off the expert hat and start with curious listening.

Leaning into the group's wisdom and staying open-minded allows us to increase the breadth and depth of our knowledge. Plus, it creates the circumstances for the best ideas to come forward (no matter where they come from) or for entirely new ideas to be born.

Diversity

"When new energies come in, we have to listen and learn again." — Eugene Uman

Have you ever noticed how the group dynamics change when a new colleague enters or exits the team? That's because no two ensembles are the same.

Familiarity often brings a sense of comfort, so when someone new enters a pre-existing group, it can feel challenging or scary. However, as demonstrated by Mother Earth, diversity is inherent in all living systems! Just think of how boring life would be if the seasons never changed or every flower looked the same!

By practicing openness, we welcome fresh energy to our ensembles and inclusion to everyone who steps into them.

Artistry

"In many ways, our artistry is very contained in our current world and society. And yet, being alive is artistry unto itself." — Lori Hanau, Founder & Principal of Global Round Table Leadership

Most of the time, we associate the idea of "artist" as someone alone in a studio consumed by their masterpieces or is an artist by profession: painters who have their work in museums or musicians who play concerts for thousands of fans. But sharing leadership and sharing power asks us to recognize the artist within: just like a sculptor with a ball of clay, we always have the opportunity to create something beautiful out of the materials at hand.

Bringing your inner artist forward at work is about keeping in mind that reality is happening through you, not just to you. Try approaching your next meeting as though you're about to create some beautiful music alongside your teammates, and remember that even the supposed "wrong" notes can lead to great innovation. Remember, as Ray Dalio teaches us, there is no such thing as "failure."

Common Ground

"We put our repertoire together. We honor each other by sharing our music and our knowledge. By sharing, we build the best repertoire and bring out the best of our relationship for however long we will be playing together. We find common ground—that helps us focus." — Claire Arenius

A successful ensemble focuses on what brings them together. Like a jazz trio stepping on stage to entertain and delight their audience, all companies have a mission, even if that mission is to make a profit; it's what galvanizes a group of people to work together towards a shared goal.

So while making money must be one focus, it's equally valuable to know your teammates as people: what are their interests? What do they care about? The more we understand and appreciate one another as wonderfully unique individuals, the easier it is to collaborate and work together as a collective. And interestingly enough, we often experience more creativity and innovation, too.

And having an inspired, motivated team is always good for business.

Does your ensemble need more practice with healthier communication or innovation management? Check out three easy practices here. Read From Teamwork to Ensemble and learn more about the differences between a team and an ensemble.

If your team is ready to become an ensemble, we'd love to support you with our leadership coaching, group coaching, and The Shared Leadership Learning Journey™. Get in touch about The Shared Leadership Journey and our leadership development training.