Peaks and Values

In this 2nd article of my series “Playing the Changes: What Jazz Can Teach us About Leadership,” I'll explore occasions we call peak experiences, and how they can help us understand our values. Understanding our values can help us meet moments of adaptive change - the kind of change made in response to a challenge that has no known solution and requires us to shift our mindsets and behaviors.  

Practicing Jazz

In high school, I saw the pianist Dorothy Donegan perform. She was virtuosic and playful. She interspersed classical melodies in her improvisations, played with her elbow, and looked out at the audience to let us in on her jokes. It was electric! She signed my program after the concert. I was starstruck as she asked me if I played. I shakily said “Yes - classical. I want to play jazz too.” She said she loved playing classical music too.

This concert was a peak experience for me - a time when I was exactly where I needed to be. I felt inspired and encouraged. My heart still stirs when I think about it. 

When we reflect on peak experiences, we can observe our values in action. Knowing our values can help us navigate complexity and change. Our values can serve as a kind of compass. They point us in the direction of what’s most important and help us let go of what isn’t. My values of collaboration, curiosity, and connection were bouncing all over the room during that concert. These values help me stay connected with jazz. Conversely, my love of jazz helps me stay connected with my values.

Practicing Leadership

Organizations have peak experiences too; stories that get repeated over time that seem to express its collective values and aspirations. Reflecting on these peak experiences can help teams clarify their values. This is important because values matter at work too. They point the organization toward their mission and vision. Shared values help teams move through uncertainty and withstand the necessary disequilibrium that accompanies adaptive change.

Reflecting

• Think about a peak experience you’ve had. What values can you see in action? 

• What stories get repeated at your organization? What values do they express?

• How do your organization’s stated values compare to the values that its stories express? Are they the same? Different? What does this teach you?

Listening: Dorothy Donegan on the Ed Sullivan Show

(Image by Julius Silver from Pixabay)