Every now and then we like to stress the importance of a team around music projects.
While the ForTunes app helps musicians keep track of most data related insights, there are still vast areas where external expertise might be quite necessary.
In this article we go one step ahead – assuming that a team has already been arranged. It’s a state where an artist is connected to one or several individuals, and a professional, working relationship has been initiated. So far so good.
There are certain key factors that are vital when working with professionals, be it musical or managerial. Let’s start with the mode of communication,
Strict straightforwardness
Being straightforward, in most cases, might raise eyebrows and sometimes even piss people off. That’s definitely not a reason NOT to be clear in your demands.
On the contrary. People who beat around the bush tend to elongate processes, causing more confusion than clarity. In their effort not to generate uncomfortable situations or confrontations, they are avoiding and deflecting things that will linger, grow, and profoundly hinder the entire mission.
People who are direct, non-affirmative and honest about their opinions might cause some rumble in the jungle, so to speak, but they will also stir up some dirt that HAS to be dealt with. Don’t keep the lid on tensions. They’ll burst out eventually.
The namedropping trap
Some people go overboard, though, stressing the amount of connections and therefore possibilities they assume – especially while trying to impress new collaborators.
While credible professionals will acknowledge these sentiments, they can also come of as kind of try-hard, sometimes even uncomfortable.
Sharing a network with your team is vital, no doubt about it. There are different agendas to spreading these pieces of information, though, and they should always be pragmatical. If you think about naming a big profile connection something like friend or “buddy”, be sure that there is an actual reason, a strategic thought behind it. Otherwise chances are high of coming of as, plainly put, quite spammy.
Tangible sub-goals
Having grand visions is important. Laying them out, once in a while, can also be a necessary, motivational instrument.
This limits the danger of disappointment, and maximizes the potential of reaching various plateaus together – building a solid working relationship and accomplishment track record.
Regular calibration
While control freaks can devastate a team, letting things slip can equally lead to a slow dismemberment of an ongoing, professional relationship.
Try to re-calibrate once in a while. Have open discussions on the status quo of project management and how things are going. Establish a team culture that values awareness and honesty.
Things shouldn’t run for long timespans – be it months – without analysis of current state of affairs, shedding light on the good AND bad within a team structure.
Outspoken accountabilities
Music teams are agile, like startups. And there are certain guidelines and best-practices, every team is unique.
This also means that accountabilities are unique. Be sure to engage in open exchange and sometimes even confrontation concerning who is accountable and for what.
Obviously, sometimes accountabilities merge in the course of certain actions, but even then – someone has to occupy a role, it can rarely be shared by two individuals. Not without conflict, that is.
0 be the first one to show some appreciation for this!