12 Things Every Musician Needs to Know - Part 1 Leadership

12 Things Every Musician Needs to Know – Part 1 Leadership

By Quinton Jones • March 4, 2009

The following excerpts were taken from the book

“Don’t Get Taken – Take Control,
12 Things Every Musician Needs to Know”

written by my friend Tom Sabella of Page2 Management.
This book is a must read for anyone who is seriously considering
a career in the music industry.

Chapter 1: Every Band Needs a Leader

Every band or group needs a leader to oversee and represent it. This does NOT mean that whoever takes this role is the smartest member, the best musician, or even the most dynamic of the group. But he/she must be a person with good organizational skills, a sharp understanding of the business, and a personality that is easy to get along with. The leader also has to be a person with thick skin because [they will be] responsible for “everything”, so when push comes to shove [the leader] has the most to lose! The Bible says that “without a vision, the people perish.” I’d like to paraphrase that and say “without a leader, the group dies.” Everyone wants to be the chief from time to time, but over the long haul the leader of any organization or group needs certain attributes that give him or her leadership prerogative. Before you begin the arduous task of “leading” ask yourself a few questions:

1. Why do you want to be the leader?
2. What is your TRUE motivation?
3. Are you prepared to accept all the risks?
4. What is it about “responsibility” that motivates you?

“To make a choice for a leader of your band you need to make sure that the person has the drive and determination to never give up, look adversity in the eye, and a motivation based with integrity from within.”

What really makes a leader? …The leader should be someone who is not easily intimidated. He or she will undoubtedly serve as group spokesperson and needs to be both willing and able to articulate the group’s aims, as well as, sell the group to “not-quite sure prospects.” They represent the voice of the band. If you are the type that takes rejection personally, then this position is not for you. You must be motivated by rejection. A useful trait for a leader is one who likes to turn negatives into positives, the kind of person who, when rejected, inherently insists on turning the loss into a win.

“I suggest reading Dr. Norman Vincent Peale’s masterpiece, ‘The Power of Positive Thinking’. It is a MUST READ for anybody considering a career in leadership.” —T Sabella

Follow-through and attention to detail are major assets to success. Do what you say you are going to do. Your word must be as good as gold! Whether it’s returning a phone call, sending an e-mail, or being punctual; be sure you do EXACTLY what you said you were going to do. Your word as a leader is paramount. People remember promises. Keep a journal or daily planner of everything that has to be done and everything you told others you were going to do. Write down in great detail conversations you have with perspective clients. Don’t let yourself get bogged down by flimsy excuses for not making good on your word. This diminishes your credibility and professionalism and can be avoided by accurate note-taking. It requires discipline to stick by a decision, finish the task, and not get sidetracked. With all the multi-tasking and the variety of projects you need to accomplish in order to be a good leader – like contacting club owners, the press, the media and countless others, etc – everybody will want to see that they can depend on your ability to follow through as evidence of your integrity. A trustworthy person …who can truly “walk the walk”.

Copyright © 2006 by Tom Sabella. All Rights Reserved.
It is illegal to reproduce any portion of this material except by special arrangement by the publisher (or author). Reproduction of this material without authorization, by any duplication process whatsoever, is a violation of copyright law.