By Doug Van Dyke, Leadership Simplified, www.leadershipsimplified.com

Last week I attended a piano recital showcasing children ranging in age from six to twelve. On the surface my destined activity does not seem to call out as a compelling evening. Oh contraire. During a fast-paced 45-minute program, the performance of 15 youths riveted the audience and held us spellbound. The program culminated with a 12-year-old’s performance of a complicated arrangement from the movie The Piano. The beauty and passion that she poured into the piece left many audience members in tears – it was a tingly moment.

This is supposed to be a piece on leadership, so why do I wax poetic about a piano recital? At which my six and eight year old sons were amazing, by the way. The answer: I want to highlight that the future is in good hands. In addition, I want to drive home the point that leadership does not begin when someone is appointed a manager or team lead or starts a business sometime in their mid-twenties or thirties. Leadership starts young! Returning to the recital for instance, prior to playing, each participant stood in front of roughly 50 adults and announced their name and their selection of music. Without exception, each youth exhibited poise and fine public speaking skills. Then, they executed beautifully – under a fair amount of pressure. 

What outstanding traits did the audience witness brimming from these successful youths? They ranged far and wide. Let’s take a look at a quick cross-section and then address what lessons are applicable to the adult world of leadership.

Practice – nine-year-olds don’t just sit down at a piano and belt out a sonata by Beethoven. Excellence always requires practice. And during the recital the amount of practice that the participants engaged in became quite obvious. 
Lesson for Leaders: is it obvious to your team members that you practice your craft? Leadership is an art. The people we lead change over time, and certainly the marketplace is fluid. Leaders must consciously practice their craft. Take lessons in whatever form you deem appropriate. Then, practice new methods and weave them into your current winning formula.

Perseverance – Something I noticed at the recital was, without exception, when a mistake was made, the performer was undeterred. They remained focused, made necessary corrections, and played on – to a beautiful end.
Lesson for Leaders: for many leaders, now is gut check time. Showing strong, unwavering leadership during difficult times illustrates commitment (and a fair amount of stubbornness). Perseverance in the face of many hurdles also tends to elevate long-term team loyalty.      

Ability – clearly each student who played at the recital possessed a fair amount of ability. Their performances also brought to mind a marriage of talent, lessons, and practice.
Lesson for Leaders: many excellent leaders have ability in spades. The fact is, most people are not promoted to leadership positions unless they are perceived to have the necessary ability to take on the responsibility of leadership. The problem that frequently occurs in today’s fast-paced business world is that leaders forget about the necessary companion of ability: training. To be more specific, the act of acquiring tools and techniques that are necessary to transform raw ability into results-driven execution. The coupling of ability with targeted training can lead to wonderful music with a measureable ROI.

Zest – each participant at the recital possessed unbridled enthusiasm. In additions, they had pure intentions and high ideals – they were in attendance to celebrate music and learning. 
Lesson for Leaders: if you are not enthusiastic about your company, its success, and a bright future – no one will be. Take a puppy pill and get happy. You know what I mean, show  exuberance, even for every day stuff. Don’t be pie in the sky happy – be pragmatic – but, darn it all, get pumped up about victories of any kind. Team members will follow your lead.

Bottom Line: We can learn leadership from the young – the very young. This fact is not lost on most you. The fact that you are reading these words reinforces that you are always looking to glean pearls that you can polish to fit your world. Bravo! Be a student of life. And along that marvelous journey take special note of the actions of youngsters. Leadership starts young – and unlike our bodies, it never stops growing.

Doug Van Dyke is a leadership and communication consultant, executive coach, and business planner. His book, Leadership Simplified, as well as audios and video are available at the Productivity Store of www.leadershipsimplified.com. To learn more about consulting services, coaching, and training, or to have Doug speak at your next event, contact him today at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or at 941-776-1121.

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