Yes to the Mess

“..the simple practice of taking turns leading and supporting might be the single practice most responsible for relational breakthroughs.  Here again jazz provides a ready model.  Jazz bands routinely rotate the ‘leadership’ of the band:  that is, they take turns soloing and supporting other solecists by providing rhythmic and harmonic background.  Each player has an opportunity to develop a musical idea, while others create space for this development to occur.  In order to guarantee these patterns of mutuality and symmetry, players alternate comping one another.” (Yes to the Mess 124)

Think back to a time you took the lead in some fashion?  Who were you leading?  What about your followers became important to your self-understanding as a leader?

 Do the same about a time in which you followed a person you felt was a solid leader.  How was your “followership” key to their success?