Unit 1

Welcome to Leadership University, your online personal interactive student leadership journey. We’re excited that you’re here. This first video is designed to give you a taste as to what the course is about and some things you will need to do in order to be successful on your leadership journey.

All course materials should be accessible to you immediately and can be completed in whatever time frame you choose; however, each unit must be completed prior to starting the next unit and should be completed in order. You should plan on allotting fifteen minutes per unit, not including the worksheets.

Each unit will have a discussion section. We encourage you to use this and share your thoughts, ideas, questions, and general leadership observations. This is a chance for you to communicate with other student leaders from around the country.

Please remember that it is important that prior to watching any of the videos you download the course materials so you can use them as a guide. When you are finished with them, be sure put them somewhere safe as you may want to submit them to your director at the end of the course.

The order of the attached materials is meant to sequentially follow the video. This may create some informational overlap at times, but it is more important to provide as much information in an engaging and interesting manner:

• Don’t try to do too much in one day. Rushing through a trip not only makes for a less enjoyable journey, but also makes for a poor decision-making process.

• While these materials are designed for self-reflection, the true intent is for you to use it as a “leadership journal” and share the contents with others. “The more you give” to your peers, “the more you will get” from them. Isn’t that a “win-win”?

• Your thoughts have intrinsic value just as they are — don’t try to impress anyone with them. You are an authentic person, and your individual thoughts and beliefs as a leader should be reflected in these activities. Say what you mean and mean what you say.

We are excited for you to join us on this special journey and wish you all the luck in your leadership travels! Be sure to use the discussion box below to chat with fellow travelers both near and far.

Unit 2

What does music teach us?

Being chosen to be a leader is an opportunity for personal growth and change. It takes your music experience to a whole new level and provides you with challenges that go far beyond the concert hall. It may not always be fun, but it will be rewarding.

By now, you have a pretty good idea of my passion for music education. I believe that within this unique and absurd experience lie some of the greatest lessons that life has to teach us. Music is one of the few areas that teach not only content and curricula, but character as well. Listed below is a brief summation of what I believe are the character cornerstones of a successful music education organization.

I believe music teaches that the more you give, the more you will get.

This is not a new concept and has stood the test of time. Note that I used the future tense when it comes to “getting.” You have to give. Your ability to receive is based on your ability to give first. Those who give the most get the most, but those who get the most are asked to give the most back. The best students become leaders, and we require leaders to give more. The best players are typically those who practice the most, and we require them to help those who struggle. Think about it – it is the only curricular area where we reward and require work with more work.

I believe music teaches that if you can, you must.

Whether as a result of genetics or environment, we all have a different set of skills and talents. To underutilize them – or worse yet, fail to utilize them – is a wasted opportunity. Simply put, there is a correlating responsibility between your individual assets and the group responsibility you incur. You need not rise to the expectations of someone else and you need not wish for skill sets you do not possess; you need only to use what you have to serve others to your very best ability. You are a spectacular and unique person who has unique and spectacular abilities. To fail to utilize these special skills sets is denying the world of your true presence and denying your true self.

I believe music teaches us not to quit until it’s perfect.

Think about how many times you practice the same lick, toss the same toss, or march the same drill. Music is the only curricula in which you take the same class year after year in hopes not only of learning more, but perfecting what you have already mastered.

After passing P.E., do you take the same class again in hopes of attaining a greater level of perfection? NO. Yet you take four years of your same music class often repeating activities ad nauseam in search of the unattainable “perfect.” Where else does this happen?

I believe music teaches us to think win/win.

It is only natural to want to be good at something. Success and its sweet rewards are not just fruits of your labor; they are a part of the fabric of the human soul. We all want to be good at something. The question is this: Does our success stand in the way of someone else’s? Winning is a self-limiting behavior, as you are only doing just enough to be better than someone else, instead of striving to be the best that you can be.

This list is only meant to help frame the discussion of leadership and ensure that you understand the foundation the book is built upon. Also, these are my beliefs, and should in no way compel you to believe the same unless you are so inclined. In fact, I am confident that your list would look somewhat different than mine and provide me with pause to think. You are actually about to begin the process of creating your own list, so you may begin thinking about what you would and would not include in it.

Now that you know what I believe, it is time to start thinking about what you believe. I thought it only fair that before we start on our leadership journey together, you knew a little bit about the philosophies of your travel guide.

Do you give more to your group than you get?

LEADERSHIP TIP: As a team, decide whether music education is about building better young people through music or building better music through young people. This will help clarify your leadership pathway.

For those of you who have held leadership positions before, share in the discussion box what you have learned from being a leader. Be sure to include what to do and what NOT to do!

Activity 1

As you well know, in the past couple of weeks has left the world of music education (and education in general) upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. Canceled concerts, trips, and entire seasons have left a large swath of sad, confused, and worried students and parents in its wake.

And they are not alone.

Entire families are facing questions related to health, security, and economic uncertainty. And as much as they might try to shield it from their families, the angst can’t help but unknowingly pass through the house, much like the virus that brought it about.

And in times of crisis, leaders step forward and take action. And here is something you can do.

This activity will allow you to safely spread a little fun and joy in your neighborhood. The best part of it is that you can literally watch the joy spread as signs go up in windows around your neighborhood. All you have to do it create a couple of “goodie bags,” print out the attached PDF’s and then “INFECT” people with your positivity.

Be sure to involve your family members in this and WASH YOUR HANDS before and after preparing your bags.

Have fun!

Unit 3

What makes music kids different?

By this point in your life you have more than likely answered enough questions about yourself and your group to last a lifetime. I hope it is giving you an idea into how complex leadership can be. Now it is time to take a break and do something different. Since the materials in this chapter are designed to highlight how special the young people of your music group are, I would like you to design an activity that demonstrates to them how special they are.

Start by brainstorming about what you could do to reflect the special and unique nature of your organization. Take five minutes and write as many crazy ideas on paper as possible. Don’t worry just yet about how you will accomplish these ideas; just write, as you will have an opportunity to refine your ideas later. Don’t stop until you have at least 25 distinctly different ideas.

After you have written all of their ideas down, take a little time and rank them – not necessarily according to their feasibility, but more for their likeability. Great things are not always easily accomplished. Focus on the top five ideas and begin to hash out the details…what, where, when, how and why are always good places to start. Your ideas need not be fully developed, but you need to have enough specifics so that others can understand your idea.

Take your top five ideas and prepare to present them to the rest of the leadership team (if your director allows). Get feedback from others and take time to field their questions. Someone in the group will have to keep track of all of the top five ideas for a vote later on.

If possible, have the entire leadership team vote on the top three ideas that they believe will have the greatest impact. Break the team down into three different teams to accomplish the three selected activities/tasks.

DISCLAIMER: I have purposefully been vague on this activity so as to not stifle your creativity. If you have questions or need a few ideas to get you started, email me and I would be more than happy to help you out.

Think about how your life would be different right now had you not chosen to make music a part of your life. This might make for some fun posts in the comment box below!

Unit 4

What we learn from leadership.

Have you ever accidentally picked up someone else’s drink? Do you remember the feeling of expecting a cool glass of Sprite only to get a mouthful of tonic water? Remember the gag-like reflex that accompanied your failed expectations? It’s not that you didn’t like or couldn’t stomach tea; it is just that your expectations did not meet the reality of the situation. The same can be said for leadership. People come in expecting to sit atop the section and delegate to others while enjoying the fruits of their new-found supervisory powers, when in reality, it is oftentimes the exact opposite: everyone is yelling at them and they find themselves at the bottom of the pile, doing the grunt work that no one else wants to do.

The term “leadership” has become en vogue in our society. While leadership itself is not a new phenomenon by any means, recent trends in our society and culture have brought the subject matter to the forefront of our national agenda. More than ever, people are striving to achieve leadership roles as a way of quantifying their success. In fact, recent studies have shown that we value the position and power associated with leadership beyond anything that can be rewarded in a monetary way. In other words, people seek power and authority over financial gain. The extrinsic rewards of being in a leadership role often times are contradictory to the nature of leadership as we know it, which is an act of servitude.

The following questions are meant to get you to examine your new role as a leader in a new and creative way. We are going to take a wide-angle lens look at what your new position is and what it has to teach you.

LEADERSHIP TIP: People will fight harder by your side if they know not “who” they are fighting, but “why” they are fighting. People just want to fight for a cause as much as they want to fight “for” and “against” a person. Every leader needs a cause and every cause needs a leader.

Don’t forget to complete the form and share your thoughts.

Unit 5

What is leadership?

This unit is designed to get you to start thinking about what leadership is in your group. Keep in mind, leadership may look different in different groups and ensembles. Orchestra and band may view leadership in very different ways even though they are similar courses.

I wish there was a simple answer to the question “what is leadership?”. I want there to be a clear-cut and straight-forward way to explain this highly complex and individual process. I dream of a simple and easily understood guide from which to judge someone’s leadership performance, a unified rubric and a set of character traits that could apply to all countries, cultures, and people. I think I will be wishing for a while longer.

In the past 100 years there have been enough books written on what we THINK about leadership to fill the entire library. Despite this, what we KNOW about leadership would easily fit into a small bookshelf In this chapter, we will begin to explore some commonly held leadership beliefs and see how these beliefs match up with your personal ideologies.

I believe that leadership is situational and depends on the people involved and the context of the setting. Just as there are no two people that are identical, there are no two leadership styles that are identical. The context of the setting also has a great deal to do with the character of the leader. I do not believe the same leadership rules apply for a combat soldier as a drum major in a high school marching band. The President of the United States should not view leadership the same as a religious leader might. To my way of thinking, there are as many ways to lead as there are people to be led.

This chapter is designed to help you get to the essence of what you believe about student leadership and how it applies to your group. Keep in mind, as you grow and evolve, and as your group changes, so will your beliefs. Student leadership, like everything else in life, is a dynamic and ever-evolving pursuit. As you grow and change, so will your beliefs. While it is important to have conviction in your beliefs, it is equally important to not become mired in them like quicksand.

LEADERSHIP TIP: Titles are easier to create than leaders, so focus less on your title and more on your role as a leader.

Unit 6

Leading by example.

Are you someone who leads by example? Are you someone who sets the standard for others to follow? Are you someone that others actually want to follow?

In this chapter, you will learn to look in the mirror and see if you are the person you want others to be. This may be the hardest chapter of all if you are being honest with yourself. Leading by example is a key component of being a true leader and a true follower.

Honest self-assessment and reflection are one of the hardest things to do. We tend to overlook our own shortcomings while being all too quick to spot them in others. Other times, we are far too critical of ourselves as we give others the benefit of the doubt. In this unit, you will be challenged to take a long and hard look in the mirror and see if you are modeling the very beliefs you claimed to espouse in the previous unit.

It is important that you try to be as objective as possible and see yourself as others see you. You need not be overly critical, nor should you gloss over some areas of possible self-improvement. Every journey of self-improvement begins with self-assessment. As you prepare for your leadership journey, it is important that you not only take stock of what you need to be successful but also what tools you already have.

It is also important to know your strengths and weaknesses as you approach difficult situations so that you are able to lead from your strengths. If you try and hide or disguise your weaknesses, you are only delaying the inevitable. Being honest about who you are and leading from your strengths gives your best chance at surviving just about any situation.

The questions that follow are designed to assist you with the self-reflection process. Your answers may make you uncomfortable, but if dealt with honestly, it will make you a better leader. Ask yourself this: would I rather fail with style or lead with flaws?

We end this essay with the same question we began it with — “Do you believe that you are a good role model?”

LEADERSHIP TIP: When faced with the need to cross a fast-moving river, would you be better suited to build a boat, a bridge, or swim? Knowing your leadership strengths may just help you to survive.

Activity 2

Gratitude

As a musician, you have a skill set, a way to communicate, that sets you apart from the norm. There’s a certain power and meaning to what you are able to do through this medium that has the potential to impact those around you much more than you might realize. This lack of understanding is no one’s fault, but rather naturally coincides as we work daily to obtain mastery and a level of excellence expected and commensurate with those around us…we’re so busy trying to always get better (which we should!), we sometimes forget to celebrate just how good we really are, and the impact it can have on others.

“All Unhappiness is caused by comparison”

The quote above applies to every human being. If you think of when you are unhappy, just think of what is causing your unhappiness, and it will be traced to the comparison you are making of yourself to someone or something. The reality is, the only person making that exact same comparison (whatever it might be), is YOU, and the only person hanging on to that comparison is YOU. In this project, you will STOP making any kind of musical comparison (no one else really cares about it, as harsh as that might sound), and use your power to express gratitude to someone else, which in turn will likely demonstrate to you just how much your musical ability means. You are going to (in using my new slang dictionary), FLEX your power on your instrument by performing any piece, song, excerpt from an orchestra or band piece, concerto, etc. for people you love.

Unit 7

Taking initiative.

Taking initiative is REALLY hard in music groups.

As music students, we are told when to do everything. When to sit, when to stand, when to put our instruments up, when to play and even when to breathe. We have a culture within music that says, “wait to do something until you are told.”

As a leader, you need to understand when to be a good follower and when to be a good leader. Taking initiative is one of the hardest but most important parts of leadership, so pay close attention.

Knowing when to “step up” and when to “step away” is one the hardest parts of leading becoming a leader Think about it – have you ever known how to fix something in rehearsal but were scared to do it because you were afraid of getting in trouble? Have you ever wanted to fix a spacing issue on the field but didn’t know if you should move while at attention?

There is no curriculum in the public school system today which beats the leadership out of you as well as music does. We tell you when to stand, where to sit, how to sit, what to wear, when to put your horn up, what kind of air to use, how to walk, when to talk and even how to use your tongue correctly (in case you were confused before). About the only choice you get to make is the color of your underwear, unless of course, you have white uniform pants, then we even help you with that! Music creates great followers but very confused leaders.

Finding a balance between knowing when to lead and when to follow is a struggle for most student leaders. The following questions are designed to help the leaders and director(s) explore this important issue and come to a consensus. Let’s start by asking some simple questions.

Is the initiative encouraged or discouraged in your group? How so?

Is your director a controlling person when it comes to the group? Can you cite some specific examples?

LEADERSHIP TIP: Doing something wrong for the right reasons is often better than doing something right for the wrong reasons.

Unit 8

If you can, you must!

We all have different skill sets. We all have different strengths and weaknesses. We all bring something different to the table. This chapter challenges you to think about finding the right fit for your skills and how you might best serve your ensemble.

You applied for the leadership job that you currently hold. You made a decision to apply, You chose to be a leader. Assuming that is true, we have to assume that you chose to take on the added responsibilities associated with your position and that you volunteered to serve your group above and beyond what was expected on the non-leaders. In short, you got yourself into this mess, so no complaining as you work your way through it.

If there is a “leadership calling,” I believe that the call comes from within you. For those who have the ability to serve, the inert responsibility to serve is part of the package. Call it a conscience, call it an ethical duty, call it Bob for all I care…just listen to it. If you do not have such a calling, it doesn’t mean that you are not smart, ambitious and capable; it simply means you lack the inner desire to serve. You can be a good music student without being a leader, just as you can be good at your job without being the C.E.O. However, if you can lead, but choose not to, I think you are ignoring one of the basic principles of human existence: Being all that you can be.” Some call it potential, some call it self-actualization…I call it “if you can…you must.”

With your leadership role comes many responsibilities, and possibly some perks. The fact that you are working through this process and your non-leader peers are not is a perfect example of a perk. You have been given a unique and special responsibility based on your ability to respond. Now is the time to respond with your abilities and make a difference in your program. Why you might ask? Because you can and there are others who can’t.

So let’s take this opportunity to see what you can do so we know what you must do.

Activity 3

Candy bar commercial!

Many times students know what qualities it takes to be a good leader. This is a good activity to find out what they know and build upon it with a group discussion.

Get a package of assorted candy bars that has a wide variety within the package. You can use a paper back and candy or food you have laying around the house. You should have at least five or six different kinds of bars. The candy can be large or small.

Have someone film this on your smart phone. With you eyes blindfolded, pick out a piece of candy. Open your eyes and make an instant commercial about leadership using that candy.

Example: “The 100 Grand bar has nuts; good leaders know how to be a little nutty and laugh with their peers.”

Example: “A Snickers bar has caramel, which sticks to the roof of your mouth. Good leaders know how to stick to a project until it is complete.”

After you are done, make a serious point about what you are trying to communicate. Send the video to your director so she can post somewhere for all to enjoy.

Be silly and have fun.

When finished, EAT THE CANDY BARS AND ENJOY!

Unit 9

Getting along with others.

In this unit, we will talk about how to deal with the different types of people you might encounter as a part of your leadership role. Some of the difficulties may even happen between leaders. We can’t all be best friends but we can all “get along”!

The ability to get along with others is an important prerequisite for leadership and for life. This is not to say that all leaders have to be gregarious and outgoing people, who enjoy being in the spotlight, but that they are comfortable enough in their role to be successful in it. History is full of many powerful and influential leaders who were introverts; shying away from the attention that came with their position. For some people, the spotlight of leadership is easier to deal with than others. You should also keep in mind that some jobs require fewer people skills and less interaction than others. That is not to say that you can lead through email, but it is important to know if your responsibilities as a leader match your persona.

For example, jobs such as music librarian or group webmaster require less student interaction than those of drum major, concertmaster, or section leader. While managing both tasks and relationships are keys to being an effective leader, some jobs require less managing than others. In all of my years teaching music, I never heard a uniform talk back, or sheet music make a smart remark, so if managing people and their conflicts make you uncomfortable, keep that in mind when choosing to serve.

Yes, people skills are an important part of being an effective leader. After all, it is people that you are leading (yes, drummers violists count as people). This does not mean that each and every student in your charge must be your best friend, but that your relationship does not impede your ability to effectively lead. If the communication highway is shut down, not only will you not get to where you need to go, but no one else will either.

As a part of your leadership role, you will come into contact with people who are difficult to deal with. Some people thrive on conflict and are perfectly content creating situations that might make others uncomfortable. Whether this is done with intent or out of ignorance, the fact remains the same, you will have to deal with these people to be an effective leader. As unreasonable as it may seem, some people thrive on trauma and drama.

Beyond your relationships with your peers, there is the personal dynamic between the director and the student to be considered as well. The same understanding of conflict resolution applies here and is ever more important. If you and your director are unable to function as a team and able to see eye to eye on what is best for the group, then regardless of your ability to get along with your peers, you are doomed to fail as a leader. This director/student relationship, more than any other, is based on trust. Your director has placed a group of young people in your trust and for you to respond in any manner that jeopardizes that trust should cause everyone to examine your readiness to effectively lead, and be led. A student leader with a good relationship with his/her peers and a bad relationship with his/her director is like a car with a big engine and no brakes, destined for a crash.

The questions below are food for thought prior to beginning the chapter.

Would you say that you are a flexible person? Are you able to easily roll with the punches?

What are your “hot-button” issues with which you lack flexibility? (time, disrespect, poor work ethic, etc.)

Are you a loyal person?

LEADERSHIP TIP: Power struggles just result in a loss of power for both people struggling. The only way to keep what you have is to maintain control of it, starting with respect! If you lose control, you lose respect.

Just for fun, share your worst conflict story in the discussion on Teams.

Unit 10

Dealing with problem people.

It’s not possible to get along with everyone. In this chapter, we will talk about how to deal with people who are continually causing problems. They may not be “bad people” just people doing “bad things.”

Every leader will deal with conflict and turmoil at some point during their tenure as a leader. Some leaders will deal with it more than others, but make no mistake, everyone will deal with it at some time or another. Conflict is an unavoidable byproduct of individuality. The fact that there are no two people on this planet that are exactly the same means that no two people will share exactly the same views on any given subject. It is not your difference of opinions, but how you respond to them that defines you as a leader. Your success as a leader is not determined by your ability to agree, but your ability to disagree and still move forward in a positive manner.

When dealing with “problem people,” I find it best to remember that other than life and death, there are no absolutes in this world. We live in a world where it is popular if not profitable to declare one’s “rightness.” Our need to right often override our ability to be objective. Once we have determined and decided upon our “rightness” we feel the need to share it with everyone around us. Somehow we confused the volume button “correctness” button as we share our opinions with everyone around us, whether they ask for them or not. We have created a culture where loud means right and shouting mean strength.

Entire network shows and syndicated radio broadcasts are dedicated to people who believe that with a greater audience comes to a greater sensibility and correctness. I think it is important to remember that as a leader, as your audience grows, so does your responsibility to be sensitive to others’ thoughts and ideas. You don’t need to hold court and share your opinions. You don’t need to keep a tally of who was right and who was wrong. Let your actions be your words and humility be your mantra.

Even though you will face people who you believe to be difficult, that does not make them wrong and you right. Few ideas are as simple as black and white. Even black and white photos are mostly grey. It is a fair assumption that on the other side of the disagreement is someone who sees you as being just as wrong as you see them when the truth is probably somewhere in the middle and your statements are based more on feelings than actual fact. People rarely fight over fact. It is our feelings that stir our emotions and impair our judgment during heated moments.

The following questions are designed to help you get in the right mindset before watching the video.

In your group or section, who are you most likely to struggle with this year?

Are you willing to relinquish your power in order to maintain peace? If so, what powers could you give them to help them feel engaged and involved in the process?

Activity 4

Teacher appreciation week

Even though current circumstances keep your teachers out of sight, that doesn’t mean that they are out of mind. Your teachers are missing you just as you are missing them, and with Teacher Appreciation Week starting next week, NOW is the perfect time to show that that you miss them and you care about them. Watch the video for instructions on what to do and some thoughts on whom you might share it with.

If you are being taught at home by a parent/guardian, a little love towards them next week might go a long way!

Unit 11

Typical problems leaders face.

Part of being an effective leader is knowing where your own personal boundaries are – not only in your skill sets but in the amount of time and energy you can commit to your position. Today’s teenager arrives at school earlier, stays later, studies harder and participates in more activities than teens in past years. In addition, many of you have commitments outside of schools such as jobs, youth groups, and community service organizations. Couple this with our never-ending, 24/7, always connected and interactive lifestyle and what you have is one tired teenager.

With so many people in your group counting on you, it is important that you take an honest look at yourself and be realistic about what you can and cannot take on. There’s no shame in not being able to commit to an extra project or duty, just shame in saying you will, and then not following through. There is an old saying in the business world that applies to leadership: always under-promise and over-deliver. This means that it is better to take on less and do it really well than to take on more and do it with less quality.

The following questions are designed to get you to contemplate the coming year and make an honest and realistic assessment of what you can commit to doing. Remember – this is not a time for you to show your optimism, this is a time to be very realistic.

As a leader, do you tend to take on more than you can handle?

In the past, have you committed to things in this group that you did not finish?

LEADERSHIP TIP: In order to survive a long trip, it is wise to assume that it will take twice as long and be twice as hard as you might originally think.

Unit 12

Dealing with a changing world.

This chapter deals head-on with the issue of change. Nobody likes change but it is a critical element to ensuring that your group continues to move forward.

If you know me, then you know that I am a creature if habit. I am no more qualified to offer advice on change than I am on how to be a Calvin Klein underwear model. I take comfort in knowing that my surroundings are of my own making and are just as I left them. I order the same thing time and time again when I visit my favorite restaurants. I buy the same tennis shoes over and over, and believe it or not, I wore the same type of clothing to rehearsal so often that one Halloween my entire band showed up dressed like me. I am not what anyone would describe as a change agent. I am laughing out loud and I LOVE this paragraph.

For me, change brings about the fear of the unknown, fear of failure, and a general sense of being uncomfortable. It is hard knowing that what brought you success in the past will not necessarily bring similar results in the future. Despite my emotional attachment to yesteryear, my intellect knows that if I repeat the same behaviors as last year, not only will my score not be the same, but it will more than likely yield less positive results. This means that more often than not, my intellect overrides my instinct and I find myself moving forward, wobble in hand and a quivering mass of insecurity.

If you are like me, chances are that you find comfort in repetition. Music groups use repetition as a teaching tool more than any other curricular area. In music, we thrive on the building of past successes and repetition, and yet no other area in the public school system has seen such a revolution of change as your group has. To the point, change is not only good, but required for success.

Below you will find some materials, hints, thoughts, and suggestions on how to approach the issue of personal growth. Not every approach will work for every person or situation, but you should be able to find enough ideas and techniques to aid you in the process. Before we begin, ask yourself the following questions:

• Am I a change agent or afraid of change?

• How much comfort do I take in rituals and patterns?

• When has my ego kept me from making a change?

• Am I better making small changes first or am I able to take the big plunge and change all at once?

• What are some areas of personal behavior that I have successfully changed in the past?

Now let’s take a look at change as it relates to your group…On a separate piece of paper, answer the following questions.

List three concrete things that you would not want to change your program:

List three concrete things that you would like to see changed about your program:

If you are in a group that is in the midst of a director change, you will want to pat particularly close attention to this unit.

Don’t forget to download the attachment prior to starting.

Activity 5

Group motto & logo.

On a blank piece of paper I want you to create a new motto and logo for your group. See if you can capture the essence of what the organization is about in just a few words and an image. You can start from scratch or improve upon what is already there. If you feel like your group already has a long-standing / entrenched motto and logo, create one for your leadership team or section. When completed, make a brief video or explanation of your creation and send it to your director.

Unit 13

Motivating others.

This could and should be the shortest chapter in the book since there is no way that you can motivate another human being to do something they do not want to do. You can only create an environment where motivated people are drawn to be a part of your group. Think of it like a magnet.

As a leader, you act as a magnet. As a general rule, people seek to spend time with people who share their values, interests, and ideas. We tend to draw in closer and hold in high esteem those who we can identify with on a personal and academic level. The closer our beliefs align, the closer the relationship will be. While there is something to be said for “opposites attract,” in schools and in our society, we are more likely to see “likes” attract. Think about it, student council kids hang out with student council kids. Dropouts hang out with other dropouts. Smokers hang out with other smokers. Gamers hang out with other gamers, Music kids hang out with…well, I think you know the answer to that one.

In our modern world, we use magnets to keep our purses closed, hold trains to their tracks, keep paper clips in check, and keep our most cherished pieces of art stuck to the fridge. The uses for the magnet are many and mighty…Ahhhh yes, behold the magnet, a wonderful and yet simple invention.

Magnets also repel. Part of the function of the magnet is to oppose things that do not meet its values of attraction. While it opposes with equal force as it attracts, we rarely use the magnet as a repellent. Most of us see it only for its use as an attractor and overlook its equally significant other use.

As a leader, what type of person do you attract and repel? Different groups (band, choir, orchestra) attract different types of kids. Different instruments attract different types of kids. Different teachers attract different types of students. Your section is a reflection of you. Your section members to an extent are a reflection of you. Your values serve not only to attract those who share your views but to repel those people who do not.

As a leadership team, your magnet is your greatest asset.

It is important for you to have a clear and concise understanding of what you believe and what the group is about. This is not an area where you want to be ambivalent or unfocused. Think about it this way: what are you trying to teach, who are you trying to teach it to, and how are you going to teach it? Brevity and clarity are key to being able to communicate it to all that are associated with the program. The clearer you can be about what you are trying to attract as an academic, musician and person, the stronger your bond will be with those who share your program’s values and the stronger you will repel those who do not share your ideals. Prior to watching the videos, think about the questions below.

As a leader, have you ever tried to use motivation on someone who was not motivated? Did it work?

In your group, do you focus more on positive or negative behaviors?

Think about some positive behaviors, that are rewarded with time and attention.

LEADERSHIP TIP: In music, we oftentimes are so focused on attracting and recruiting new members, that we lose sight of what we are trying to repel. Before deciding on how to recruit, focus on who to recruit. Keep in mind, “music is good for everyone, but not everyone is good for music."