• 804.241.9757
  • [email protected]
  • Contact
  • Log In
  • 0Shopping Cart
thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World
  • About
  • Services
  • TITAN
  • Team
  • Blog
  • Online
  • Books
  • Clients
  • Contact
  • Menu

Build your skills! Take our eLearning courses on TITAN!

World-class eLearning courses with videos, exercises, downloads, and a certificate of completion. Get started today!

previous arrow
next arrow
Slider

What a Marching Band Can Teach You about Leadership

April 15, 2013/10 Comments/in Leadership, Training /by Mike Figliuolo

I was lucky enough a few months ago to attend the Ohio State vs. Nebraska football game at Ohio State.  It was a raucous affair in which OSU pounded Nebraska into submission.  But that wasn’t the best part.

The best part was the halftime show by The Best Damn Band In The Land.  They showed me something that I knew I needed to share the minute I saw it.  Now, I’m no huge band follower – I was definitely there for the football game.  That said, I know something special when I see it and given I tend to look at the world through a leadership lens, I immediately saw this blog post emerge.

During that halftime show, the OSU band demonstrated what true teamwork looks like and displayed the amazing impact that can be achieved when everyone on the team executes their role flawlessly.  To that end, I invite you to check out the below video of the halftime show.  To get the point I’m about to make, skip ahead to 6:35 into the video and strap yourself in because you’re about to be amazed.

The halftime show was a tribute to video games and what the band pulled off with that galloping horse was nothing short of amazing.  Imagine 100,000 people hanging out during halftime enjoying the show but also chatting with friends and eating hot dogs.  All of a sudden, the horse takes form and people applaud.  Then it starts galloping.  The place went absolutely insane.  And when the horse reared up on its hind legs, you would have thought OSU just won the national championship.  This was teamwork art in action.  You can learn a few things as a leader from their performance:

Dare to Dream Big

The band leaders had a big dream for this show.  They set out audacious goals to do things that hadn’t been done before.  Imagine the conversation in the band room: “Hey! I know!  Let’s make a giant horse!  And better yet… LET’S MAKE IT RUN DOWN THE FIELD!”  Talk about giving your team something to rally behind!  Set audacious goals for your team.  Dare to be great and try new things.  You’ll never amaze anyone with your little incremental ideas.

Execute Small but Paint a Big Picture

When you look at the guidance each band member received, it was likely small and tactical.  Walk here.  Turn there.  Play this sequence of notes.  Duck under the trombone slide.  Tons and tons of small steps targeted at an individual team member.  Multiply that by the dozens of members of the team and you have a bunch of small steps that have to be remembered and flawlessly executed by a large number of people (sorta like your organization, right?).  What was different here is EVERY MEMBER of that band knows how they contribute to the big picture and what that big picture looks like.  I’m sure they were provided with a detailed description of what they were building toward and they were able to make the connection between their hundreds of steps, turns, notes, and movements and the broader horse galloping down the field.  When people understand their role in the big picture, you’re able to gain their commitment to executing their steps of the process properly.  They understand how if they fail, the whole organization fails.  Absent that big picture, missing a step or a note doesn’t seem as important in their minds.  Paint that big picture to get them bought in to execute flawlessly.

Train.  Train.  Train.

I guarantee they didn’t make that horse gallop on the first try.  More likely they created a horse that should have been sent to the glue factory.  That said, it’s easy to see they put in countless hours training for the big show.  Their leadership was relentless in pushing the team to perform perfectly but at the same time kept the team’s motivation up by reminding them of their role in the big picture.  That big picture also created peer pressure to perform because the team members felt accountable to one another to not screw up.  Don’t be afraid to put your team through their paces and make them train hard for the big events.

Shine the Spotlight on Them

At the end of the performance, all the cheers were for the team.  No leaders stepped forward to claim credit or bask in the glory of the performance.  It was clear all the shouting and applause was for every individual walking on that field.  When your team succeeds, try stepping BACK from the spotlight and push them forward.  Give them the credit they deserve and deflect credit that comes your way onto them.  Nothing builds loyalty more than a leader who is willing to put their team first. Remember that the next time your team is wildly successful in their endeavors.

So there you have it – some leadership lessons from The Best Damn Band In The Land.  What lessons would you add based on what you see in their performance?

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

– For more tips on building strong relationships with your team members, grab One Piece of Paper: The Simple Approach to Powerful, Personal Leadership or download the audiobook version at Audible.com. Read the section on leading your people for some thoughts on how to treat them as individuals and stay in touch with their reality.

https://thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/logo.png 0 0 Mike Figliuolo https://thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/logo.png Mike Figliuolo2013-04-15 07:01:312018-12-28 20:00:51What a Marching Band Can Teach You about Leadership
10 replies
  1. Jim Cyr
    Jim Cyr says:
    April 15, 2013 at 9:28 am

    A beautiful illustration of one of my leadership mxims: “Team First.” Every team member subjugated their goals to the overall goal of the team.

    Reply
  2. Joe Elliott
    Joe Elliott says:
    April 16, 2013 at 8:32 am

    This past week, I was at the OSU Fisher College Center of Excellence (COE) Summot 2013 at Blackwell and Jon Waters, director of the BDBITL, spoke about the band and this particular event. He showed some video of the practices where band members were running into each other and things were not so smooth. Then he spoke about his hands off approach towards mistakes made during practices and even shows. Band members just know when they have made a mistake and no one has to tell them to improve. Each line has a student leader at the beginning and end of the line. The students are accountable to their line leader and the student line leaders to the overall band leadership. Even the idea for a video game show came from students, while directors helped formulate the timing of the show on computers. It is very much a student led and motivated organization. On another note, membership in the band is not guaranteed, their are lots of hungry freshman nipping at the heels of even seniors for a spot in the band. It is a tough job to memorize steps and songs for the show, you will notice that there is no guides on the instruments for the shows. Finally, all of the shows are printed on paper for practices and distributed to students but they are looking to fund iPads for the band members to greatly reduce the need for printing. If you are a fan of BDBITL, you can help fund this change.

    Reply
  3. Carl
    Carl says:
    April 16, 2013 at 11:34 am

    Great illustration and metaphor Mike,
    What I took away from the lesson was that not one of the individual band members could ‘see’ the big picture – they had to believe in the vision of the leader. They had to believe that each step they took was critically important to the final goal.
    They obviously achieved that –

    Best regards,
    Carl
    @SparktheAction

    Reply
    • sheryl
      sheryl says:
      April 22, 2013 at 11:33 pm

      The band members don’t just take the vision on faith – the vision and the steps toward it are painstakingly charted out, 8 beats at a time,for the entire halftime show. Read here if you’re interested http://www.quora.com/Marching-Bands/How-are-marching-band-routines-designed

      Reply
  4. Steven Krikava
    Steven Krikava says:
    April 16, 2013 at 11:14 pm

    Pardon me if I don’t jump on the bandwagon (pun intended) for the OSU marching band. Lame stumblebums compared to the University of Minnesota Marching Band during the years I was in it (1970-74).

    After two years in the ranks, I was pleased to be selected as a rank leader. The rank leaders received ‘charts’ for the shows we were going to perform at the next game. It was our job to transmit those instructions to the student musicians in our ranks. And as you describe, after a week or two of practice (depending on the football schedule) by the time we marched onto the field for halftime, we had an amazing show for the fans in the stands.

    I remember a particular incident during rehearsal early in the year. As we worked on the week’s routine, I lead my rank into position … a full 8 beats too early. The conductor stopped the band and pointed at me. “Krikava. What are you doing there? Someone said you were supposed to be good.”

    Here’s what that incident taught me:

    1. Someone had been paying attention to me during my first two years and thought I had potential. I’d let them down.

    2. My mistake resulted in the whole team (rank) being wrong – I’d let down my team.

    3. I needed to live up to the expectations of those who had confidence in my ability and those who I was selected to lead.

    I learned more about teamwork and leadership during my 4 years in the marching band than any other class or experience in college. I still think about it, and I still marvel at the inspirational ability of that band conductor who took me to task some 39 years ago.

    My season football tickets are with a couple of band mates (including one who was in my rank that fateful day). The Gopher football team isn’t always great entertainment. But the marching band wins every week.

    Reply
    • Jack Brown
      Jack Brown says:
      April 18, 2013 at 10:54 am

      “Lame stumblebums?” Did you even watch the video? It’s one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen on a football field. A comment like that, so uninformed and obviously rooted in something other than facts, threatens to undo your otherwise vary salient points.

      Reply
      • Mike Figliuolo
        Mike Figliuolo says:
        April 18, 2013 at 10:58 am

        I’m pretty sure Steven was partaking in witty banter and smack talk… Besides, anyone from the University of Minnesota has anything they say discounted by 86% here in the great state of Ohio… 😉

        Reply
  5. Tariq Mashhadi
    Tariq Mashhadi says:
    April 17, 2013 at 12:48 am

    Very good. No doubt team is important. A leader is LEADER because of team.

    Reply
  6. Denise Sloan
    Denise Sloan says:
    April 26, 2013 at 2:09 pm

    I’ll take exception to the Best Damn Band in the Land. Though OSU may have a better winning record than Michigan State University, The MSU Marching Band beats OSU’s hands down. I’ve watched them both for many years in East Lansing. MSU’s band rocks!

    That rivalry aside, I appreciated the leadership point you make. Well taken.

    Reply
  7. ShibumiMC
    ShibumiMC says:
    December 26, 2013 at 12:49 pm

    The “art of organizational relationships” is a book called Ping-fa, produced in pre-China 2300 years ago and known in the West as “Sun Tzu.” The book provides all the instruction needed for strategic planning and realizing your objectives – without conflict. Here’s my report on Ping-fa: http://tinyurl.com/auxtvdq

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Subscribe to the blog HERE!

Get free email updates NOW!
It’s the best 5 minutes a week you can spend on your development.

Enter your email address:

Get new posts FREE via RSS!
Follow thoughtLEADERS on LinkedInFollow thoughtLEADERS on twitter
This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Check Out Our Courses

Our courses teach immediately applicable skills that have real impact on your business. From leadership to strategy and negotiation to conflict resolution, we have a broad set of course offerings that will drive immediate performance improvements.
OUR COURSES

Our Courses

previous arrow
next arrow
Slider

eLearning Courses on TITAN

Puzzle Pieces
Structured Thought: Problem Solving

Clearly define a problem, scope all issues related to the problem, generate potential solutions, then analyze and select the best solution by using time-tested critical thinking methods and tools.

VIEW COURSE
Group of Business People Meeting
Structured Thought and Communication

Craft clear and compelling recommendations that resonate with stakeholders. Get your ideas approved by using a proven method for delivering executive-level communications.

VIEW COURSE
Different Types of Line and Bar Charts
Principles of Chart Design

Create well-designed presentation charts that get your message across quickly and clearly to drive your audience to action. From data charts to concept charts, these methods help make your point.

VIEW COURSE
Wagon Wheel
Engagement Management

Whether you’re an internal or external consultant or a project leader, learn proven methods, techniques, and processes to effectively lead consulting engagements that drive your client’s success.

VIEW COURSE
Cog Wheels
Strategic Business Planning

Use a straightforward and effective strategic planning process that shows how to craft a clear, compelling plan for your organization - not just one time, but on an ongoing basis year after year.

VIEW COURSE
Deliberate Decision Making
Deliberate Decision Making

Make better, faster, and more effective decisions. Apply simple yet powerful decision making tools to define decision authority, manage risk, increase accountability, and drive execution.

VIEW COURSE
Man reading stories from a book
Storytelling for Leaders

Create business stories that inspire people, build connections with your audience, and ultimately advance your organization's goals by using a repeatable, straightforward method.

VIEW COURSE
Storytelling for Salespeople
Storytelling for Salespeople

Create and deliver stories that will take your sales efforts to the next level. Connect with and convince buyers in all situations using memorable stories. These stronger relationships drive more sales.

VIEW COURSE
Leading through Change
Leading through Change

Lead your organization through the most challenging times using a proven change management process. Get people through the change and back to driving performance quickly and effectively.

VIEW COURSE
Mountain Climbing Expedition
Building Leadership Resilience

Prepare your body and brain to be ready for and recover from your biggest challenges. Build approaches for overcoming stress, managing reactions to difficult events, and leading more effectively.

VIEW COURSE
Compelling Executive Presence
Compelling Executive Presence

Build your ability to connect with your audience and convey your ideas in a clear and resonant way. Create meaningful connections between you and your audience to build buy-in.

VIEW COURSE
Plant Growing in a Hand
Coaching for Impact: Foundation Course

Coach employees for performance and development more effectively by helping them identify and pursue their own solutions. Create the right environment and conditions to help them grow.

VIEW COURSE
previous arrow
next arrow
Slider

Books You MUST Read

previous arrow
next arrow
Slider
  • The Elegant Pitch
  • Firestarters
  • Philanthropy Revolution

This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Categories

Our Course Offerings

Leadership Skills

Creating Your Leadership Maxims
Leading Inside the Box
Leading With Influence
Leading Through Change
Structured Problem Solving
Deliberate Decision Making
Strategic Business Planning
Simplified Strategic Planning
Coaching for Impact: Foundations
Coaching for Impact: Applications
Building Leadership Resilience
Engagement Management
Project Management Reality

Communication Skills

Communications: Foundations
Communications: Applications
Principles of Chart Design
Storytelling for Leaders
Storytelling for Salespeople
Compelling Executive Presence
Advanced Facilitation Skills

Individual Skills

Conflict Resolution
Everything is Negotiable
thoughtLEADERSHIP: Innovation
Building Personal Resilience
Time Management Mastery

Coaching & Consulting

©2021 thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Policy
How Letting Go Can Strengthen Your Leadership Perception Is Reality: 8 Steps for Changing How Others See You
Scroll to top