A mentor recently told me that a person running an organization has so many battles, so many voices, so many problems, so many issues, so many priorities, and so many emergencies that there is simply too much noise. Top leaders are inundated with noise, noise, noise. The call of a CEO is to ignore the noise, identify the melody (one or two priorities), and zero in on them.
I grew up playing classical piano. When you play the piano, you have 10 fingers to use, so depending on the piece, there is so much sound. I remember when I would play a big piece, proud of myself that I hit all the notes, technically stretching and jumping my fingers to hit what Beethoven or Lizt had written, and my piano professor, Dr. Jerry Alan Bush, would stop me and say, “Walid, I want to hear the melody.”
Sometimes the melody is hidden in a left hand sequence of notes. Sometimes it is a soft series of notes struck by your smallest, fifth digit. Sometimes the melody is sounded by a note not played in sequence. It takes a fine musician to sense where the accent should be placed. A fine pianist not only knows which key a tone should come from, but also has enough control in their fingers to avoid playing all the notes with equal strength.
How does a pianist accomplish this? Study and lots of practice, alongside constant feedback from experienced teachers and pianists. I would try to play the melody, and Dr. Bush would listen for a while then say, “More, give me more of the melody.” To a novice, or someone who doesn’t know the piece, the music may sound just as impressive, but when the right balance is accomplished, beauty rises, and everyone feels it and knows it.
What are the melody and key notes for you as a CEO?
In the world of a CEO (or a top leader), there are so many moving parts, and moving all of them looks impressive. It may even look synchronized from the outside. But the CEO’s main job is to constantly ask, “Which notes of our leadership require more gusto, and which are asking for more subtlety?”
If this resonates with you, but you don’t know where to start, I invite you to periods of silence and reflection. Quiet produces clarity. To make your way out of the noise, stop the rushing for a moment. It is where you must start.
Even though he was not a singer, Dr. Bush would burst out singing the main melody that he wanted me to hear as I played the piano piece. I get goosebumps just remembering those moments. He would close his eyes, and like a whirlwind, he would descend and ascend with the melody and sweep my imagination into a point of clarity—then I, too, would hear it. I would think, “Wow. How could I have missed what should have been the focus in this part of the music?” I would get it, then I would play it.
I was quite an accomplished pianist, playing with symphonies and winning major competitions. Still my piano professor brought me to a higher level by guiding me to hear the melody above all the other sounds. Dear leader, find the melody. Look to people you respect to help you hear the music above the noise. Fine tune your focus. Play your masterpiece.
How can I support you more as a Christian leader and entrepreneur?
