TODN Change SIG Presents...
No Mistakes:
Using Jazz as a Metaphor to Fuel Teamwork and Adaptability
with
Michael Franken
February 28, 2025
8:30 - 10:00 am
(Please, note new time frame!)
(This is an online Zoom meeting. Bring your coffee and snacks.)
On Zoom
Really? OD and Jazz? What's the Connection?
Why Jazz?
Jazz ideas and practices are especially relevant for teams striving to perform at exceptionally high levels and amid uncertainty. Emphasis falls on creativity, collaboration and adapting/responding to change — three areas that leaders often name as high priorities for improvement.
While current and future economies offer new opportunities for growth and customer value, companies also face more uncertainty and a faster pace of change. Leaders expect their chosen business model to unleash the full value of an organization’s assets, capabilities and personnel.
In response, firms could embrace innovative frameworks like ‘the mindset and practices from jazz’. With ‘no mistakes’ at the core, jazz inspires musicians to the highest levels of performance. The jazz approach can also guide and motivate business workers to thrive.
This SIG session presents the jazz metaphor as a blueprint for harnessing teamwork, creativity and the ability to change. We’ll also identify how SIG members can use jazz examples in practice.
What You Will Experience
Attendees will explore a subset of jazz elements across mindset, practices and attitudes:
• minimal structure/maximum authority and freedom,
• leadership happens out front and through support,
• experiment to learn — no mistakes,
• collaborate with authentic trust and
• make others better.
The ‘jazz metaphor’ can be used as a catalyst to improve individual and group results Jazz ideas for business touch on areas where transitions must typically occur if change is to stick: mind (thinking), process/practice (action) and attitude (emotion, feeling).
Your participation in this presentation will result in being able to answer these questions:
1. Why are teamwork, creativity and change crucial for organizations to excel - especially amid uncertainty and fast changing environments?
2. What is the ‘jazz metaphor’ and some of its elements (mindset, practices and attitudes)?
3. What kinds of information, examples or aid might help SIG members in trying out the ‘jazz metaphor’ during change/org development work (consulting, coaching or other)?
Michael Franken
Michael Franken advocates using jazz as a metaphor to fuel individual and team-based results, especially amid uncertainty and change. He provides unique perspectives, as a musician with deep experience creating effective business models, leading high-impact teams and helping workers adapt to evolving market needs.
In 2025, he will conduct research and author content for an upcoming book: "No Mistakes in Jazz: A Blueprint for Exploiting Teamwork, Creativity and Change in the Workplace." Along with book writing efforts, Michael plans to make insights public through LinkedIn posts, articles, videos and focused presentations.
Michael blends jazz piano skills with business experience spanning over 25 years' work across strategy, marketing, organization change and training areas. In careers at IBM and Cisco, he led dozens of teams to expand revenue streams, transform customer-focused roles and build skills to fit new opportunities.
Michael holds degrees from The University of Notre Dame and The University of Michigan (MBA)
We look forward to seeing you at this intriguing Change SIG event. If you have any questions, please contact Susan Westbrook.
Best regards,
Your TODN Programs Team
Please note: Change SIG is a program within the Triangle Organization Development Network. For a schedule of TODN programs, you can check out the TODN calendar. For more information about becoming a member of TODN, contact Susan Westbrook or any TODN Board member.
