Mick Fleetwood and John McVie should open an H.R. firm. Beyond their musical chops, this legendary rhythm section truly gets how to build a team.
Not that it’s been easy. To date, they’ve recruited 18 musicians on the way to becoming one of the world’s biggest bands. They scrapped the playbook, changed their sound from blues to rock to pop, and told 8 singers to go their own way. Sure, Mick and John hit a few potholes, made some bad hires, abused drugs and were wracked by scandals. But they never lost sight of what’s most important: chemistry.
Bands are like a marriage. Although Fleetwood Mac failed miserably at that.
After the disruption of the pandemic, team building will be tested, big time. With people working remotely and spread across the globe, nurturing a team chemistry will be tricky. So, I wonder how a notorious drummer and bassist would rally people around one common vision. To get everyone playing to the same beat.
Here’s my take. What do rock stars know about leading a company? Plenty, when you consider that touring artists are a big organization that employs dozens of people. The mere fact that Mick & John have kept their band on the rails for 50 years is astounding. They’ve been true to their mission – and built a legacy.
The bassist and drummer are the heartbeat of the band, both musically and spiritually. They’re the driving force that propels the group with a steady, dependable groove. Fleetwood and McVie wisely laid back and navigated the band’s winding path. Meanwhile, they provided a launching pad for their frontline stars to step into the spotlight – and soar.
Isn’t that the role of leaders?
