Some basic keys to success in any of these issues listed in my above title are Humility, Clarity of Individual Gifts, Commitment to the cause/s and an overall sense of who you are and who/what you are not.
Simple, 'eh? Not. It all takes self-awareness which if willing and humble enough, over time one gains about oneself. Or not.
In REZ Band (which I and my wife fronted for some 28 years) it took time to realize who had what gifts. It of course took a temperament that allowed for risk, failure and success, not only nothing but "high-fives" and kudos from peers, etc..
We were able to do countless shows in countless places (some quite small and dingy, ha!), saw huge crowds in various spots world-wide, and ended up selling and still selling records over some 16 releases.
Plenty of all this meant discovery and respect for those with songwriting skills, song arranging skills, who was best in areas of business, booking, road management and so on. Of course who was best suited for guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, vocals happened.
Because we didn't have the money for the best producers we were self-produced and so production including studio engineering, producing and song selections per project were as the other things I've mentioned in this paragraph not only a matter of the immediate band but even non-musicians (as such) outside of REZ. So you see, collaboration and again, with humility and willingness to work though disagreements were all part of the plasma, the DNA that kept us working, growing, moving forward.
The fact we and our families needs were underwritten by our local church meant we could pursue our art and ministry with passion and far less worry than most fairly independent musicians. Due to that continuum we eventually moved beyond several record labels over our time to found our own, that being Grrr Records. The staff at Grrr and continuing support from JP Chicago make it possible for me to share art and mission for me to this very day. Collaboration!
If and only if people are willing to work out relationships, face the struggles, ups -and- downs of working together for the cause can any real measure of fruitful endeavor happen.
Constructive vs. destructive critique involving all the team is essential. I didn't say simple nor easy, but Essential!
I realized early-on I didn't have a gift of administration, nor road management, nor was I always best at arranging my own songs. There were a couple points in time I didn't think my own writing was strong enough for my tunes to make this or that record and believed then and now other writers in and outside the band were bringing better quality songs to a given effort.
My own involvement with the business deals was minimal for good reason but I consulted when I thought it important to chime in here and there.
Very early I thought I had more sense on how the many songs I had written needed to be played but soon after our first record or two recognized a lot of what I've already said above here and gave far more space for each band member to bring their own riffs and ideas into the songs.
All of this was greatly important in the band gelling and having the longevity we had.
Some of the elements are of course different in any given workplace but true professionals in business have the same overall issues to deal with and work through together or they as individuals and indeed the company won't last.
There is a sense of place - and giving one another space... balance needed. All of this takes time!
The time needed for a good, fluid and successful relationship screams for another virtue: Patience!
These are things worth considering for what can be a roller-coaster ride in any work that includes more than one person.
As always, thanks for stopping by! -Glenn
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