Are their eyes shining?

When you interact/engage with another person as a speaker, playmate, spouse, lover, parent, sibling, boss or co-worker do you leave them with "shining eyes"?

According to orchestra conductor Benjamin Zander, the ultimate test of a successful interaction is whether their eyes are alive in some new way. Not just a twinkle. But beaming.

It's all part of the process of perfecting our co-performance with others.

He demonstrates the progress of pianist from neophyte to expert. First we hear the stilted performance of a hypothetical seven year old who emphasizes every second note. Then the passable performance of an eight-year old who stresses every fourth note. Next the competent performance of a nine year old who gives weight to every eighth note. And finally the remarkable "one-buttock" performance of the same hypothetical player, now aged 11.

In the presence of a one "buttock player" we are transported from the first note to the last in one undivided stream of consciousness, enveloped in the richness of the journey. Like a bird soaring over fields on its' way to another world, so immersed in its' greater purpose, "it does not notice the fences" below.

As a conductor, Benjamin Zander says he makes no sounds at all. Instead, his job is to make the performers look good. To be powerful. But completely silent he is not. His body speaks volumes, a conversation, not with himself, but with the audience.

Perhaps he has an overdeveloped Broca's area, the part of the frontal lobes where speech and gesture orchestration lie side by side. Partners in performance. The empathy center of the brain where the same "mirror neurons" fire when we watch a performance and when we perform the actions ourselves. The part of the brain that helps us form an image of another person and what they might be thinking or feeling.



Benjamin Zander is a "gestural chatterbox". His whole body is constantly in motion. The raised buttock. The lift of an eyebrow. Waving arms and expressive hands emphasizing ideas. Physically "speaking" with the audience. Striding around the stage seemingly at random but with deliberate purpose to warmly "embrace" everyone with whom he comes in contact. Clapping the audience for their excellent co-performance. Connecting with people and the emotions they are expressing to help reveal the inner, blossoming you.

An orchestrator of music and the mind.

So here's a workshop to explore some of Benajamin Zander's ideas:

1. What's the difference between those who are "passionate" in your organization/family/team/community and those who have no interest whatsoever?
2. Explain how Benjamin Zander engages his audience passionately in the music. How did thinking about a departed loved one help reveal the beauty/wonder of the music?
3. What are the features of a "one-buttock" organization/family/team/community?
4. How would you go about creating a "one-buttock" organization/family/team/community?
5. What happens to people when you as their leader have a wonderful dream but "you are not sure whether they will be up to it"?
6. What are the essential elements of co-performance?
7. How does believing in what you do change your role as a leader?
8. What "notes" do you play in your world that make the previous "notes" sad, happy, amusing or surprising?
9. No one is tone deaf, otherwise we could not change the gears on our car or tell the difference between speakers' accents. How do you people deny their abilities so you don't participate more fully in your organiation/family/team/community?
10. Explain how you would walk/talk if everyone loved what you do? How would you perform differently?
11. If you could engage with people's passions (instead of trying to grow the market for your ideas from 4% to 5%) what would you need to do in your organization/family/team/community?
12. How could you "light up a village" with shining eyes? Describe something wonderful you could do....voice and gestures please.
13. In a world of co-performance what new names/labels do we need for "audience", "leader", "conductor", "speaker", "performer", etc.?