Jacob Collier explains that beautiful music relies on controlling dissonance (tension), not just playing pleasant notes (consonance). This applies to teams: leaning into creative tension and resolving it leads to a more meaningful outcome than avoiding disagreement altogether.
Related Insights
In writing 'The 99% Invisible City,' one author focused on including the best possible individual stories, while the co-author prioritized ensuring they fit into a cohesive book structure. This creative tension forced them to justify each inclusion and resulted in a stronger, more balanced final product.
Artist's CPO notes that while frameworks and processes can feel productive, the best product work is often messy and uncomfortable. It involves fighting with stakeholders and making bets on uncertain features rather than fixing known, smaller issues. This contrasts with the idealized view of smooth, process-driven development.
Conflict in friendships should be welcomed, not avoided. The psychotherapeutic concept of 'rupture and repair' — a breach in the relationship followed by its restoration — is proof of a strong connection. Actively working through conflict facilitates growth, respect, and a deeper bond.
Instead of shutting down disruptive individuals, musician Jacob Collier disarms them by 'radically incorporating' their outburst. By making the entire group repeat the heckler's idea, he validates them, dissolves their disruptive power, and brings them back into the collective.
In disagreements, the objective isn't to prove the other person wrong or "win" the argument. The true goal is to achieve mutual understanding. This fundamental shift in perspective transforms a confrontational dynamic into a collaborative one, making difficult conversations more productive.
Musician Jacob Collier evaluates groups on a 'supple vs. brittle' axis. Supple groups adapt to unexpected events, while brittle ones resist and snap under pressure. Leaders must create psychological safety that enables teams to embrace spontaneity rather than tightening up.
The common practice of hiring for "culture fit" creates homogenous teams that stifle creativity and produce the same results. To innovate, actively recruit people who challenge the status quo and think differently. A "culture mismatch" introduces the friction necessary for breakthrough ideas.
To encourage participation from everyone, leaders should focus on the 'why' behind an idea (intention) and ask curious questions rather than judging the final output. This levels the playing field by rewarding effort and thoughtfulness over innate talent, making it safe for people to share imperfect ideas.
Gaining genuine team alignment is more complex than getting a superficial agreement. It involves actively surfacing unspoken assumptions and hidden contexts to ensure that when the team agrees, they are all agreeing to the same, fully understood plan.
To prevent resentment in high-pressure teams, implement a scheduled forum for fearless feedback, like a "Sunday SmackDown." This creates a predictable, safe container for airing grievances—personal or professional. By separating critique from daily operations, it allows team members to be open and constructive without the awkwardness or fear of disrupting morale, thereby preventing small issues from escalating.
