“The entire idea of individual performance measurement and incentive at any level in any organization, as I am being measured by you, according to a standard you set for me, that should be abolished, completely abolished in any type of organization.” – Rijon Erickson
In this episode of the Creative Tension, host Mark Jørgensen Chaudhry dives into the concept of “Organizational Musicianship” with guest Rijon Erickson, an experienced practitioner in human-centered work dynamics and author of the upcoming book titled “The Music of Work”. Rijon shares insights on how the principles of music, particularly jazz, can transform organizational culture, emphasizing collaboration over competition, the power of improvisation, and the abolition of individual performance measurement.
Key Topics and Tensions Discussed
1. Abolishing Individual Performance Measurement (00:00:00)
Rijon advocates for the complete removal of individual performance assessments and individual rewards within organizations, arguing that these practices lead to suboptimization and harm. Instead, he champions team-based measures of success and collaborative growth.
2. What is Organizational Musicianship? (00:01:28)
Rijon introduces the concept of “Organizational Musicianship,” which emerged from his background in jazz and music education. He explains how his experiences as a musician shaped his approach to work, promoting that organizations adopt a musical perspective characterized by deep listening, fluid roles, and mutual respect.
He contrasts the joy and flow found in making music with the rigid, hierarchical structures of traditional workplaces, suggesting that work could be reimagined as an art form which can then build on inherent intrinsic motivation for achieving desirable organizational outcomes in collaboration.
3. High-Performing Teams and Flow (00:09:56)
The conversation explores the idea of “flow” in the workplace, as researched and defined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi et. al., where individuals experience a state of deep focus and engagement. Rijon connects this to his musical background, describing the parallels between achieving flow in music and flow in high-performing teams in the place of work.
4. Scrum and Frameworks in Knowledge Work (00:13:18)
Mark and Rijon discuss frameworks like Scrum, which has become increasingly popular, examining how they can be fit a more musical approach to teamwork. Rijon emphasizes the need for flexible roles and interdisciplinary collaboration, similar to how musicians with different instruments contribute to a cohesive performance as part of a band.
6. The Purple Squirrel Story (00:38:16)
Rijon shares the origin of his nickname, “Purple Squirrel,” a term used in recruiting to describe a rare individual with a unique set of skills. He reflects on how his diverse background in music and technology shaped his unconventional career path, leading him to embrace his distinctiveness rather than conform to traditional job titles.
7. Useful Practice?: Make Your Meetings RARE – Roles, Artifacts, Rules, Events (00:34:18)
Rijon introduces a practice for making meetings engaging and effective: the RARE four-part game structure (have a clear purpose, roles, artifacts, rules and events). He encourages teams to adopt a game-like approach to work, fostering choice and accountability.
Resources Mentioned
- “The Music of Work” – an upcoming book by Rijon Erickson
- “Punished by Rewards” – book by Alfie Kohn
- “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” – book by Daniel Pink
- Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s work on Flow – as an example the book titled “Flow: The Psychology of Happiness”
