The “Uninfluential” Genius

Ever hear of Joshua Bell? Joshua Bell is the world’s greatest violinist. He is also a heartthrob. He is tall, dark and handsome. Unlike many classical performers, Bell is also cool. He walks onto stage in black pants with a black untucked shirt. He is in excellent physical condition and it shows in the way he plays. His whole body is involved. He plays a 3.5 million dollar violin crafted in 1713 by Antonio Stradivari. People pay thousands to see Bell and his concerts are always sold out.

On January 12th, 2007, Joshua Bell and his 3.5 million dollar violin strolled into the metro station during the morning rush in D.C. Bell played a 43 minute, six piece classical concert while 1,000 morning commuters walked by. Guess what happened…

Take a look at this:

Did you see what happened?

Nothing. That’s right, the worlds best violinist playing a 3.5 million dollar violin received almost no response. The vast majority of the 1,000+ people who walked by said and did nothing. Most treated him like he was invisible.

How does THAT happen?

I think the answer is that the most talented people, be they musicians or leaders, need context for their talent to shine. Joshua Bell still needs a concert hall, other musicians, a conductor, and an audience that cares about music in order to really shine. In the subway he is just another musician playing on the street.

In organizations this is true as well. You can’t just be a talented motivator, excellent technician, outstanding communicator, etc. You need balance and other skills to compliment you in order to excel. Organizations that are dominated by a single brilliant leader don’t go anywhere. Jim Collins refers to this as the “genius with a thousand helpers”.

If that’s you or your organization then it is time to invest in your talent. Otherwise you are Joshua Bell in the metro. A genius, yes, but without impact.

Keep moving forward,

Greg