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An Exclusive Dinner
On pages 282 to 285 in Warren Zanes’ book Deliver Me From Nowhere: The Making Of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska, Zanes tells the story of an exclusive dinner at Jimmy Iovine’s Beverly Hills home. As co-founder of Interscope Records, Iovine was able to attract a select group of individuals for this gathering including Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas and the gentleman running Paramount Studios at the time.
But the two most notable individuals in attendance were rock and roll legends Bruce Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt.
Iovine was going to host a private screening of Martin Scorsese’s new film on the Rolling Stones. The room became quiet as Springsteen and Van Zandt took center stage discussing the Rolling Stones and their impact on the music industry.
Zanes writes, “When it came to talking about the Rolling Stones, they were as much two young men in bands with strong opinions about rock and roll as they were rock and roll legends themselves. And those strong opinions were not about the greatness of the Rolling Stones – that was a given – but about what period, what record, what contributions mattered the most and why.”
Zane added, “This was a couple of biblical scholars who were also believers hashing it out. It wasn’t about converting anyone. For the most part, everyone else at the table just listened. It was probably the best show in town that night.”
I have had the privilege of being part of meetings, social events, and backstage conversations with public personalities and uber-successful individuals. It is a rare opportunity to learn what some of the greatest leaders talk about when they get together.
This is subject I have written about previously. For a deeper dive on this topic, click 38 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From Belichick & Saban: The Art Of Coaching and 5 Things Top Performers Talk Privately About.
4 Things The Most Successful Leaders Talk About When They Get Together
The following are four things great leaders talk about when they get together we learn from Bruce Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt’s dinner conversation:
The Most Successful Leaders Talk About The Big Picture
Leaders at the highest level do not get in the weeds. They are big picture thinkers.
Springsteen and Van Zandt were interested in “what period, what record, what contributions mattered the most and why.”
The Most Successful Leaders Talk About “Why Things Happen” Rather Than “What Happened”
Great leaders can evaluate reality. As Zanes pointed out, the greatness of the Stones was a given. What Springsteen and Van Zandt wanted to discuss was why the Stones were great.
Successful leaders rarely ask, “What happened?” Rather, their focus is on why something happened and how that will affect decision-making moving forward.
The Most Successful Leaders Talk About Lasting Impact
Springsteen and Van Zandt focused on the contributions of the Stones. They were not concerned about monthly sales or their current ranking on the Billboard chart. Springsteen and Van Zandt were interested in the legendary band’s lasting impact on the music business.
These type of leaders focus on sustainability, scalability, long-term impact, and legacy.
The Most Successful Leaders Talk About Continual Improvement
These two rock and roll legends were like “a couple of biblical scholars who were also believers hashing it out.”
There is not a better learning environment than when successful leaders get together. They probe, discover, test hypothesis, fill in gaps, and continually improve.
Conclusion
When uber-successful people like Springsteen and Van Zandt get together, their level of conversation is not reduced to a level of mediocrity. Day-to-day items are not on the agenda. Uber-successful people focus on the big picture, why things happen, their lasting impact, and continual improvement.
If you are ever in the company of someone leading or performing at the highest level, make sure that is where your focus is at as well.
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