Episode 711 - Sit with the Band

In this week's episode, Phil shares a summer experience with elite musicians who demonstrated humility and mentorship. A standout moment featured a seasoned jazz guitarist encouraging a junior musician to perform with top players, boosting his confidence. Phil emphasizes that true leadership involves developing others, not just through coaching, but by giving them real opportunities to grow. As 2025 nears its final third, he challenges listeners to identify and uplift those ready to “sit in with the band.”

Resources:

Please send Comments, Questions, and Feedback to: mojo@cannonfinancial.com

Please send First Friday Feedback submissions to: mojo@cannonfinancial.com

Transcript

Top performers in every field surround themselves with those who inspire them, who seek to build them up, and who push them to reach beyond their current limits. I am Phil Buchanan, executive chairman of Cannon Financial Institute. I designed Monday Morning Mojo to provide you with a weekly spark, a push and motivational insight to live your best life. Thanks for joining.

Good Monday morning. It is Phil here with episode 711 of Monday Morning Mojo. This summer, I had a very unique opportunity to spend some time around some very accomplished musicians. Now these are folks at the very top of their game. While watching them do their individual sets was fantastic, it was great. What made the experience so memorable was the opportunity of watching them play with other top performers, not in a lead role, but actually in a backup role by playing guitar, the keyboard, or singing melodies. I want you to just imagine that the Rolling Stones would play backup for The Beatles.

I mean, how cool would that have been to see? Yet, true professionals in every arena do this all the time. It requires a combination of humility, coaching, and paying it forward. One of my favorite memories of seeing these individuals this summer was watching a very accomplished jazz guitarist playing backup for an emerging jazz guitarist.

A bit later in the evening, some other very heavy hitters in jazz music came in to play, and they needed a guitarist to join them. Now, based on skills and experience, I expected the more experienced and top guitarist to be the one to play with the group. Instead, that individual told the more junior individual to sit in with the group and play while the more experienced individual actually went into the audience and watched.

I kept a close eye on the less experienced guitarist, as he had a mix of both awe and panic on his face, and that facial expression remained until the music started. But then a magical thing occurred. He was game on and did an incredible job. After several scores were played, the junior guy was ecstatic.

You could see the confidence just oozing from him, and that was confidence that he gained both from the trust of his mentor, but also from having played with these other top musicians. It was, it was literally palpable. It was actually pretty emotional. You know, all of us need help in growing our skills and abilities.

We need the opportunities, yes, but just as important, we need to know that others believe in us. The real testament to any leader's success isn't just in what they personally accomplish, but it's also found in those that they develop, that they guide, that they mentor.

Developing others requires teaching, it requires coaching, and it requires allowing them to participate even when you as the leader may be the more quote, unquote skilled performer for the task at hand.

Now, obviously, you don't put somebody in a position if they aren't capable, but you also don't wait until they are perfect either. As we head towards the last one third of 2025, I want you to consider who on your team needs to quote unquote, sit in with the band and gain experience, gain that confidence.

I challenge all of us to be the catalyst that inspires the next generation.

Monday Morning Mojo is a production of Cannon Financial Institute, executive Producer of Monday Morning. Mojo is Sarah Jones. Editing and mixing is done by Danny Brewer. Until next time, I'm Phil Buchanan reminding you to be a force for good.

Have a great weekend. Thanks for being part of the Mojo community.