As I write this column, I am less than three weeks into my term
as your president. Yet your officers, section councils and others
have hit the ground running with membership initiatives,
educational offerings and other efforts commencing in full
force.
Those who attended the MBA President's Reception at the
Regattabar on Sept. 13 were beneficiaries of a good time with good
music. My friend, the superb pianist and keyboard player, Bruce
Bears, assembled an all-star line-up that included Chris Rivelli on
drums, Brad Hallen on bass, Scott Aruda on trumpet, Mark Early on
saxophone, and Boston's queen and king of the blues, Toni Lynn
Washington and Duke Robillard. Although some of these musicians
have worked with each other from time to time, the band, as
assembled, never had played together before. Aside from needing
considerable musical chops to play under those circumstances, the
principal skills needed are the ability to listen and to play in a
complementary fashion.
The musicianship on display on Sept. 13 was quintessential
ensemble playing. In short, it was musical teamwork of the highest
order. I hope those present appreciated the talent and teamwork
required to do what was on display at the Regattabar. Soloing by
the musicians was subservient to the group. The musicians listened
to and played off one another. The whole, I suggest, was greater
than the sum of the parts.
We, as lawyers and as an association, can learn from the example
set forth by those musicians. Working together toward common goals
and objectives requires careful communication and keen listening
skills. Many of us tend to listen more in terms of our own
positions than in truly hearing the positions of others. Like a
band with players who do not listen to each other and ultimately do
not play well together, a group of lawyers who do not listen to
each other will not work well together. In those circumstances the
whole, indeed, will be less than the sum of the parts.
There are many musicians with terrific skills who play poorly in
a group setting primarily because they do not listen and are
focused too much on their own performance. The same problem can
stifle an association like the MBA. We have many talented lawyers
volunteering their valuable time for the good of the group. We need
to make sure we all listen to and hear each other to maximize the
substantial value of this wealth of altruism.
I therefore urge all of us to adopt a chorus from the music book
of the band from Sept. 13: let's listen carefully to each other,
hear what each of us has to say and only then, respond accordingly.
By doing that, as a team, we will address effectively the common
challenges of our profession like the superb musical ensemble that
performed on Sept. 13.