Kick those Non-Believers Out!

2005 was an ever changing year for me.

I got a date with a real hottie.
I performed for the first time on syndicated television.
I finally moved out of my dingy apartment.
And I joined a new band.

We’ll call the band “La Tortilla” which means “The Tortilla.” 🙂

The music itself was great it was a combination of Foo Fighters and Incubus meets Spanish rock. The members became really good friends of mine and as of today I still keep in contact with them.

But, in 2009 after years of gigging in the best venues in LA and an album with a growing numbers of fans I eventually-quit.

Why? One huge reason…

I didn’t Believe in the bands message and goals. My agenda was completely different from the groups. We gelled musical and personally, I just wasn’t into getting a record deal (which doesn’t really exist) and even if we did I’m sure the record label will find a way to screw us financially like most bands out there.

Kick those Non-Believers out!

If the beliefs and goals are not a priority than you probably fizzle out. Doesn’t matter whether you join a punk band, heavy metal band, reggae band or even a polka band, if you are not one with the beliefs and goals of your team you will eventually leave or you’ll get booted out.

As a leader you have to make conscious desicions…

whether your band mates are all on the same page on the same paragraph, same sentence and word. Don’t make the same mistakes I have done.

Your band is just like running a business but most bands obviously don’t like to think of it that way because music is art.

Boloney!

Being a leader means you have to audition and hire the musicians and even fire them for being incompetent. Does that remind you of your boss? It’s the same concept in any type of group, company, church, organization and band.

A quick tale…

I joined a Latin pop group in 2003 and we had a big showcase for Sony record executives in the hopes of landing a record deal. We needed a keyboardist and I hired my best friend Jonah.

We had one rehearsal before the showcase and we needed that keyboard sound. But, Jonah never showed up to rehearsal.

What the….$@/&!!

Turns out he drove to Arizona to hook up with some girl. The members of the group told me to fire him.

Are you kidding? Fire my best friend? I had no choice.

He understood and he’s still my best friend.

Nothing is more worse than being in an environment that you dislike and nothing is worse than being a leader with someone who doesn’t want to be there. That scenario will create a vast amount of tension.

Find the right musicians that believes in your message and goals and wants to be there.

Solution

There are four simple steps but hard to implement.

Address the issue ASAP. If you allow the issue to marinate it will harm others in your team.
Be Diplomatic. Try not to get into any shouting matches. Remember to use your smarts to address the situation.
Do your best to fix the problem. The non-believer is a human being also. (I hope)
Removethe problem. If all else fails you have to make heads roll! I kid, I kid! Diplomacy goes a long way most of the time.

I’ll leave you with this quote.

“The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat.”

— Napoleon Hill, author

Band mates with a weak desire to grow will stunt your team.

Got any non-believers?

Please feel free to share it with me in the comments section below. And be a pal and share this post with your favorite social media platform.