Both music and business demand improvisational skills and collective action

Even if executives solicit employee feedback, they don’t necessarily have the skills to enter into a dialogue about it. Being able to think on your feet is an important skill in a leader, and Prof. Saku Mantere says that music is one way to develop it. “Jazz teaches us communication in the moment,” says Mantere, who recently released his debut album, called Upon First Impression. “And the creativity is, to an extent, always collective because you’re creating on the spot between people.”

Speaking with Prof. Karl Moore, Mantere argues that this applicable in business because both musicians and professionals need to rely on each other, and rise to meet challenges together.