Rhythm Divine

An old B-school friend of mine that I reconnected with after 15 years is now a part time tennis coach besides dabbling in other unusual professions that one wouldn't expect. I accepted his invite to join for a round along with his tennis mates. They called him Master and it didn't take me long to figure where this came from. This had nothing do with superior skills, it had everything to do with his ability to understand the player's rhythm and then play along in that pace. For e.g. if he was up the net for a volley, instead of putting it away, he would place the ball back so that the opponent had another go at it. He would give the player every opportunity to express himself on the court and this made it a thoroughly enjoyable experience for all involved, even the players waiting their turn.

For the amateur golfers out there, how many times have you cringed when you have been tagged along with a low handicap golfer? However, if the low handicapper decides to take it easy and plays to your rhythm, you not only have an enjoyable round but also find that you have upped your own game.

So when my toddler pulled me into her little play kitchen and asked me to taste her food, instead of humoring her for a few minutes and running off, I decided to get down to her rhythm. The energy of our conversation changed, and I was lead to an imaginary world I had never experienced before. What a joyful soiree it was for the both of us!

I don't see why it should be any different then if you are a team leader. Rather than barking down instructions, find a way to understand the rhythm of your colleagues and you will see that the workplace will be a lot more fun and likely a lot more productive.

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