Why I Lead

People ask me from time to time if I look for talent. They
ask if I ever approach artists who I find interesting and ask to work with
them. They wonder if I make “back-end” deals with artists to make sure I get a
piece of the action once they get going.

Eric with Pedro Simoes

And to each of these I answer, absolutely not. They look at
me quizzically, wondering why in the wide world of sports would I ignore the
way it’s been done in the music business for the past century? It’s lunacy! Don’t
I know the way to make it big in music is to find a talent and ride it for all
it’s worth?

Well, I’m sorry. That just doesn't appeal to me.

And this is the part where most readers drop off…oh well, he’s
not going to help me get signed, make me a star, or become the next big thing.
On to the next Google search!

For me, it’s about leading music artists and songwriters. It’s
about helping them grow, walking through the development process together, and
watching them blossom for years and years.

“Leaders
are meant to help others become the people God created them to be. They are
called to discover the hidden, encourage the uncertain, develop the untrained,
and empower the powerless.” – John C. Maxwell

I have been and still am a songwriter (and sometimes artist).
I know what it’s like to hope, pray, and dream of finding people to work with
that will not just understand what I am trying to do, but happily assist me and
want to see me succeed. And not just for the money, but for the joy of working
towards quality.

The players, designers, and engineers I work with that have
been doing this for 20 or more years are not just fans of quality, it’s all
they know. And I LOVE being able to offer that to the people I lead. It’s one
thing to listen and consult, it’s another to offer the kind of quality that you
really can’t get anywhere else.

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an
environment where excellence is expected.” - Steve Jobs 

People want
quality. When they hear their song in their head it sounds like the radio, but
that’s not always what they get when they go down the street to dude’s house
with the cool setup in his basement. (And I know, I used to be dude in his
basement!)

Instead the
musicianship, creativity, and experience that the folks we have at our disposal
help in the very leading I want to do. And it is why I don’t have to only work
with the diamonds in the rough that just need a good demo and a hot 8x10 to get
noticed. Anyone who has a song to sing or write is worthy in my book to get the
absolute highest quality service and sound for their ministry.

“Good leadership consists of showing average people how to
do the work of superior people.” - John D. Rockefeller 

Friends, don’t
be afraid of your mediocrity, God isn’t. It’s a starting point. You don’t start
at the end result. You come with the talent you have, and grow it from there.
And everyone starts at the beginning!

So, I’m
kind of cool with my role. I feel like I have helped hundreds of artists start,
grow, and find their own version of success, and I have found mine too.

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more,
do more and become more, you are a leader.” - John Quincy Adams 

Have a great week!

EC

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Eric Copeland is
president of Creative Soul, a company that helps Christian artists develop and
follow their creative dream. For more info, check out http://www.CreativeSoulOnline.com.
For more on Eric Copeland, his music and mission, check out http://www.EricCopelandMusic.com