This is how a collaborative person works: 29. passionately weave in the familiar and traditional

(This post draws heavily upon the experiences of Paul Macalindin as described in his book Upbeat, which chronicles his inspiring work with the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq. To read more posts in this series go to the March to August 2017 Blog Archive on your right.)


'In the middle of the orchestral programme, the two lovely sisters on violin and cello, Sabat and Sawen from Erbil, sang a Kurdish song, Waku Nay Kunkuna Jargm by Adnan Karim, accompanied by one of our pianists, Zardasht. As few in Iraq had experience of an orchestral programme, I reckoned a sung duo in the middle of the first half proved just as valid a musical experience as anything else we offered.'

From Upbeat: the Story of the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq by Paul Macalindin


The NYOI's Iraqi audience had little or no experience of listening to western classical music or attending concerts where such music was performed. It was important, therefore, for Paul to create a familiar cultural touchstone for his listeners within the orchestra's programme of otherwise western classical music. 

By giving his audience this oasis of familiar sounds sung by familiar people, Paul achieved at least two important things:

1. The song provided the reassurance and familiarity that encouraged his audience to feel at home within the context of a western classical music concert (a context that to those not familiar with it can easily feel somewhat formal and at times intimidating).
2. By placing traditional Iraqi music side-by-side with western classical music the point was clearly made that both traditions were equally valid and valuable and that they had the potential to complement rather than conflict with each other (a powerful message possessing wide social and cultural significance).

As well as creating this familiar point of contact for his audience and emphasising the worth of both types of music, Paul also used the traditional song to create an emotional bridge between the NYOI musicians and their audience: a bridge that enabled both groups to move towards each other and begin sharing their feelings and appreciating each other's perspectives. 

But to build this bridge effectively, it needed to be done with heart and a passionate willingness to reach out and share (and a welcoming openness to what was received in return):
   
'Both had wonderful voices but, like many, were too closed in their own worlds. In rehearsal, I'd encouraged both to sing through their eyes, and reach out to the public, so they could in turn reach back. As they poured their souls into the auditorium, the fundamental tones of sadness and loss darkened the hall. Listeners recognised their yearning and we, sitting in the orchestra, felt their epiphany.'

This passionate willingness to share and be open to what people give in return is how Paul and the NYOI avoided offensive tokenism that would have worked counter to the orchestra's aims and intentions by alienating rather than including the audience.

Sneaking in the authentic can be another credibility enhancing and support inducing way to weave in the familiar and traditional:

'We rounded off with Saween resplendent in Kurdish dress, singing a traditional song in her pure, non-vibrato voice, ornamenting with mesmerising glottal inflections, while Tuqa and Zana accompanied on cello and violin. This was the last thing the producers wanted for a morning magazine, but we were very chuffed to have sneaked in something authentic.' 

Publicly 'sneaking something authentic' into a situation where it is not especially welcome or expected can send a strong and positive message to existing supporters within specific populations and potential supporters within wider populations. It broadcasts your commitment to the needs and interests of those you are seeking to engage and work with and shows a determination to further the goals of your collaborative project (rather than chase the often spurious advantages gained by habitually putting others' goals first).

Lastly, do not allow your focus on the familiar and traditional to blind you to what is current and new within the societies and cultures with which you are working. (As well as including traditional Iraqi music in the NYOI's concert programmes, Paul made a point of including new works by Iraqi Arab and Kurd composers.) 

Sometimes, introducing new developments from within a society and culture can be surprising and educational for the people living in that society and culture. This aspect is dealt with here. 

So, do the following when seeking to collaborate with partners from different societies and cultures:

• Create oases of reassuring familiarity for your partners within otherwise unfamiliar and perhaps intimidating contexts.
• Where possible and appropriate, which will be in most cases, demonstrate that partners' traditions are as valid and valuable as your own and that each can complement the other.
• Use what is familiar and traditional to build a bridge upon which partners can move towards each other and begin sharing feelings and perspectives.
• Avoid tokenism when weaving in the familiar and traditional. Do this by demonstrating a heartfelt and passionate willingness to reach out and share (and do not forget to welcome what is received in return).
• Do not allow your focus on the familiar and traditional to blind you to new developments within a society and culture. 
• Remember that new developments within a society and culture are often surprising and educational to those living in that society and culture.      

This is how a collaborative person works: 28. ask, 'What could people take the wrong way?'

(This post draws heavily upon the experiences of Paul Macalindin as described in his book Upbeat, which chronicles his inspiring work with the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq. To read more posts in this series go to the March to August 2017 Blog Archive on your right.)


'I felt as if the future of the orchestra hung on every word. Even though it likely wouldn't, I might risk the orchestra if someone in the Middle East took our message the wrong way.'

From Upbeat: the Story of the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq by Paul Macalindin

Here, Paul is referring to a presentation he was preparing for a TEDx talk in Cologne, Germany. He was going to tell the story of the formation and development of the NYOI and outline the challenges it faced and how it had met them. He was also going to share the NYOI's vision and future aspirations.

Clearly, Paul needed to know who his potential audiences were and how best to speak to them: which language they would comprehend best and the types of examples they would appreciate. Given that Paul's audiences were segmented in terms of native language and country of origin (and within some countries by race and culture), this task was not easy.

Now, given the diversity of the audience and the different contexts in terms of time and place from within which audience members would be listening to his words, this task could seem at best daunting and at worst impossible. It would be all too easy to overcomplicate the analysis of the differing audiences and lose oneself within a tangled mess of competing demands and preferred words.

Faced with this challenge, Paul instinctively took a few steps back to look at the bigger picture. Having done this, he was able to identify one simple question that could guide the choosing and shaping of his language:

'What if someone from within my many different audiences took what I said and the way I said it in the wrong way?'

Keeping this question in mind as he prepared his presentation enhanced Paul's chances of speaking to his many audiences (and the supporters and potential supporters within them) not only clearly and concisely but also positively and persuasively.

The effectiveness of this question can be enhanced by applying it to the four key areas that must be considered when engaging with people and presenting ideas to them. Could anyone within a very diverse audience, listening from a different place at a different time, take any of the following 'in the wrong way'?

1. The language you are speaking in: how will people react to it? Will it be sufficiently comprehensible? Could it irritate or even offend some people?
2. The key message you need people to hear: how will people respond to it? Will some people find it difficult to accept?
3. The key words and phrases you are using: could any of these be misunderstood in unhelpful ways?
4. The examples you are using: could any of these prove too emotive to audience members, so obscuring the intended messages? Is there a danger that an example could become the focus of a discussion rather than being a tool for conveying a message?   

To be clear, applying the 'taking it the wrong way' question to the above areas is not about avoiding saying difficult things but saying everything (including difficult things) effectively. Once the question has been asked and possible misunderstandings and difficult areas identified, work can begin on shaping the language and finding the examples that will convey your messages and meanings in the most acceptable and least ambiguous ways to the maximum numbers of people (whoever they are, wherever they are and whenever they are listening).

Finally, as Paul's words emphasise, when asking the above question it is important to keep a healthy sense of perspective. Even though people could take some things you say the wrong way, the consequences will often be manageable and the position retrievable. But asking the question and addressing the issues raised by the answers you gain will significantly minimise the possibility of dramatic, project-ending turbulence.