Playing Off the Page: Education and Leadership in the 21st Century | Evan Mazunik | TEDxMSUDenver

Summary

The speaker shares a transformative experience in leadership and education through an unexpected moment of improvisation during a live performance. They emphasize embracing the unknown, fostering creativity, and the importance of soft skills like empathy and collaboration in the modern, rapidly changing era. The talk concludes with a group exercise to illustrate the power of collective creation and the joy of stepping into the unknown.

Takeaways

• 🎭 Embrace the Unknown: The speaker highlights the importance of stepping into the unknown and embracing surprises, as it can lead to unexpected and innovative outcomes.
• 🎵 Evolution of Leadership: The journey from a traditional music education background to embracing creativity and improvisation reflects the need for leaders in education to adapt and grow in the 21st century.
• 🚀 Adapting to Change: As society transitions into the conceptual era, the focus should shift from narrow specialization to soft skills like empathy, creativity, and collaboration for success in the rapidly changing environment.
• 🌟 Value of Mentorship: The speaker emphasizes the role of mentors and educators in nurturing risk-taking and creative choices, which are crucial for personal and professional growth.
• 🎼 Overcoming Fear: The personal story of running off stage in tears due to a mistake illustrates the need to move from a mindset of perfection to one that values innovation and resilience.
• 🔍 Rethinking Education Models: The script questions why traditional education models have not adapted to prioritize creativity and soft skills, which are essential for the future.
• 🌈 Encouraging Creativity: The call for educational leaders to create scenarios that are not pre-determined allows for the exploration of new ideas and the fostering of a liquid mindset among learners.
• 🎶 Group Exercise as Learning: The speaker proposes a group exercise to demonstrate the power of collective creativity and the joy of making music together, regardless of musical expertise.
• 🤝 Collaboration in Action: The exercise involves a structured yet open-ended approach to creating music, showcasing the effectiveness of collaboration and the beauty of synchronizing individual efforts.
• 💡 The Next Great Idea: By embracing risk and empowering creative choices, individuals and teams can uncover innovative solutions and ideas that may otherwise remain undiscovered.

Q & A

What significant change occurred for the speaker when they signed conducting gestures?

The significant change was that the speaker embraced the unknown and chose to step into the surprise, leading to a more haunting and wondrous sound than they could have composed.

How did the clarinet player's unexpected action during the performance affect the speaker?

The clarinet player's action of dismantling his instrument and playing without a mouthpiece presented the speaker with a choice to either stick to the planned performance or embrace the unexpected. The speaker chose the latter, which led to a unique and memorable musical experience.

What was the speaker's initial attitude towards mistakes in their early music education?

In the speaker's early music education, mistakes were not tolerated as the focus was on perfection.