It’s no secret that I’m a huge music fan, and my playlist includes just about every type of music you can imagine. One of my favorite things to do with other music fans is get into heated debates about who the real talent is in a band. I’m a firm believer that some people are truly gifted… and others just got lucky being in the right place at the right time. I won’t name names, but I’m sure a few popular band members come to mind.
When it comes to duos, though, few spark as much controversy as Hall & Oates. No one can seem to agree on where the true talent lies. Is it Daryl Hall, the blond-haired, lead-singing guitarist? Or John Oates, the quiet, mustached bass and keyboard player with killer rhythm?
I’ve always been a Hall & Oates fan but had forgotten how many of their songs I really love. Even if you think you don’t know them, trust me—you do. You can probably sing along to more than a few of their hits.
On a long drive from my home in Ann Arbor to a client meeting in Chicago, a satellite radio channel happened to be doing a Hall & Oates tribute. During that four-hour drive, I was blown away by how many hit songs they had—and how I could sing along to almost every one.
Being the music aficionado am, I had to dig deeper once I got to the hotel. Over their five-decade career, Hall & Oates released 33 singles:
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29 made it into the Billboard Top 40 (an amazing feat for any artist)
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16 made it into the Top 10
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6 went all the way to #1
That’s an incredible run—and a big reason they’re in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
But being the true music geek that I am, I didn’t stop there. I looked up the songwriting credits for all 29 hits. Guess what? Every single one lists both Daryl Hall and John Oates. Sure, they collaborated with other writers—but both names appear on every hit single.
Then I got curious about their solo careers. Between them, they’ve each released multiple solo albums over the years. Want to guess how many Billboard Top 40 hits they’ve had combined as solo artists?
Zero. None.
So what does this have to do with leadership?
In my 25+ years of working with some truly amazing leaders, there’s one thing they all have in common: none of them did it alone. Every one of them had partners—people who made them better—and they were wise enough to recognize and value those relationships.
We all have someone who brings out the best in us. When we’re around them, they help us reach levels of success we could never achieve alone.
So here’s my challenge: think about who that person is for you. Are you investing enough time and energy in that relationship? Maybe it’s a colleague. Maybe it’s someone waiting for you at home. Whoever they are, make sure they know how important they are to your success.
And yes—there are also people who bring out the worst in us. Avoid them as best you can while you’re on your journey to reaching your highest potential.
Here’s one thing I know for sure:
Without each other, Daryl Hall and John Oates would probably be the greatest no-name club musicians you never heard of.
Cheers to you and your great partners
One Quarter Turn at a Time
Thoughts for the week:
Collaboration allows us to know more than we are capable of knowing by ourselves.
-Paul Solarz
A good relationship is when someone accepts your past, supports your present and encourages your future. -Unknown
A great marriage or partnership is one where each person secretly suspects they are getting a better deal.
–Unknown
If you want to have a good partner, be a good partner. -Unknown
Looking forward to our next connection
Coach Tim
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