My Leonard Cohen Memory: A Motivational Individual

Had Leonard Cohen been a business or a corporation, he certainly would have shown many of today’s contenders how to do it. What showmanship, what quality, what teamwork and what innovation (or creativity in music / poetry).

A long time ago, in ’09, July time, I went to see his World Tour at the Mercedes-Benz World. The memory of that concert has stuck with me for nine years. There were several things wrong that night. The open concert was opened, as its name suggests, to the elements: winds and rain. I remember not being so in love with the parking arrangements and the fact that it took me 90 minutes to get out of the parking lot after the concert ended at 10.30pm, which means one was stuck in line until midnight. Also, even though it was recommended to us by the organizers, we got there early (snacks available and all that), getting there early was only good for the organizers – to box in the cars. In fact, hundreds had to wait at least an hour or more before they opened something resembling a snack.

But none of this tarnished what was an incredible evening. Nor did it seem to dampen the enthusiasm of the thousands, myself among them, who gathered to see it. You see, the first lesson that corporations may be able to learn is that not everything has to be perfect, as long as the main offering exceeds expectations.

Despite the initial problems, what happened when the concert opened was sensational. Suzanne Vega started with a powerful and confident and very good set. The musicianship was excellent, a tight band. After a break, Cohen walked in at 7:00 pm. Then the evening became extraordinary. I must say that I was never a huge fan of Cohen. I’m not entirely sure what prompted me to go see him that night. What I do know is that I’m a fan now. I was devastated to learn of his passing in 2016. There is a well-worn cliche politicians often use when someone of vague importance dies. They say: ‘a voice has fallen silent’. Cohen’s death was one of the few times that I felt it could be real, sincere and absolute, true and applicable.

What do I remember that was so good? First, there was his abundant humility and pleasure in being there: he projected a complete appreciation from his audience, thanking them, incorporating material about them into his song. His favorite word to address was Friend. As a Quaker, this strikes a chord with me now.

This thanks was extended to his band and, in the end, to everyone involved in the project, including the catering team. Generally, these compliments to everyone in the corporation are tedious and insincere. Not so with Cohen – he projected an astonishing amount of empathy.

In addition, the selection of his band was clearly inspired: the singers, the performers, they were all technically top-notch and, moreover, they all seemed to be inspired by the soul of the music. They were ‘in’ the music as they played it – while the performance or singing lasted they looked like angels. And the virtuosity seemed a delight to Cohen himself rather than a source of competitive envy when the spotlight turned to them.

Clearly, the time spent in rehearsals had produced something extraordinarily musical, precise, tight, and moving. His songs are probably the closest thing to poetry. You just have to listen to the lyrics to his song Nevermind, written in 2014 and used spectacularly for the opening credits of the second season of HBO’s True Detective, to see what I mean. Dylan is wonderful, but sometimes lazy and wordy; all of Cohen’s songs seem totally elaborate, as if nothing in excess, second-rate, passed through his filtering system. There were moments, sitting on the hard and uncomfortable seats, in the wind and the pouring rain, when one became completely unconscious: the music, the performance transported him to another place.

Perhaps for me, the defining moment was when he simply recited a poem, his own: If It Be Your Will, and then allowed the Webb sisters to sing it. The effect was fascinating: I felt like you could almost hear a pin drop in an audience of thousands.

So corporations, remember this: teamwork, personal qualities of humility and praise, innovation and quality performance, and expertise in the key competence area. When your clients experience that, they, like I did with Leonard, will have a life-changing experience working with you.

Thank you Leonard and your entire team.