🥁 The OffBeat #90: Lead Sheet | Leadership Digest
Something to read, something to think about, something else
This is The OffBeat, where music meets leadership. I’m Allison Stadd—jazz drummer, marketing leader, and very tired/highly caffeinated mom of two—and each week I deliver a fresh take on work, creativity, and connection, like how to hire like Duke Ellington. It’s like HBR, but with better taste in music.
Lead Sheet is The OffBeat’s every-other-week roundup of links, recs, and quotes. Like a lead sheet in music (just the essentials: melody, harmony, lyrics), it always has something to read, something to think about, and something else—all within the themes of leadership cues from music, cultural curiosity, and personal/professional balance.
Opening Note | A track that captures the vibe of this edition of The OffBeat:
Modern, moody, with a pulse you can feel in your chest. It’s like standing in a sunbeam, holding your third cup of coffee, trying to remember what day it is (but in a good way).
Room & Board is a rare company; it doesn’t have to be (Bloomberg)
How to get good at strategy ()
Report finds glaring difference in feedback job interviewers give about men vs. women (Huffington Post)
The AI tools helping people pivot careers (WSJ)
Why you’re working nonstop yet feeling stagnant—and how to fix it (Forbes)
Everyone I know is worried about work ()
Meet the woman who lives without money: “I feel more secure than when I was earning” (The Guardian)
“A good conscience is a continual Christmas.” — Benjamin Franklin
If you want fresh life wisdom, ask your hairstylist.
Mine, Jamie, usually spends the first half of my haircut sharing the latest knowledge her therapist Alfredo dropped, then we spend the second half deep-diving into how it applies both in her world and mine.
Here’s what she shared at my last visit. It’s genius.
First she asked me if I drink coffee (LOL, I have two little kids; I basically bleed cold brew).
Then she asked me this: what would it take to make tomorrow morning’s cup of coffee the best goddamn cup of coffee you’ve ever had?
We’re talking high-quality beans, your favorite mug, frothed milk, the works.
Which got me thinking, this is a really useful stance for showing up with purpose and intent even when all the things are hurricaning around you.
Pursue, let’s call it, tiny acts of intention. When all else fails, make ONE note count every day. One good note can carry the rhythm of your whole day.
Coffee might be your note. Or maybe it’s one of these:
Use the fancy pen. Especially on something mundane, like a grocery list or a permission slip.
Plate your work lunch. You might be eating your kid’s breakfast leftovers, but it’s going to look good, goddamnit.
Answer “How are you?” with one notch more honesty. “I’m okay but tired.” “Hanging in.” “Not sure yet.”
Step outside for 90 seconds. Just… stand in the light. Let it hit your face. No agenda.
In music, one note can set the entire mood of a piece. In life, one intentional moment can shift how you move through your day.
So don’t wait for everything to change. Listen to Jamie. Just make one note count.
For double the reading recommendations, including how to use AI to articulate your taste and the dark side of empathy, plus 5 fascinating things to listen to / watch, keep reading.