John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison. These are the four men who make up what is arguably the greatest band of all time, The Beatles. But behind our impressions of their fame and excellence lies a harsh truth; between them they were arrested nine times, many of them struggled with addiction and infidelity. They were hotheads and they were impulsive. So how on earth did four men riddled with imperfections and flaws unite to become the most iconic instance of musical co-operation ever seen? The answer lies in our theme for this week – collaboration – about which The Beatles teach us three key lessons.
One. Collaboration is a skill, not a default setting. As humans we are not innately wired to share, to work together or to synchronise our efforts towards a common goal. Teamwork isn’t natural; it takes patience and time. The Beatles regularly fought amongst themselves, almost famously so. But, they were bound by something far stronger than the force of their disputes. An understanding that they weren’t perfect collaborators, that it was something they persistently worked on, and a love for each other which transcended their arguments and turned conflict into a force for innovation.
Two. The value of individuality within collaboration. We have all heard it said that ‘there is no ‘I’ in team’, and to some extent that is true. In a properly functioning team, there is no place for arrogance or selfishness. But there is still an I. Collaboration is not about blending into a collective, diluting your ideas down and mindlessly conforming to the norm. It is about bring your best and most unique self to the table. In the case of The Beatles they all brought something special. Lennon is credited with writing most of the band’s lyrics, Harrison was their lead guitarist, Ringo Starr a drummer, and McCartney composed melodies and played a number of instruments. My point being that collaboration is often misunderstood as a melting pot where many members merge into one. In reality, it is more like a mosaic where the beauty of each piece, when properly assembled, adds to the brilliance of the overall pattern.
And three. The best collaborators support one another when times get tough. Lennon and McCartney both lost their mothers in the early 1960s, which brought with it a hard time for themselves and for the band. But they found solace in their mutual grief and offered support and empathy, sharing the burden between them. They would go on to release the songs Let it be and Julia commemorating their respective losses and turning hardship into an opportunity for growth. It goes to show that tough times don’t last. But tough teams do.
Ultimately, The Beatles serve as an exemplar that teamwork amplifies our strengths, and eliminates our weaknesses. So it would seem that John Lennon was right when he said, “A dream dreamed alone will remain a dream. But a dream dreamed together becomes reality.”
Charlie Everitt