This week marks the 31st anniversary of the unspeakable tragedy when John Lennon was killed in New York City. John Lennon was an integral member of the popular musical group, The Beatles. How does this relate to MPA, you might ask? Regardless of one’s personal opinion of John Lennon, there is a lot we can learn from him and the Beatles.
1. Teamwork. Steve Jobs said this about the Beatles and teamwork: “My model for business is the Beatles. They were four guys who kept each others’ negative tendencies in check. They balanced each other and the total was greater than the sum of its parts. And that’s how I see business. Great things in business are never done by one person, they are done by a team of people.”
The most important idea to take from this is the notion that the total team is greater than the sum of the individual parts. In teams there will be a disparity of abilities. Because of this, it is crucial to hone in on each team member’s unique strength in order to maximize success of the team. Lennon said “A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.” Align your team’s goals so that each individual is working towards the team’s overall goal.
2. Don’t give up. Did you know that The Beatles failed their first audition (with a company called Decca records)? Imagine if they had just stopped there.
3. Love. John Lennon wrote the well-known song, “All You Need is Love.” One line in the song speaks to me as a student and I believe it to be relevant to all of us. The line reads, “There’s nowhere you can be that isn’t where you meant to be.” Tweak this a little bit and I believe it can be read to mean “do what you love.” My dad has always said, “If you love what you do, it isn’t work.” As you are all exploring internships/full time offers, it is important to consider factors such as money, location, etc. however if you do not love the work, choose a different direction.
4. “You are what you are.” Recruiting is only a month away and as you are recruiting, keep in mind the importance of being yourself. You must stay true to your beliefs and values.
I will end with my favorite of John Lennon’s quotes:
”When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them they didn’t understand life.” ― John Lennon
Happy holidays, everyone!