Five Things You Could Learn From Bob LeDrew

June 22, 2008 · Comments

Bob LeDrewBob LeDrew sang tonight on a boat ride that was part of the festivities here at Podcasters Across Borders 2008. There was an open mic with quite a mix of amateur and not-so-amateur performers. I wanted to go up, and was looking for my chance, when Jay Moonah got up and did his bit (musician amongst musicians), and that kind of made me feel a lot less capable, so I didn’t go up. But Bob LeDrew did. I learned a lot from Bob, and got my courage up to go up and sing a song (with Jay playing guitar) after Bob did a small set. Here’s what Bob taught me:

Get Up and Take Your Turn

Bob and his wife play music at house parties (I forget what they called them, but the name would make more sense than “house party”), and he had quite a repertoire to choose from. Having had lots of shots at the microphone over the last several months, Bob felt confident to get up and do his thing.

As a media maker, getting up and taking your turn (to blog, podcast, etc) is easier if you find lots of opportunities to try yourself out along the way to the main gig.

Complete the Motion

At a few points, Bob didn’t remember the words to certain songs. We were an encouraging audience, and what got me was that Bob didn’t blush and crumble under the pressure. He paused, said a few words, and then went on to the next song.

As bloggers, if you mess up or forget something, just keep going. There’s always another post and another chance to do a decent job.

Be Charming, Not Depressing

When Bob had his forgetful moments, he didn’t collapse in upon himself. He knew that he could just move on to the next bit. This doesn’t come easy to everyone. Lots of people get hung up on self-analysis and can’t quite make the next move because they’re stuck analyzing where things crumbled.

Make your mistakes, accept them, and be outwardly charming about matters while you pick up the pieces.

A Friendly Audience Helps

Bob played for us on a boat of peers and friends. We were out on the water, having food and beers, and the mood was very light and cordial. When he forgot a line, it didn’t matter to us, because everything he’d done until that point was great, and after the first time he missed a line, we were on board with laughter and applause and encouragement. He knew we were his friends and wouldn’t laugh AT him.

Build a community that cares about you, and you can experiment and try new things without fear of ridicule.

Finish Strong

Despite a few forgotten lines, Bob finished with a really great song about a motorboat, that was funny, engaging, and had lots of clever use of words. The music that accompanied it was great, too, and we all got into the song quickly and deeply. Bob had us right where he wanted us by the end of his very small set of songs, and he made an impression on me and lots of others on the boat.

When you’ve taken your shot, make sure you finish strong in your work.

Lessons Learned

At the end of it all, Bob’s performance was a great metaphor for how we all struggle with understanding social media tools, business communication, collaboration, marketing, and all the other things we’re facing in our day. I learned from Bob’s charm, poise, and commitment, as well as his ability to stay confident and positive throughout the experience.

Do you follow Bob’s advice, such as I’ve written it out here? Would you be just as confident and charming as Bob in those situations? How do you conduct yourself in moments where you’re trying a few things out, and everything might not be 100% perfect?

And by the way, Bob writes an interesting blog about the world of Canadian PR that’s worth checking out, as well.

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  • Great post and it came at a most opportune time. I've been doing a lot of introspection over an upcoming radio show I am hosting and your post put it all in proper perspective. It is so easy to cling on to those self imperfections but what good is that but to feed your ego. I gotta get over it a just move on. Thanks!
  • Hey Chris - sounds like you're talking about House Concerts, rather than house parties. A friend of mine, Fran Snyder, runs a site called Concerts in Your Home (http://concertsinyourhome.com), where he connects musicians like Bob with people willing to host a gig for their friends at their house.

    It's a really good arrangement - great for the musician, and as you'd imagine, really rewarding for the hosts and their guests.
  • Bobcat House Concerts and everyone should go. :-)
    http://bobcathouseconcerts.com/
  • I think what you are addressing here is how people get outside their comfort zone. I'm an inherently shy person (really, I am!) and when I was younger (ok, let's say "less experienced") and I was faced with doing something where my first reaction was to run away and hide in the corner, I would just say to myself "suck it up and get over yourself" and just do it. The experience was never as bad as what I made up in my head.

    Ironically, teaching, giving presentations, speaking in front of large groups, and even singing on stage - are all things I used to dread but love doing now. Even though that shy little girl inside would have never dreamed of it.

    I have found that humour is definitely the best policy when dealing with inevitable goof ups. Make the crowd laugh and they'll soon forget you screwed anything up at all. Make them think it's part of your "schtick".

    Great post! I will definitely be requesting a song from Bob next time I see him!
  • Nice post, and just as true in life as in social media, n'est pas?

    Forget making anyone 'think' a thing. Just be real and at ease with yourself and the ups and downs of the process: real seems to do the job just fine...

    Learning with and from each other through experimentation and collaboration - and serving as each other's (hopefully friendly) audience? How to listen and not just talk (great earlier post, Chris). How to view, seek and appreciate feedback. How to sift through 'the noise' for what's useful (and what's not). How to talk with and not talk at. How to develop and use new technology (and creative collaborative process) without using each other. How to cheer for without feeling less than? How to get what win/win really is.

    How to loosen up and let it ride long enough to enjoy the ride (rather than lock up for fear of being taken for one)!

    'We're just travellin' along, singin' a song - side by side...'
  • Great post Chris.

    It is posts such as these that can shake out the cobwebs, and that is always a good thing. At one point or another, we all get caught in the trap of over thinking, stagnation, and self doubt. This type of reminder brings perspective back to the forefront.

    I was once reading an article, and I wish I could remember where and by what author, that stuck with me. The main theme is somewhat similar, though not exactly, what you seem to be getting at here. In that article, the author talked about the "coolest" person he knows. He says the guy wears what he wants, not what fashion dictates is cool. He listens to music not considered cool. He watches no TV and is horribly out of touch with pop culture. He also never seemed to ever let an opportunity to start a new adventure, whether recreational or professional, pass him by.

    At the end of the article, the author reveals that this guy has tons of friends, is reliable, healthy, and always has a sincere smile on his face. He is also very successful.

    Sounds like Mr. LeDrew is cut from the same cloth, and maybe we should all strive to be a bit more like that as well.

    The good thing is that living is in the journey as much as the destination, and we can all choose to alter the journey when needed.
  • Bob did a great job befriending the crowd, but I wonder if he's ever had a heckler (Hi Bob - have you?). Those of us publishing content on the web know the heckler all too well :)

    Chris makes the excellent point that you should surround yourself with a friendly audience. The only thing I'd add is that you should squash the little voice in your head that ignores the praise and focuses on the trolls. It's your natural inclination, and you should just push past it. It helps to have a thick skin (though things will get through anyway).
  • Lee
    Chris,
    Great post and very applicable to my work as an administrator in education. I tend to over analyze my "performance" when in a meeting or presenting, or even in conversations and this is something I am really working on.

    You've inspired me to write a post on my blog about this as well. I'll get right on it after I'm done obsessing about how it will turn out. :)

    Thanks for such a thought provoking post.

    Lee (aka @Teachakidd)
  • Chris, this is helpful, straightforward and simple advice, and so much richer than "just pick yourself up and dust yourself off."

    I kept coming back to your "complete the motion" section and finally figured out why: It's about follow-through, in the most fluid sense, on commitment. Thank you for the precious reminder.
  • Great post Chris, and great to see both you and Bob this weekend... although I was disappointed not to hear you reprise your take on Enter Sandman!
  • I have not had a heckler. Other than the one inside my head that won't shut up! ;-)

    And I heartily endorse Sue's advice -- either for our shows or for others.

    House concerts are PURE music. Most presenters (like us) give ALL proceeds to the performer. House concerts give audiences the most intimate musical experience of their lives, and give performers attentive and appreciative audiences. Whereever you are, there are likely house concerts going on. Check out sites like www.concertsinyourhome, www.houseconcerts.us, www.acousticroof.ca, or homeroutes.ca for information and listings.

    Thanks, Chris.
  • "Finish Strong" is perhaps the most important point. Besides journalism, I also studied theater in college, and one of our professors/directors took extra time arranging the curtain call for that very reason.

    If you can feel something might not be up to par while you're in the middle of it, take a breath, say to yourself "I can finish strong," and do it. You'll be surprised with how many compliments you get when you're expecting less than that.
  • Great Post. While reading your post i realize alot of things. Like how important to be sorounded with a great people.(family, relatives, friends). I realized how blessed iam for having such a wonderful family and friends.

    Having the best support group is like facing life without fears. And the best part of falling is we learn how to stand up and be strong.
  • Nicely said, Chris. Wish I'd been at PAB to see you AND Bob again.
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