The Clive Davis Approach

American record producer and music industry mogul Clive Davis never wanted to be a hitmaker. He never set his career path towards music nor considered he even had an ear for it. But somehow and someway, Clive Davis became the star-maker machine. He was one person in the industry who understood how to find talent, develop talent, and, most of all, allow talent to reach their optimal level of excellence. When Davis attached himself to an artist, stardom soon followed.

How could an individual who was pursuing a profession in law with no musical background, become such a power broker, visionary, and disruptor throughout an entire industry?

Simple, Clive Davis understands how design and production work hand in hand. But most of all, he is mindful when the problem might be fit, not design or production. Most of us never think the problem is with our design. We are quick to assume that the fault lies with the actual production while overlooking the best fit.

As leaders, we detail the design, we demand the production, and then results usually soon follow. However, we ignore an essential variable—and a fundamental factor in allowing design and production to work in unison. How the design suits the talent and how the talent produces based on the design model is where Clive Davis excelled and has thrived. Davis has always understood "fit" made the artists he represented look better and allowed them to grow from good to great.

When every major record company declined 70's singer and songwriter Rod Stewart's old-time ballads; and did not feel it would sell. Clive Davis embraced him and saw an opportunity. Davis believed it was more about fit than design or production for Rod Stewart. So Davis devised a plan to have Stewart's music played at every high-end shopping center from Bergdorf Goodman, to Saks Fifth Avenue, and Nordstrom. Once individuals heard Stewart's soothing voice as they spent their day shopping, Davis believed shoppers would purchase his music. Clive Davis' vision was sure right. Five million records later, Stewart's singing ballads became a brilliant and lucrative strategy.

We can all learn something from Clive Davis as we coach, lead, and parent. Always spend time on fit. Do not be a prisoner to your design, then blame the production when the plan fails. We ask and wonder how the San Antonio Spurs and New England Patriots keep finding and developing talent. Both organizations are able to sustain success year after year because they understand their systems are pliable and adaptive to the talent. They do not believe success is solely a design and production matter.

So invest energy on fit while spending time on what can enhance the talent and teams you lead. Look beyond the obvious while discovering the fit that no one else can see. It would be wise to adopt the "Clive Davis Approach."

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