Become A Great Leader In Your Drumline By Being Friends With Everybody!

We’ve all heard some variation of the saying, “if people hate you, dislike you and don’t want to be your friend, as a section leader, you are doing something right.”

I think it makes sense to a degree: Your job as a Drumline section leader is to lead and not to make friends.

However, nothing can be further from the truth!

You see, I truly believe that the best way to get people to do what you want them to do, is by being everyone’s friend.

Sure, if you intimidate, scare and guilt people into doing stuff, they’ll definitely do stuff for you. Why, because they want to avoid all that negative feedback.

But in order to really inspire people’s best work where they enjoy what they’re doing and they enjoy doing something for you, you have to treat people with respect and be a friend who is positive dominant.

What does that mean?

It DOES NOT mean be friends with people and let them get away with stuff.

It DOES mean that you tell people what they need to do (firmly and directly), but with a positive, yet confident vocal tonality…with a smile on your face :)

And yes…be their friend!

Get to know people and hang out with them and when you are friends with everyone, you are all inspired to achieve great things as a group of friends!

Look, I get it; as a leader, it’s easy to resort to negativity; it’s a very easy way to get results.

But I promise you that if you do it that way, you will get meaningless, empty results from everyone that may just be just good enough to not get yelled at.

That being said, I challenge all section leaders, drum majors and staff members of every kind of marching arts ensemble, to be creative in finding ways to lead your groups in a positive way!

What do you think? Do you think I’m wrong? Do you think negativity is necessary at times?

For further perspective, check out this video below: