Less than two minutes was all it took. I was at a women\u2019s retreat and they had just started worship. The sound was so bad that I did not even have the time to put in my earplugs. I ran out into the hallway, but it was too late. I could feel the migraine coming on like a freight train. I spent the rest of the weekend in my room and needed my friend to drive on the way home. I remember being frustrated and angry. How could anyone think it was okay to have the sound at that volume? I felt robbed of receiving anything meaningful from that weekend. That was by far my worst sound experience, but unfortunately not the first nor the last. Over the years, I have learned ways to cope. I always carry a pair of earplugs, but often, especially at conferences, I end up sitting outside somewhere away from the cacophony.<\/p>\n
My husband will tell you that a good sound person is the one who goes unnoticed. When the sound is off or there are technical difficulties, the sound person always hears about it. We may not recognize good quality when we hear it, but without dissonance causes a multitude of complaints. I asked on social media once, after a particularly loud conference, why so many churches feel the need to run the music so loudly. One friend who works in the music industry explained that most church sound people do not have the experience required to get a room just right. Most are simply volunteers doing the best they can. The result is that often the sound mix is off balance in some way, creating discord, and likely to trigger a migraine for me.<\/p>\n
In his book, The Sound of Leadership<\/em>, Jules Glanzer describes leadership in similar terms. \u201cLike sound, leadership is also complex, complicated, and consequential.\u201d[i]<\/a><\/p>\n The Harmonious Leader<\/strong><\/p>\n His analogy compares with my experience of sound. When the person running the sound board has everything tuned in just right, not too hot, and the levels do not blast my eardrums, I am able to enter into worship. I enjoy the experience of being a part of the collective. The leader who is in tune with the Spirit creates a space of growth, of beauty, and of harmony. Glanzer writes, \u201cMusic and leadership are creative, life shaping, inspiring, and relevant expressions of the One who influences the world.\u201d[ii]<\/a><\/p>\n The Dissonant Leader<\/strong><\/p>\n When the sound is bad, I run from the room, often hurt by the encounter. A bad leader will often leave a trail of broken and hurt people in their wake. Glanzer writes, \u201cThe leader practicing the acoustical art of leadership is continually fine-tuning the sound for a harmonious rendition.\u201d[iii]<\/a> The dissonant leader either does not know how to fine tune or does not try.<\/p>\n Case Study<\/strong><\/p>\n At the end of each chapter, Glanzer writes a Kingdom Takeaway<\/em>. At the end of chapter 14, he states:<\/p>\n Reflect on God\u2019s call on your life and leadership. Using the questions in this chapter, take time to create a case study of yourself. What do you learn about yourself?[iv]<\/a><\/p>\n While a full case study, answering all the questions he poses would take far longer than this short blog, I would like to answer one of these questions.<\/p>\n What personal issue is always present in your life?[v]<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Not a day goes by that I am not aware of my shunt or potential migraine triggers. One of my tools to help is that I have a decibel meter on my phone. My husband has told me that it is inaccurate. I know this, but using it gives me a standardized means of measuring sound on my own. My own interpretation of how loud the volume is changes depending upon how sensitive I am to sound at the moment. By using my decibel meter, I can gauge if the sound really is higher or if I am particularly sensitive. It helps me to know when the issue is my own perception or if it is something larger that should be addressed.<\/p>\n Glanzer states, \u201cLike sound frequency and intensity, leadership is interpreted in many ways.\u201d[vi]<\/a> My experience with sound helps me to understand that how I interpret leadership is also dependent upon my particular sensitivities at any given moment. In this respect, I am also able to care for others with the same perspective. We all have struggles; we all have times when our perceptions are clouded. As leaders, we must understand where others are at in order to lead well. Glanzer describes it, \u201cListen, See, Learn, Do, Love. These five words are the scape from which all leadership happens.\u201d[vii]<\/sup><\/a> If we are able to understand and practice these five words, we will be better leaders, leaders who seek first the Kingdom of God.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [i]<\/a> Jules Glanzer, The Sound of Leadership: Kingdom Notes to Fine Tune Your Life and Influence<\/em>. (Plano, TX: Invite Press, 2023), xxiv.<\/p>\n [ii]<\/a> Ibid.<\/em>, 38.<\/p>\n [iii]<\/a> Ibid.<\/em>, 72.<\/p>\n [iv]<\/a> Ibid.<\/em>, 106.<\/p>\n [v]<\/a> Ibid.<\/em>, 104.<\/p>\n