#Leadership like a jazz concert
Last January, I was invited to a Hadra, a Sufi ritual in which dance, song, and praise come together, guided by a sheikh. In a small room in a suburb of Cairo, forty people slowly gathered; men and women embracing each other, children running around. In true Egyptian fashion, we began an hour later than planned.
A transparent curtain was drawn; men and women took place on opposite sides. The lights were dimmed, a small lamp placed in the center, and a single male voice began to sing. The ritual unfolded. I moved to the women’s side and let it wash over me. It felt intimate, judgeless and surprisingly familiar. For a moment, I was witnessing a fluid, almost artistic form of leadership in action.
A Hadra is about presence and remembrance. People move together in rhythmic chanting, and simple movements, within a shared structure that builds, peaks, and settles. Roles are clearly defined, yet leadership is subtle and responsive. Someone initiates, others carry. People step forward or back, intensify or soften, always attuned to the group. Improvisation is welcome, if the form is held, allowing something unique to emerge.
It reminded me of a jazz concert: strong structure, clear roles, yet within that clarity space opens. Leadership shifts, not to the person with the most power, but to the one most present.
Sitting there, in that somewhat shabby room among dancing and meditating people, I was moved by the beauty of the interplay. I know that such flow requires mastery, practice, and clarity, but also by letting go. It cannot be forced; it arises through trust and attunement. This sense of effortlessness is what I want in my life and in our work with organizations: not playing louder, but listening more closely; not controlling, but holding the rhythm.
On the taxi ride home, I shared this with a woman from the group. She smiled and said, “You don’t have to understand it. Just be present.”
I take her word for it 😊
#Leadership Journey on the Banks of the Nile
What would it be like to step out of the noise for a moment, and listen more closely to your own leadership—your courage, your direction, your choices?
In April 2026, we travel to Egypt for an open Impact Leadership Journey. Together with the inspiring local organisation VeryNile, rooted in communities along the river, we create a space to slow down, tune in, and explore leadership as something that moves with rhythm, relationship and place.
If this resonates, you’ll find more information here or send an email to daria@better-future.com or annemarie@better-future.com
Documentary It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley
This documentary about Jeff Buckley captures an artist who lived and created from a place of radical openness—surrendering to the music rather than trying to master it. Watching him feels like witnessing a kind of leadership that is sensitive, searching, and guided by what wants to emerge instead of what should be imposed.
Article ‘Leading in Harmony: How Music Shapes the Mind of Great Leaders’ by Michael Ciullo
This short piece beautifully echoes the metaphor of leadership as music: leaders, like musicians, set the rhythm, listen deeply, and create harmony between diverse voices. It’s a gentle reminder that leadership is not about control, but about attunement, timing, and emotional connection—skills that, just like in a Hadra or a jazz ensemble, allow something meaningful to emerge together.
Live Performance – The Yussef Dayes Experience
If leadership can feel like a jazz concert, then this recording is of a performance of Yussef Dayes, an English jazz drummer, composer, and record producer. This live performance is a masterclass in what that sounds like: structure and freedom, rhythm and intuition, each musician deeply listening to the other. Let it remind you that flow doesn’t come from control, but from presence and attunement to the moment and to each other.
