Carl Stormer's JazzCode

Real-time collaboration: Effective but vulnerable

On July 19th, I read in the Wall Street Journal:  "Last week, Toyota said it would have to temporarily shut down all 12 of its domestic plants after Riken Corp., a supplier of $1.50 piston rings, was damaged by the 6.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Japan on July 16. "..."Toyota said it would resume production at most plants on July 19th, but said the interruption would delay the delivery of 55,000 vehicles."

I read "the Goal" during the vacation this year, a fascinating novel dealing with the Theory of Constraints.  In essence, the book describes how a plan-manager improves his plant by focusing on reducing inventory and operating cost and throughput.  It turns out that nothing moves faster than his bottle-necks, and by using all his energy to reduce bottlenecks, he is able to speed up production.  It made me think of the health-care system, of traffic-jams, and of course, of the JazzCode. 

JazzCode at Molde with Walt Weiskopf, Jon Herington (Steely Dan) and Mats Eilertsen

Had a wonderful gig today at the Molde Jazzfestival.  JazzCode had been hired by by the festival's main sponsor, Dagbladet, one of Norway's largest tabloids.  Our gig was for Dagbladet's their biggest advertisers.

I had brought in Jon Herington a great guitarist who happened to be in town as the guitarist and musical director of Steely Dan, and Walt Weiskopf, tenorist with SD.  Norwegian master bassplayer Mats Eilertsen was also present and played great.   

Mats, Walt, Carl and Jon after the concert at Molde Jazzfestival

The audience loved it and gave us an average score of 5.6 on a scale from one to six using their cell-phone!!!

Walt Wiskopf, tenor saxophone with JazzCode and Steely Dan.

Jon Herington, guitar with JazzCode and Steely Dan.

Mats Eilertsen, a great Norwegian bassplayer

Thank you Dagbladet for allowing JazzCode to perform at Molde, thank you Jon, Mats and Walt for taking the time out to play, and thank you to the audience for being so enthusiastic about jazz and the JazzCode. 

How to boost the productivity of experts?

Just got an email from a friend from Boston, a guru in his own right, who wrote:

Your productivity question is a good one. I suspect for experts, the only way to increase productivity (output of ideas?) is to remove all distractions from them, and give them whatever environment most stimulates their creativity. Other than that, I don't have any great insight...

In American culture, we assume that more/bigger with the same or fewer resources is what productivity is all about. You hit the nail on the head that sometimes the issue isn't more/bigger, it's APPROPRIATE amounts. Like Goldilocks, perhaps maximum "productivity" for genius is the produce just the right ideas, not necessarily the most ideas.

How do you increase productivity -- yes, it's a great question, and my answer is more focused on enhancing the team potential rather than the productivity of the individual. 

Carl Stormer performing the JazzCode with Dave Edge at the Oslo Concert House, March 07.

I belive we -- partially via sharing of knowledge, better education and increased specialization -- to a certain are approaching the top of the S-curve with respect to individual productivity.