Comping

In the business world, leaders need their team to follow them with earnest desire. When this occurs, extraordinary things occur. I compare this leader-follower dynamic to comping in the musical world.

Whenever someone is performing a solo, what the other instruments are playing as background music is comping. 

Comping is the glue that holds together that memorable guitar solo experience. 

The soloist is the leader who wants make an idea come true. The group of musicians that accompany the soloist are its followers.  

In its rawest terms, to comp is to play a set of chords over and over again while the group of musicians observe where the soloist is going with his solo. 

If the soloist wants to slow it down, the musicians reinforce the groove by dialing down the intensity as well.

When the leader asks for the sales team to take four hours to help the warehouse crew, they just do it.

When followers trust their leader, no matter what, amazing things will happen. Next time you attend a concert, pay attention to the group of musicians that comp to the solo player. It’s a beautiful dynamic to behold.