That’s when I knew that I needed to follow the Bobby

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I want to ask if there are any dancers in the audience. If you’d like to come up and share the stage with me, we’ll improvise together. It might be another 22 years before you get this chance again, so come on up.” Four people make their way to the stage. Each one takes a turn dancing in the middle of the spotlight, while Bobby, off to one side, improvises music that they respond to with their bodies. It is amazing to watch: each dancer responds in a unique way, but they are all good. Then he asks if anyone wants to sing with him. No hesitation this time: people are up out of their seats, hustling to the stage. Every singer asks to sing a different song. Bobby’s accompaniment honors their song selection and makes it a work of art.


You watch as each singer experiences a philippines photo editor moment they’ll always remember. Give, honor, create together Tonight was like no other concert I’ve attended. It wasn’t really a concert: it was an experience. McFerrin wasn’t up on stage to receive our accolades. He was up there to entertain us, but he wanted our voices, our bodies and our talents to shine, too. He wanted us to feel like we had created tonight’s concert together. McFerrin business model. His concerts are all improvisation. He doesn’t plan his songs, or even his key changes. He just lets them come to him, based on the audience, his voice, and our response.


What he does plan, I believe, is interaction He wants to create something with us, not just for us. He listens, responds, adjusts, and creates. That’s what I want to do. It’s my ticket to stop worrying, and my technique for being happy on the vague, uncertain road ahead. Give to my audience, honor their contributions, and create something much greater than the sum of the parts. Like Bobby. Editor’s note: This article was Pamela Wilson’s first guest post on Copyblogger, published on March 25, 2010 — well before she joined our team as EVP of Educational Content. Pamela had just completed Copyblogger’s flagship course, Teaching Sells, and was ready to expand her successful offline design business into new online territory.