Imagine a company struggling to transition towards sustainable practices in the middle of growing environmental concerns, yet employees feel disconnected and uninspired by the changes. Or consider a nonprofit aiming to address social inequality but losing ground because its teams question the relevance of their daily work to the bigger cause. These are not failures of strategy, but failures of leadership.
As Barry van Zyl, former drummer for the Johnny Clegg band and co-author of Finding Your Groove: Resonant Leadership in a Disconnected World, says, ‘Without leaders who can articulate a clear vision, connect individuals’ efforts to a larger purpose, and inspire a collective commitment, organisations risk fragmentation, low morale, and stagnation.’
From stage to strategy: The art of resonance
Van Zyl, now a lecturer at Henley Business School, and his co-author Chris Dalton, an Associate Professor of Management Learning at Henley, draw from their unique backgrounds in music and management to present a new paradigm for leadership that addresses this gap. Their two worlds collided about a decade ago when Van Zyl signed up for the Henley Executive MBA and Dalton became his mentor. It was to be the start of a long and productive friendship and intellectual engagement, culminating in the publication of the book this month that’s been described as ‘part memoir, part jam session,’ and a ‘joyful and innovative book on the art of not missing a beat.’
Written as a series of conversations, the book explores how resonant leadership can transform fragmented organisations by fostering harmony, purpose, and genuine connection. Leadership is presented less as an exercise in control than the practice of seeking resonance – much like the interplay of upbeats and downbeats in music that creates groove, so leaders can curate the conditions to align themselves and their teams with a greater purpose.
Van Zyl outlines the essentials for finding your groove and the art of practice – whether it’s to enhance creative potential or inspire collective change in your organisation. ‘The ultimate goal is to foster resilience to work through failures, spark innovation, and build more harmonious relationships at work and beyond. Talent is not enough to succeed; it requires persistent effort and dedication beyond the core craft, such as ongoing self-discipline and initiative. And it requires being true to oneself and honest. Together, these elements form a medley that ensures one has the capability, practical mindset and ethical standards to build and grow.’
The power of notes: A journey to self-awareness
Van Zyl adds the genesis of the book was directly linked to note-taking. ‘Notes’, he explains ‘are the beginning of everything – the spark of connection, the seed of creation, the rhythm of thought.’ As a drummer, written percussion notes leapfrogged over hours that might be needed to memorise a piece of music, getting him to the creative and fulfilling action far more quickly. Next, the performed notes, the sounds that come from the instrument, form the foundation of rhythm, are the building blocks of music and the portal to the elusive state of groove. Finally, as a thinker, his own notes are the fleeting ideas he scribbles down, often without knowing their full significance until much later.
In his writing, he started making sense of who he was, a former drummer, showing up as an MBA student, by writing his thoughts down. He says what emerged from this was a new level of self-awareness and being better equipped to answer the question we must all ask: Who am I?
Dalton provides the academic counterpoint, helping to translate Van Zyl's reflections into a framework. According to Van Zyl, this dialogue with Dalton helped him understand himself better, proving that self-discovery is a collaborative process. As Van Zyl and Dalton argue in the book, the world isn’t disconnected; we’ve simply fallen out of relationship with it. And we need to look for the patterns that connect rather than divide us.
‘We find our way back to connection by finding our own unique pulsating groove that resonates in harmony with others and that world,’ they write. ‘Like the conversations that make up this book, we discover ourselves in the back-and-forth of dialogue.’
To order a copy of Finding Your Groove: Resonant Leadership in a Disconnected World, visit: www.routledge.com/9781032744094
About the authors:
Barry van Zyl is a world-renowned musician with over 30 years of experience in the creative sector, from performance and production to education, strategy, and business development. Having toured the world for 21 years with South Africa’s most famous export, Johnny Clegg, and while working with artists like Annie Lennox, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Peter Gabriel and Die Antwoord, Barry completed an Executive MBA at Henley Business School and is now focused on executive education in the areas of personal development, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
Chris Dalton is Associate Professor of Management Learning and module convener for Personal Development (PD) at Henley Business School. A creative tutor, he was recognised with a University Teaching Fellowship (2022) from Reading University. His research is focused on the use of re"ection in personal development in post-experience management education. Chris has over 29 years of experience in management education and training. He is a certified coach and online tutor and has trained as a systemic constellations facilitator, regularly working with the public and private sector.