Inspire Me - Week 7 - Art of Possibility Ch. 5

Chapter 5 of "Art of Possibility" is called "Leading From Every Chair." What I got out of it was the difference between motivating people by asserting your position over them, and motivating people by bringing the best out of them. A lot of it involves allowing them to participate in the process. It allows them to take partial ownership of the critical decisions.

There are those theater directors who tell their actors step by step, beat by beat, where to stand, what to do, and how to do it. Then, there are those who communicate to their actors what is needed in the scene, the play, the story. The actors can then find their own way to bring out their best performance to meet the needs of the work and create the desired effect.

Ben Zander accomplishes this with his orchestra by placing a white sheet of paper on everyone's music stand. The players may write comments, suggestions, criticisms, in order to communicate their needs to him. He then made a concerted effort to be conscious of those needs in rehearsal, and often the creative process is more effective because of it.

This got me thinking about inspiration. What inspires me? What inspires people I know? What do I try to do to help inspire others? I grouped it all into this song, as if it was one specific person. In truth, the inspirations mentioned in the song come from several of my friends and family members.

I thought about the song for a long time, and wrote it here and there, little by little over the course of 2 weeks. Hope you enjoy it.

Inspire Me - Words and Music by Carl J Ferrara, (c) 2013

You don't tell me what to do, you don't tell me how to do it.
You tell me what you need, and let me work through it.
I'm always showing off, trying to impress.
Don't want to let you down, that's why I do my best.

Can't you see?
You make me be all that I can be.
You open up new possibility.
You Inspire Me.

Life's spinning me around every single day.
You point me towards the audience, showing me the way.
You went ahead and did it, that's how I know I can.
I've got my own cheering section shouting, "You Da Man!"

Can't you see?
Open up the door and hand me the key.
Sparking all my creativity.
You Inspire Me.

Put obstacles in my path and watch me go around it.
See the path we leave behind is better than we found it.


Can't you see?
You make me be all that I can be.
You open up new possibility.
You Inspire Me.


Can't you see?
Open up the door and hand me the key.
Sparking all my creativity.
I'll do anything if you're right there with me.
You Inspire Me.