Analysis: whether or not you're a fan, there's plenty to learn from U2's commitment to the creative process if you want to be a great group
U2 has many benchmarks of success: their quantity of hits, albums, GRAMMYs (22 wins, 46 nominations), global tours, earnings and longevity set them amongst the greatest of all time. But as a scholar of creative collaboration and great groups, it's arguably U2's practice of continuous creative collaboration that makes them sublime.
So what can we learn from U2 to help navigate the sort of continuous creative collaborations that are essential to great groups, to breakthroughs and to the messy, prolonged and intensive work of innovation? Let's take a look at some of the clues.
U2 were a band before they could play
Bono describes the early days of the bands formation when they hadn't yet mastered the musical skill to play decent covers, and how they instead covered their early inadequacy by writing their own music. He says 'they were a band before they could play’. They were one, before their song ‘One’ ever existed.
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From RTÉ Archives, Bono speaks to Pat Kenny about starting out and how U2 have got to this point in their career ('The Pat Kenny Show' broadcast 9 August 1983)
This group was formed like many others by circumstance and opportunity, but this band of brothers quickly found common ground in the midst of all their differences. It wasn't a beautiful sound, a common identity or just a shared love of music that in the early days united them, but rather a profound sense that together they could do something, that alone they could not. The very essence of creative collaboration.
This 'forming’ is what separates great groups from willing collaborators. It is special when this happens early in the collaborative process, but also common for it to come a little later and for it to feel like hard work at times. It is OK for groups to learn to play well together and to hope that during the process of working towards a goal, they become more than the sum of their parts. We’re not all rock bands on day one.
Surrender
The title of Bono's autobiography provides the second clue to greatness. To become a great collaboration, a group of individuals need a higher order mandate than the immediate task at hand. At work, we might call this a purpose, a shared vision or a common goal that resonates deeply and personally with each individual.
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From RTÉ News, U2 open Las Vegas residency at The Sphere in September 2023
U2 have a shared vision of their future and their role in it, as well as a common purpose to doggedly pursue it. Luckily for them, finding and committing to that higher order mandate came naturally and came early in the process. They are each committed to, inspired by and subservient to their higher order mandate, which has also evolved with them over time.
For all groups with a common purpose, shared ideal or vision, there are times that it carries them forward, keeps them honest or tests their resolve. Without a common purpose, the work and the group is a mere coordination of effort, valuable in its own right but not equal in potential to that of a great collaboration.
The Relay
Over the decades, much water has flowed under the U2 bridge, testing its metal and sometimes bursting its banks. Life regularly intervenes for us all and can interrupt the making of beautiful music. We can be overwhelmed by other work, thrown off course by cruel blows and unforeseen events or recognise a personal need to take step back. This is where the relay comes in.
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From RTÉ Archives, Leinster Senior Hurling Final postponed because the pitch has been rendered unplayable following the U2 concert two weeks ago (broadcast 14 July, 1987)
Great groups like U2 have an egalitarian system, a democratic process and a human heart. When one player is down or temporarily out, the others ease their burden by stepping up themselves. As U2 began their Las Vegas residency, they dedicated All I Want is You to their drummer Larry Mullen who is recovering from back surgery. Groups go on and resume the business of operating at full tilt in due course. Groups who go far, go together.
Commitment to the creative process
Bono talks about the cycle of creating, degenerating and regenerating as a natural process for the band. They have much expertise in repeating this creative cycle, they are grand masters. Like all great groups, they have a trusted process that supports them and tests them in equal measure: side effects include extreme highs and lows. There are productivity losses and creativity gains from working as part of an interdisciplinary group but it's all not all rock and roll.
The goal of the process is not to get somewhere and stay there, but to do it all again. That’s continuous creative collaboration and we can learn from the masters.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
