Leadership Lessons from the Most Feared Jazz Song Ever Written

Ask any jazz aficionado about the most challenging jazz standard ever written, and you’ll likely get a knowing smile followed by two simple words: Giant Steps. The tune, composed and performed by legendary saxophone genius John Coltrane, has sent chills down the spines of would-be performers since its release nearly 60 years ago.

Performed at a blistering speed, the structure is a 180-degree departure from the unwritten rules of jazz. From a technical standpoint, it is as far from the norm...