The rock band U2 has had a phenomenal run since it came together in 1976. It has won a remarkable 22 Grammy awards, more than any band in history.  Critics rave over U2’s music and fans worldwide can’t seem to get enough of its songs and concert appearances. All the signs indicate that U2 is at the top of its game and will be going strong for the foreseeable future. 

Why has U2 been together for more than 30 years when most other bands eventually fall apart? Understanding why U2 has thrived for so long provides insight into the factors that make groups of all types and sizes thrive, including families, sports teams, social sector and business organizations.

U2 is comprised of four band members: lead singer Bono, lead guitar player “Edge,” bass guitar player Adam Clayton, and drummer Larry Mullen, Jr.  The band members have known each other since they were teenagers in Dublin, Ireland.

Bono has said that the way the band functions is even more extraordinary than the band’s music. He has described the band as more of an organism than an organization.  Several aspects of the band’s culture standout.  I'll address the factors that contribute to U2's unity and its success over a series of three posts. 

Like all human beings, the members of U2 have experienced difficult periods in their lives.  These experiences have shaped them in important ways. Bono’s mother died when he was 14 years old. He described the period following her death as one in which he felt alone and abandoned. Although Bono longed for the emotional support of a family, his grief-stricken father was unable to console him. 

Having experienced what it was like to grieve alone and knowing that the support of others could help an individual make it through difficult periods, when Larry Mullen’s mother died when he was 16 years old, Bono reached out to console him.  This began a close, supportive friendship.  When Edge went through a difficult divorce, the band members were there to support him. When Adam Clayton became addicted to alcohol and drugs, the band members reached out to help him recover. 

Bono has stated that when one of the band members is in need, the band rallies around to support him and they put that need above the performance of the band. The band's motto is "everybody gets out of here alive." It’s no wonder that one of U2’s most popular songs is entitled, “Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own,” a song that Bono wrote with his father in mind.

The most dramatic example of U2's support for one another occurred when the band campaigned during the 1980s for the observance of a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in America. Bono received a death threat that warned him not to sing the song “Pride (In the Name of Love),” a song about the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at an upcoming concert.  He described in an interview that as he sang the song, he closed his eyes.  At the end of a verse when Bono opened his eyes he discovered Adam Clayton literally standing in front of him to shield him from potential harm. 

Bono describes U2 as a tight-knit family and community.  He has said that “people with a strong sense of family and community…are always very strong people.”   The commitment to support one another extends beyond the four members of the band.  The members of U2 are part of a larger community that includes their families, crew members and collaborators. Many of them have known each other for decades.

The economic profits from U2’s work are split equally between the four band members and their long-time manager Paul McGuiness. That might surprise some. Given Bono’s status as a megastar, it would not be inconceivable if he claimed more than an equal share of the band’s profits.  What better way to show your team members that you value them than to treat them and their unique contribution as economic equals?

In most bands, the megastar has the greatest share of fame and fortune, and his or her bandmates resent it.  Not so U2. They are committed to each other and that feeling of belonging they have helps them work through the inevitable disagreements people have, a topic I will address in the next post.  

Application 

I know it's not fashionable to say you must be committed to your colleagues at work to be great. Most people compartmentalize work from their lives outside of work. Let me tell you, however, it's a huge mistake to go through life indifferent to the people you spend so much time around.  

Treat your colleagues like human beings rather than human doings and you will discover newfound energy and enthusiasm. Make a commitment to be a positive influence on the people around you.    Look for ways to help them.  When you see a genuine reason to encourage a colleague, do it. Mentor a less experienced colleague. When someone is experiencing a difficult season in their lives outside of work, as many people are today, show that you care.  Send them a card or note, or volunteer to help them in some other practical way. Perhaps you have extra vacation you could donate to them. Be creative. If you're not, get ideas from someone who is.

When my wife Katie was going through treatments for cancer, a box arrived one day from a colleague at work.  We opened it and discovered amidst the dry ice an assortment of Ben and Jerry's ice creams.  We were certainly surprised and it lifted our spirits during a difficult time.  

Today, Katie is healthy and thriving.  And I will forever feel a sense of connection to those friends for their act of kindness.   

Michael Lee Stallard speaks about, coaches and teaches leaders how to improve productivity, innovation, strategic alignment and performance.  He is the president of E Pluribus Partners, a leadership training and coaching firm, and the primary author of Fired Up or Burned Out: How to Reignite Your Team’s Passion, Creativity and Productivity. Additional information at: www.michaelleestallard.com All quotes are from Bono by Michka Assayas.