First Friday Book Synopsis

Twyla Tharp at work

I’m a big fan of Twyla Tharp — choreographer, Kennedy Center honoree, best-selling author.  I’m reading her new book The Collaborative Habit.  Here’s a quote worth pondering:

People are people.  And people are problems.  But — and this is a very big but — people who are practiced in collaboration will do better than those who insist on their individuality.

In the book, Tharp argues that collaboration — the ability to work collaboratively; “practiced in collaboration” — is a habit, a habit that each person can develop and master.  Just like creativity is a habit (her earlier book).  I think she believes in discipline; ritual; habit.  Not a bad approach to life.