East 17 a dysfunctional team? 20 hits and 14 million record sales can't be bad. So what the hell happened and how does this relate to Talent Management?.....
This is the ultimate example of top talent management, team dysfunction, "Chav" brand management gone wrong and a good old personality
clash. East 17's rise and fall is one of the most memorable pop moments of the
90s.
So how does this epic journey by four lads from Walthamstow relate to talent management?
So how does this epic journey by four lads from Walthamstow relate to talent management?
East
17 'Forming'
The band began in 1991 when Tony Mortimer
was given a record deal but asked to form a band by London Records. This placed
Mortimer squarely as the band leader with Mortimer soon forming a trio with Terry
Coldwell and John Hendy. The group was named East 17 after the postcode of
their hometown, Walthamstow.
Tuckman (1965, see model right) outlined that any team goes
through the formation stages where roles and responsibilities are unclear, with
the team requiring a leader to give aims and objectives. I wonder if Tony
planned the next key moment however in the formation stage? The original roles
in the band were soon altered when Brian Harvey, who was intended to be a
back-up singer and dancer, was heard singing along during a recording session
and was then duly promoted to lead vocalist.
What would Tony would have made of this? Nose slightly put out of joint? We might assume for now though that trust within the band has not yet become an issue - but even so, we did not have a clear leader for the band - perhaps a "Who's top dog?" risk for the band at an early stage that was overlooked
What would Tony would have made of this? Nose slightly put out of joint? We might assume for now though that trust within the band has not yet become an issue - but even so, we did not have a clear leader for the band - perhaps a "Who's top dog?" risk for the band at an early stage that was overlooked
“There’s brian’s vision and my vision – two
poloaraties that work against each other….he’s happy as the boss in the middle.
I wish him all the best and think that is the mature thing to do. There can
only be one leader can’t there?”
Tony Mortimer commenting on the three setting up on their own
The Genius of Chav Brand Management
East 17 started to get a reputation and brand - the rapper, the singer, the looks and the other two that wore daft hats and danced well. Was this stroke of music genius stumbled upon blindly by London Records? A great understanding of their prospective audience and demographics needs or just pure luck? when focusing on personal brand it is worthwhile exploring intent (motives) and capability (talent). Looking at East 17 their fans knew they had the capability but also knew that these lads were not the sort you would want to take home to meet your gran - this worked a treat.
East 17 could easily have been described as the very first chavs in pop music.
East 17 could easily have been described as the very first chavs in pop music.
"I've never really minded the "chav" tag. I see what they mean to be honest. We were working-class and we were loutish, but I think there were a lot of groups that were similar to us. It's a predominantly middle-class industry. There were lots of cool bands in the 60s and 70s that were pretending to be working-class because there's an almost anti-middle-class feeling in society but when there's real working-class ... people aren't sure how to take it. I wouldn't know how to define class now, it's all become a bit blurred."
Tony Mortimer
Either way the public knew what they liked - and they wanted the bad boy image but for many not to necessarily get their hands dirty or for any one to get hurt along the way. As long as the band stayed consistent in their behaviours, everyone would be milking the cash cow. Perhaps though this was not enough for some and staying to these unwritten rules would have perhaps been unrealistic.
“They shaved their heads, and had tattoos, and were a lot cooler than the nancy boys of Take That. In the great five-year battle that dominated British pop, East 17 were also on the winning side. Their music was sharper and more streetwise. It was infused with hip-hop and R&B, and sold by the bucketload: 18 million records across Europe, compared with Take That's paltry 17 million.”
— Guy Adams, The Independent
House of Love 'Norming' @ E17?
The talent and roles over time were
becoming clear - Harvey's vocal style emulated R&B and new jack swing
vocalists from the US. His vocals put him into a position of the band's
frontman, or main member, which was shared with the band's creator, songwriter,
instrumentalist, rapper and singer Tony Mortimer. Throughout the course of the
band's career the two leads had many disagreements, from how to vocalise songs
to their behaviour in public. This tore the band between spiritual pop/hip-hop
(Mortimer's writing influence) and R&B (the other band members). Yet is was
this dynamic and diversity that was perhaps the secret ingredient that was
overlooked. Unfortunately Tony loathed and detested Brian according to E17
manager Tom Watkins and would not even get in to the same vehicle. Brian was
seen by many as difficult to get on with - this may have been the case but put
the two together and the combination of tony's raps skills (straight face now)
and Harvey's R&B sound struck a chord in the great British public.
Management never quite helped these young lads build a strong band unit however,
and could easily meet Lencioni's 1st team dysfunction. Team members show a lack
of trust when they:
- Hold grudges
- Don't give feedback
- Hide their mistakes or weaknesses
- Find ways of avoiding each other
You cannot ignore the responsibility of the record companies here - perhaps it was a "Lets just see how far we can take this band and milk the cash cow until it explodes". This is a real shame as it inevitably did. What if the band had the skill to deliver a difficult message with each other? Or at least provide some feedback in the right way? Someone would have told Terry and John about their ridiculous hats. One hypothesis could be that the skills to manage conflict, and the fear of conflict management in this band
Ecstasy Storming Stage
As with all successful personal brands,
individuals must stay consistent in their behaviours in front of their key stakeholders
to maintain credibility. The truth is stakeholders don't like change, let alone big change done quickly.
Covey Jnr describes four "Cores of credibilty" to ensure you maintain your reputation over time. - Intent, Integrity, Capability and Track Record. The British public may have bought in to the working class image but when push came to shove the media would simply not accept Harvey's real behind the curtain glimpse in to his life style and values.....
Covey Jnr describes four "Cores of credibilty" to ensure you maintain your reputation over time. - Intent, Integrity, Capability and Track Record. The British public may have bought in to the working class image but when push came to shove the media would simply not accept Harvey's real behind the curtain glimpse in to his life style and values.....
“I’ve done pills myself. I’ve done 12 in
one night and been off it on them. It can bring out the better in someone really
in the long run it is a safe pill”
Brian Harvey, Independent radio news 1997
“Any comments of that sort are wholly
wrong”
British Prime Minister John Major
In the space of a minute individual intent
and integrity was exposed to all key stakeholders, including mums and dads in
middle England forking out pocket money for another 90s boy band. The Press
made him public enemy number one. Once the hits started to dry up the track record of the past was soon forgotten.
What do you think the chances were that Harvey had been clearly briefed on him being a role model to his fans? That there were now expectations of behaviour - as well as exactly who his stakeholders actually were.
What do you think the chances were that Harvey had been clearly briefed on him being a role model to his fans? That there were now expectations of behaviour - as well as exactly who his stakeholders actually were.
Lencioni's 2nd team dysfunction was clear with this bad - the dysfunction includes a 'Fear of Conflict' and a loss of
opportunity to confront awkward truths. It was clear that following the
interview Harvey's fate was written on the wall and quickly found himself kicked out of the band without a conversation following an agreement from the
other three team members.
Talent Managment Learings?
The storming in this band never really took
place believe it or not - just difficult incidents, punch-ups and arguments that broke the band. Not at
any point did the band really have to go through the unpleasant storming
process as described by Tuckman... "Here the team members will resolve
their differences and members will be able to participate with one another
comfortably. It will be difficult and uncomfortable." These skills are of
course vital in the workplace when either managing upwards or managing young
talent.
Let's also not forget the fantastic brand East 17 had in place. A great
lesson for future leaders in becoming more aware of their key stakeholders / customer's needs and motivators and what behaviours are required to keep these individuals
engaged. Take That of course evolved with their audience which you have to ask
whether this took place with East 17.
The band never reached "Tuckman's
Performing Stage" again. My theory?
Young lads with the world at their feet, with little life experience, but also
let down by their own management - perhaps not taking true responsibility for
what they had the potential to influence and control.
It is a shame this
talented band did not have a wise mentor to focus on team
development, personality differences, the importance of diversity as well as
recognising their own limitations in their role and that the whole of the team
is greater than the sum of its parts. It seems though that when the boys became
men (I know, leave it), learning had
still not taken place over the last 15 years or so following the re-union
attempt in 2009 which resulted in Harvey being punched in the face by Mortimer
for being late to a recording deal meeting.
Tuckman's Team Development Model: http://www.businessballs.com/tuckmanformingstormingnormingperforming.htm
