Groove Theory: #1 - The accidental breakthrough that changed everything

In Spring 2015 I was about to face my toughest audience yet: 60+ teenagers in East London who'd rather be anywhere else than listening to another industry person drone on about their career.

I was a music agent stepping into education for the first time. A week before the talk, reality hit. These kids would see right through any polished presentation. So I scrapped my carefully prepared slide deck and spent the weekend frantically pulling together something different - festival economics, site layouts, real data they could actually use.

When I walked into that classroom, I did something that felt both terrifying and obvious: I asked them to build a music festival from scratch. Not just the lineup - everything. Ticket pricing, food vendors, even portable toilet placement.

The Tension

The session was pure chaos. I had no framework, no real plan. But halfway through, a teacher nudged me and pointed to a student in the corner, head down, sketching an incredibly detailed site map. "He hardly ever pays attention," they whispered, "but he's been doing that for 20 minutes straight."

That's when it clicked: I'd stumbled onto something. I just couldn't articulate what.

And it turned out that chaotic afternoon would be the catalyst for everything I do now - but at the time, I had no idea.

Step Into It

You’ve probably been there. You're in the middle of something that's working... but also out of control. It's messy, chaotic, not like what you planned.

Say you're mid-presentation and your material isn’t landing. But then someone asks a question that takes you completely off script - and suddenly the whole room leans in.

• Do you get back to your agenda, or follow this unexpected thread?
• How do you know if you should trust it, or do the rational thing and try to regain control?

The Groove

For years after that classroom, I kept encountering these moments - sometimes they worked, sometimes they didn't. I couldn't figure out why until I started noticing the pattern.

The breakthrough moments - whether in demos, strategy sessions, client meetings - all share five common elements.

1. Structure → Shape the idea

Move from fog to form without losing your voice. Could be:

• When "Here's my 30-slide deck" becomes "Here's a problem to solve"
• Real constraints that spark creativity.

2. Rhythm → Find the flow

The pacing and timing that keeps audiences engaged from start to finish. Could be:

• Pausing mid-pitch to ask "What's the thing you're not saying?"
• Shifting tempo - speeding up when you sense restlessness, slowing down when something lands

3. Modality → Choose the vessel

Turn expertise into repeatable formats that land across platforms. Could be:

• When your detailed report becomes a 5-minute walkthrough
• When your strategy deck becomes a tool they can test with real customers

4. Presence → Bring yourself into it

Tune in and engage authentically. Could be:

• "Honestly, I don't know. Let's figure this out together."
• Staying genuinely curious about what they're thinking and feeling rather than pushing your agenda

5. Signal → Clarify what matters

Distill your message into something that sticks and spreads. Could be:

• The one insight they'll text their best friend about
• When your complex idea becomes a simple story people retell

These five elements, when they align, create what I call groove. Not perfection - but that unmistakable feeling when ideas start flowing, people lean in, and something shifts in the room.

You'll know it when you feel it. But what does this look like in practice?

The Release

Here's what this means for you: Next time you're in front of people who need to get something - whether it's a pitch, a workshop, or a crucial conversation - you'll recognize which element is lacking.

Is your structure too loose?
Your rhythm off?
Wrong format entirely?

The framework gives you a way to diagnose what's not working and adjust in real-time.

Each edition of Groove Theory, we'll explore how someone found their groove - and dig into what made it work. From Danish architects to Californian surfers. In formal settings, and the most casual. You'll discover specific moves you can use/remix/steal.

Next up:

• How a Michelin-star restaurateur found his groove... in a street food truck
• The silent gig in a Parisian storefront that unlocked a whole new format

Watch out for other subscriber-only extras coming soon - including live events and interactive tools.

Thanks for being in the groove.

Howard

P.S. Comments, ideas, questions, complaints? Just hit reply.

Extended Mix: Soundtrack

• Bill Spencer on NTS Radio: Every other Sunday, just like Groove Theory. Eclectic, interesting, unexpected - I listened to this show a lot while forming these ideas. Spencer has a knack for finding connections between sounds that shouldn't work together, but somehow do.

Deepen the Groove