Lessons in Pipe Band Collaboration

Playing in a pipe band isn’t always about harmony—it’s about learning to move forward together when harmony feels out of reach. The truth is, every band faces moments of tension, disagreement, and discomfort. How we navigate those moments defines not only the music we make but the culture we build.

Adam Kahane’s Collaborating with the Enemy speaks directly to this kind of challenge. It reminds us that collaboration isn’t about everyone getting along—it’s about finding a way to make progress together when we don’t see eye to eye. The lessons from this book apply perfectly to life inside a circle of pipers and drummers.

1. Collaboration Isn’t About Agreement:In band life, not every player will agree on tempo, tone, or tuning. Collaboration doesn’t demand consensus—it demands motion. The music doesn’t move forward by everyone thinking the same way. It moves forward because, despite differences, everyone commits to the same downbeat.

2. 2Conflict Is Part of Progress: Healthy conflict sharpens performance. Avoiding it leads to stagnation. When we face musical or personal disagreements head-on—with respect—we create space for growth. The best sound often comes from tension resolved, not tension avoided.

3. Relationships Matter More Than Control: No one plays their best when they feel controlled. Real leadership in a band comes from trust, not authority. The piper or drummer who builds relationships earns influence. That’s how we lift one another, not by forcing perfection, but by respecting each other’s effort.

4. You Don’t Have to Like Each Other to Play Together:Every band has personalities that clash, but shared purpose bridges the divide. You don’t have to be friends to create something powerful. You just have to care about the same mission—playing for our fallen, honoring our community, and upholding our standard.

5. Letting Go Creates Space for New Solutions:Holding onto “the way we’ve always done it” stifles innovation. When we let go of ego and listen to the circle, new possibilities emerge—new medleys, new sets, new ways to connect musically and personally.

6. Forward Movement Matters More Than Perfection:Waiting for every note, every flourish, or every drone to be flawless keeps us stuck. Progress is built in the doing—one rehearsal, one run-through, one shared laugh at a missed strike-in. We build trust and tempo by stepping off together, even if it’s messy.

7. Openness Requires Courage: It takes courage to admit when you’re struggling, or when your tuning’s off. But vulnerability breeds connection. When we open up to each other, we invite growth—not just as musicians, but as bandmates.

8. Everyone Has Partial Truths: No single player hears everything. The piper hears one thing, the drummer another. Everyone brings a piece of the truth, and together those pieces create the full sound. Collaboration is the art of weaving those partial truths into music worth listening to.

9. Adaptive Collaboration Outlasts Fixed Plans: Competitions change. Weather shifts. Judges surprise us. The bands that thrive are flexible. They adapt on the line, in the rain, or when a drone reed decides to quit mid-set. Collaboration is the ability to pivot without losing the pulse.

10. The “Enemy” Can Become a Partner: Sometimes, the person who frustrates us the most is the one who helps us grow. They hear what we miss. They push when we coast. When we stop seeing them as opposition and start seeing them as part of the solution, the circle gets stronger—and the sound follows.

Closing Thoughts: Pipe bands aren’t built on harmony—they create harmony. The process isn’t easy, and it’s rarely free of conflict. But when we commit to moving forward together, even amid tension, we embody what collaboration truly means: progress through courage, respect, and shared purpose.

In the circle, just like in life, we don’t always have to agree. We just have to play.