I have never been in a position to offer musical guidance to anyone, though a few fellow-singers have accepted the odd (sometimes the very odd) suggestion for additions to their repertoire.

What I have experienced is the discovery that you never understand any task so thoroughly as the time you try to teach someone else to do it. There is real pleasure to be gained in helping someone else achieve something that matters to them, whether it is playing fine music, cooking a simple meal, pruning a plant, or analysing a complex set of accounts. Whilea goal may be little to you, it can be a major breakthrough for the other person.

I am grateful to those who have helped me to sing (I don't play anything, apart from the fool) and to dance a bit, back when I did that. This would be the "playing with your superiors" part. I hope that, one day, I may have helped someone else improve too. I would enjoy being good enough for that to be a possibility, it would be the "playing with worse" part.

General improvement occurs because it is a two-way process. Both parties can derive joy and satisfaction from the learning and playing together, roles change, that's all.