Leadership lessons from an orchestra conductor

From Star Online: Business
30th March 2013

"A conductor may not be an expert at each instrument, but he knows how to make all of them work together harmoniously and make beautiful sound."

Japanese conductor Yoshikazu Fukumura with the Myanmar National Orchestra during a show at the National Theatre in Yangon, Myanmar recently. A business leader is similar to a conductor as he needs to create perfect ‘harmony’ in his business. – EPA

Understanding your team

Like an orchestra conductor, being a leader within an organisation bears the same challenges trying to create perfect harmony among the different variables in your business to ensure your organisation creates “beautiful” products and profits. According to Talgam, the best orchestra conductor understands his people, allows them to develop, treats them with respect, and yet gently nudges them towards the goal of making beautiful music.

As a leader, you might have a strategy as well written as a Mozart symphony, but if your orchestra is not well conducted, then noise will prevail over music. So, what are some leadership tips which we can learn from an orchestra conductor? I have outlined the Top 10 lessons of leadership from an orchestra conductor (some lessons extracted from Michael Hyatt's excellent piece on the Symphony Conductor):

1. Great conductors always start with a musical score and a clear musical “vision” of how it should sound. Do you have a clear vision of your end goal? Do you have a plan (musical score) that will help you achieve your vision?

2. Practice makes perfect even in business. The best concerts are well rehearsed no matter how great the conductor is. Are you practising your leadership? Or do you assume that you will automatically produce great leadership “music” without practice?

3. Great conductors get the best out of their people at the right time. They ensure their musicians feel significant, accepted and secure. A conductor needs his musicians. Likewise, a leader needs his followers and needs to take time to develop his followership.

4. Great conductors lead with their heart and are passionate about their work. Are you passionate about the vision and mission of your organisation? Do you lead with passion and conviction? The leaders' passion is infectious and generally seeps through the organisation.

5. Great conductors are aware of their gestures and impact. They have to be precise or their musicians will not be able to follow. Everything done is intentional. Are you an intentional leader?

6. Great conductors share the spotlight. When the concert is over, and the audience is clapping, the conductor turns to the audience and takes a bow. Great conductors immediately turn to their orchestra, inviting them to take the limelight. Without his orchestra, the conductor is nothing. Do you share your leadership glory with your team? Are you a leader that gives credit back to the team?

7. Great conductors are not super-humans. They don't do everything. In fact, they delegate everything to others who are better and more skilled. The pre-concert tuning is usually done by the concert master and other key chores are done by others. The conductor only appears on stage when it is time for him to lead. Great leaders know when to lead and when to let others lead. They delegate accordingly. Do you know when to take the lead?

8. The conductor focuses on his task and keeps his back to the audience. Great leaders similarly keep their mind's eye on things they are facing rather than worry about what is being said or done behind them. Steve Jobs is a definitive example of keeping his back to the audience. He didn't care about what people wanted; he made products that would delight his audience.

9. The conductor usually stands on a platform and is visible to every single member of his orchestra. This is to ensure the orchestra stays in alignment. Are you a leader who is visible to your employees and your teams? Or are you not spending time with your team and causing misalignment across the business?

10. Great conductors lead. Most musicians in the orchestra are much more talented that the conductor. They are experts in their musical instruments. They look to their conductor not for technical advice but for leadership. The same happens in organisations. Most leaders are NOT functional or technical experts. Most employees look up to them for leadership. They need to inspire, create excitement, have a clear vision and lead. Are you a leader?

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