What can we learn from a Conductor?
Growing up in a musical family, I’ve always been fascinated by conductors. My father and mother played several instruments; my brother played the guitar, while I participated in the town’s music club and played in the local children’s orchestra. There are childhood pictures of me holding a baton and imitating the conductor. I played the drums growing up, which have elements of conducting. I enjoyed giving the tact, driving the band forward, or slowing it down, and I learned the responsibility that came with it when I messed up the orchestra’s tempo at an important concert. But at that moment, the conductor showed up for me and brought the band back together. Later in life, I once had the chance to be backstage at Radio City Music Hall in New York and to stand on the conductor's podium, imagining the orchestra in front of me. I played the conductor for a few minutes, whistling a melody and giving instructions to my imaginary players. At the same time, I could imagine the pressure coming from the audience to perform and take responsibility for a group of people.
For those who know me, I often use metaphors from sports and music in my personal and professional lives. Lately, I’ve been thinking more about the conductor. Who is this person in front of a group of musicians? Becoming a conductor remains a distant dream of mine, but at the same time, I feel like I’ve been holding the invisible baton myself. While I’m not standing in front of a music orchestra, I have the role of a conductor in a business and leadership context.
The conductor could be seen as the middleman, or messenger, between the composer and the musicians. He is not playing himself, like a soccer coach; he is trying to get the best out of a group of talented players. Through communication and empathy, he creates harmony amongst the players even without knowing the hundreds of musicians an orchestra can easily have. He needs to manage the star musicians' egos while often having a strong personality himself. Most conductors like the spotlight but do their best work when they disappear into the music and live in the background. To do so, they are musically trained on the highest levels and have a deep understanding and emotional connection to the composer and piece of music.
In 2020, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, a 23-year-old cellist, successfully recorded Elgar’s Cello Concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Simon Rattle. The classical music world was stunned by the performance and praised it as the best performance since the concerto’s origin in 1919. For Sir Rattle, it’s not a coincidence that Sheku could play Elgar’s Concerto so outstandingly. Besides the undeniable talent of the young cellist, Rattle believes the similarities in the personalities of Kanneh-Mason and Elgar take the listener to a higher place. Sir Rattle and other leaders have the sensitivity and emotional intelligence to make those invisible connections. It’s a form of creativity and the ability to imagine that can lead to the most special outcome.
For me, the most meaningful way to lead and coach is to support someone far beyond their role in the orchestra. Caring for team members results in commitment and trust. If a leader is approachable and accountable, people see value in the demand for discipline and performance for their growth. A leader prioritizes conflict and doesn’t avoid respectful argumentation. They have the tools to turn a critical situation into a moment of reflection, learning, and growth. Socially intelligent people know that there will always be a give and take in life and that winning a title only comes with hard work—personal and professional. Leaders are agile and can adapt to environments quickly without losing themselves or their focus. They are constantly self-developing and are often driven by curiosity. Like the conductor, they like giving tact and being in command. But most importantly, they understand that they don’t exist without the musicians, composers, music, and their audience.
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