THE CONDUCTOR'S PLATFORM
Do you lead teams? Are you clear on your role as the leader? Step into the symphony for some thoughts on leading a team.
It’s been a lot of years since my Music 201 class in college. History of Music Appreciation was the course title, and the intent was to help us young aspiring producers, engineers and musicians learn to appreciate the foundation and history of what came before us. I don’t remember a lot about that class. I do remember having to purchase a set of “cassette tapes” (remember those antiques??) to listen to lots of classical & what was sometimes referred to as “real” music. I remember the class being at night in downtown Atlanta at my beloved alma mater - Georgia State University. And, strangely, I remember hearing what sounded like shotgun blasts in the evenings outside of my classroom, which the parks department used to rid the area of pigeons, which was really strange and a little disturbing - but I digress.
But I do remember a segment of the class that focused on conductors. Some were famous conductors that are familiar names to some - Bernstein, Wagner or Berlioz. Some were less famous conductors whose names we may not recognize or even know how to pronounce - Furtwangler or Celibidache. The point is, most people who would spend an evening enjoying a symphony rarely cared about the credentials of the conductor. His role was really only important to those sitting in the half-moon section holding an instrument.
As I consider the role of folks who plan, create or curate services or big events, (which is what I had the honor of doing for over 2 decades), I sometimes align the “service programmer” to the role of a conductor. Their job is to 1) Interpret the score or the music as they see it, 2) Set time and keep every player aligned, and 3) Cue entrances of certain sections, instruments or parts. Some conductors are famous for their body language and the energy they bring to the performance and themselves will get a standing ovation at the end of a performance. Others go unnoticed as they allow the orchestra to play on and shine as the star.
But then there is a third category of conductors. This makes up a good majority of the conductors in history. They are Composer / Conductors. They labor for years over sheets and sheets of blank sheet music writing, harmonizing, arranging, and putting mood and personality to notes on a page. Then they audition performers, assemble an orchestra, select a venue, and when it’s time, the conductor literally “Plays The Orchestra”. They play the orchestra as if it were a single instrument. But their instrument is made up of the 50 plus voices in front of them representing the tone and timbre of every color in the palette of sound. And as they conduct, it’s as if they are playing each part themselves. It’s a work of passion and the outcome is a beautifully orchestrated symphony, able to move us emotionally in some spectacular ways.
I’ve never played a chamber instrument. I’ve never been invited to sit in with an orchestra. I’ve never been invited to conducted a chamber, and I’ve never composed a sonata (although I do drive a Sonata - Hyundai, circa 2015).
But when I’m part of a team in the role of a service programmer, or if I’m leading the charge on a big event… I do function as a sort of composer / conductor. Taking ideas and directions from others, looking at options on how to move people in their emotions to think or to feel a certain way. Creating repetitive hooks of truth or thought that cause people to not only be reminded about a truth in their life, but doing it in a way that plays over & over in their hearts as they come to think of this movement as “normal”. I sometimes generate my own score and have the chance to build a movement around it… other times, I get to work with some amazingly talented people around me handing me a score in which I get the chance to program a movement around it.
Maybe you lead a team at work, or you coach a team, or you are building a team. Do you ever struggle over the members not playing their parts? Do you ever wish you had different players…? (a little tougher to be honest with that one, right?) Do you struggle, like I often do, in wanting to be the star? Maybe we as leaders can grow to a place to realize that as influencers, we have the ability and the opportunity to let our teams shine.
We have to conduct well
This means giving great clarity to our ideas, thoughts and vision. You selected your team to be on your team because they were competent and you saw their potential. If they’re not playing their parts, ask yourself if you’ve been clear in your leadership. Being clear about vision, intent and goals is just kind leadership.
We have to love our teams well
…not just for the service they bring to us, but for the people they really are. I’ll restate that they way I have applied it and have said many times to team members. “You (fill in a name here) are more important to me than the service you bring to this team.” We HAVE to get over just seeing the people we lead as commodities or executors of our wishes. They’re not just the woodwinds… they are Steve, Josh, Amanda, Ashlyn and Colby.
And we have to really trust and empower them
… with not just tasks - but with responsibilities. If we only expect the people in our team to do what we say, we aren’t really empowering them. They have worked hard to get to where they are. We have invited them to sit with this team and play a critical role. Give them that responsibility and let them shine. And don’t forget to give them credit for the win. Have that 1st chair oboe player stand up for an extra round of applause - they deserve it!
After all, as the final notes are played, we really do want the audience to be moved - and we want our team to know that they played a major role in making that happen.
I love the symphony. But not because of the conductor. I love the symphony because of how it moves me in some harmonically emotional way. But without a conductor - a symphony would just be a bunch of noise.
Do you lead services, teams or events? Comment below and share some things you’ve learned from being in the “conductor’s chair”.
