Breaking the Sound Barrier

“Just before you break through the sound barrier, the cockpit shakes the most.”

Charles ‘Chuck’ Edward Yeager – US Airforce pilot, flying Ace, Test Pilot and First Man to break the sound barrier.

If you think about it, the analogy holds true. When an orchestra plays, even if you are not a fan of that particular piece, the sound resonates through your bones and shakes the very core of your body. It changes you. It lifts your spirits and for a moment you are suspended in a space of tranquillity, excitement or reverence.

This is what it can feel like when a team is operating at its best; seamlessly collaborating; unilaterally living the company values; and consistently delivering the best results. It doesn’t happen all the time, in fact for many it doesn’t happen often. But, when it does…

So how does an orchestra come together and deliver a piece of music from a bland piece of paper to a colourful musical extravaganza for our ears?

Well, not surprisingly it starts with the conductor, the orchestra’s leader.

”Being a conductor is hard. It doesn’t get any easier”

Sir Simon Denis Rattle, OM CBE – Berlin Philharmonic & London Symphony Orchestra

The leadership sets the tone, vision and direction of their team. They need to be clear, firm, direct and focused. They need to inspire, motivate, cajole and encourage their team. They need to be empathetic, disciplined, organised and ideally humble.

Here are ten tips from the World’s greatest Maestro’s that I’ve contextualised for business from an excellent blog by Classic fm:

1.    Immerse yourself in life

Music director of the London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle said: “Listen to everything. Listen to all kinds of music. Read everything. Go and see any art gallery you can, go and walk in nature”.

The whole of life goes into music, so the more you put into yourself and not just music, the more you’ll be able to give back to the music.

Translation: Leaders and their teams should be sure to be fully across their sector, what their competitors are doing, what their peers and colleagues are doing and what is happening in other markets that present a threat or could provide opportunities.

2.    Don’t give in to nerves

“Nerves are inescapable, but you simply have to go through with it – even when death or dental work sound like better options,” says Rattle.

“You have to be so secure in what you’re doing that you know you can still give whatever message you need to give, despite it. Just be as good as you are, and accept that that’s what it is. Yes, you’re nervous – but the music is more important at the end of it.” 

Most importantly, don’t forget to breathe, says Mirga Gra?inyt?-Tyla, music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. “Breathing can affect your mind, and it has the power to bring everything together onstage.”

Translation: The tempo of your team is critical. Tension is a killer and leads to friction, fraction and HR issues. So, the more you can cultivate a culture of vulnerability, acceptance, partnership and openness, the greater your chances are negating those negative energies that can kill the spirit of any person or group. United they stand, divided they fall!

3.    Practice

“Try it out, do it as much as possible,” says Uruguayan conductor and composer José Serebrier. Much like playing an instrument, the only way to get better is by spending lots of time on it. 

Of course, conducting isn’t easy to practise on your own. But it helps if you can play an instrument yourself. As Rattle says: ‘Play yourself, and if you can’t – listen to others playing’.

Translation: For any team to function efficiently it requires time, practice and experience. The more each person understands what others are doing and how and appreciate their role and part in the team, the better your output will be. Internal meetings, communications, processes and systems are critical to enable this and provide the framework for your people to operate. Fail to practice, prepare to fail!

4.    Get comfortable being the Messenger

“[Conducting] is about being the messenger for the composer, and understanding why they wrote every note in that piece,” says Marin Alsop, music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the S?o Paulo State Symphony Orchestra. “Then, you need to convey that to 100 musicians, get them all on the same page, and then get that message out to the audience.”

José Serebrier learned early in his career that “the conductor must transmit what they’re feeling a split second before the orchestra plays – because if you do it at the same time, it’s too late.”

Translation: For a team to work, as they are in the trenches, it is the job of the leader to have a big picture vision and share this with the team so they can appreciate how their work and job fits into this. This will give rise to some challenging conversations when someone is operating in a way that is detrimental to the team and however hard it is to pick them up on this, the leader must give them the feedback they need to course correct. Be the leader they want!

5.    Learn to use a Baton

Ever thought conducting was just about waving your arms? Marin Alsop thinks that, for clarity, it is essential to use a baton – and to find one that you’re comfortable with, so it feels simply like an extension of your arm.

“It’s very hard for 200 musicians to focus on someone’s hand,” she says. “So, the baton really serves as the focal point. You should use it like a remote control – press the button and you get the result.”

Translation: Setting the direction for any person is critical, otherwise how can they know what is expected of them. With teams this is found in the job description, annual performance plan & review (!), business plan, team targets, goals and operational plans. The leader also has to lead by example to set the example and be a role model. Not doing this can give rise to behaviours in team members that can interfere with the goals of the team and they will be harder to address if the people are simply doing what the leader is doing. You have been warned!

6.    Learn to play an instrument

“To understand the orchestra it’s helpful to be able to play at least one instrument yourself,” Jose′ Serebrier says, “all conductors must be able to play the piano, and they should know also how to play a string instrument.”

Translation: Understanding what your people do, the challenges of their jobs, the practical steps needed to do them are important insights for any leader to get their head around. Otherwise, how will you truly know what is possible and appreciate what is required by your team to do their job. That’s the sort of insight that can differentiate a great leader from an adequate one. So, get your hands dirty!

7.    Join a choir or orchestra

“If you’re a teenager now or slightly younger, just join a choir as soon as you can,” says choral conductor Stephen Layton.

“It’s a good way to get into choral music, but also, it’s a fantastic social opportunity, an opportunity to work with other people as a team. You make friends, you learn when to sing softly, when to take a breath – and teamwork skills. You learn very well in a choir how to work with people, because the sum of the parts is greater than the individual.”

Translation: Being part of a team outside work will enable you as a leader to spot what attributes, behaviours and talents serve to foster the better teamwork and performance. By observing what works and doesn’t work in other environments, be that at your local Surf Life Saving Club, Club Sports Team or Community organisation. You can then pick the best of these, contextualise them to your working environment and company and experiment using them for your own team. Plagiarism is the greatest form of flattery!

8.    Don’t forget to lead

Although it’s easy to feel outnumbered (and possibly a bit overwhelmed) by an orchestra of over 100 musicians, it’s important to try not to feel submissive to the people in front of you – “they are waiting for the conductor to give inspiration,” says Riccardo Chailly.

“The orchestra is a human instrument that needs a great deal of care daily. Try to contain their own artistic views and qualities into your interpretation.”

Translation: Most teams have a variety of personalities, including some strong individuals. This can prove challenging for any leader to manage, meet and channel. Managing people even in the best of times can be overwhelming and daunting. If you are the leader, someone believes you are capable of holding the reins, so doubt yourself. It is you job to listen to the input of others, but filter the sometimes conflicting views and reach your own decision. Then you need to confidently enforce its application and only change course if you learn of valid reasons to do so. Your job is to be respected and trusted, not liked!

9.    Make sure it is something you want to do for life

“The first thing any young musician should ask themselves is: do they want to be in this profession and are they aware of what they’re getting into?” says Paavo J?rvi, the Estonian conductor.

“Most musicians end up being musicians because they love music. But ‘do you want to spend your life doing this?’ is not very often asked. People don’t think about the realities of playing in an orchestra or, as a pianist, practising hours on end in a practice room.

“So make sure you want to do it, because it is a great, great art, but sometimes it can be quite complicated professionally.”

Translation: Conviction cannot be easily feigned. Most people will spot a fake. So bluffing your way when your heart is not truly in with a particular decision, direction or idea won’t help anyone. Do your due diligence and take your time to be sure of your actions, but when you are, put your best foot forward, follow through with your decisions and stay resolute. Wavering is a behaviour that ferments fear and distrust and at its worse, disrespect. So, don’t fail foul of that pothole!

10. Remember to enjoy the music

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the learning process – but remember to feel and love the music you’re conducting.

“My teacher Leonard Bernstein once said, ‘you have to do your homework and be very prepared, but when you stand on the podium throw it all out of your head and feel’,” Paavo J?rvi told us.

“And I think that’s a very liberating piece of advice.”

Translation: When you’re under pressure, working long hours to tight deadlines and demanding clients or managers, it is so easy to lose sight of what you are doing. It is also very easy to transfer your tension, frustrations or anger onto your colleagues and team, as well as taking it home. You owe to all of them to stand back now and then, take a breath, pause, reflect and reboot. Your mental state and that of your team is paramount to being able to do your job properly. If you don’t make time for this then your resilience will falter, your performance will drop and your results will follow. Take a break!

Source: Thanks to Classic fm for this fabulous blog from which this article was written.

Don’t stop the Music

There are so many nuggets of gold from these 10 tips for any leader or team member. The trick is putting the learnings into practice through practical small steps. Just like a musician rehearses so should you!

“Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable.”

Leonard Berstein