How the Opera Can Help CEOs Navigate A Pandemic

When I was a kid my grandparents insisted all of their grandchildren come over for dinner every other Sunday. After the meal, my grandfather would play us an opera and share its story. Instead of explaining the dramatic narrative in the way someone would read the libretto, he knew he could hold our attention by keeping it racy and not hiding anything from his young audience. A woman has a child out of wedlock! A drunk carouses with everybody else’s wife! These were provocative topics to cover with children and we hung on to every word.

What makes opera so moving is vocal delivery. Range and vulnerability of the voice comes closest to expressing pure human emotion. It’s why sopranos, undeterred by coronavirus, can be heard singing from balconies and front porches to sizeable, yet distanced, crowds around the world. It’s why opera singer Andrea Bocelli was able to distract us from our mounting worries with a live concert from the Duomo on Easter Sunday.

Moving Beyond Music

My background as an advertising executive prepared me well for ever-changing dynamics brought on by COVID-19. I was always pushed to be current and relevant in the world, no matter what twists and turns fate gave us. This is a time when we don’t have to be encumbered by trying new things. Leaders must devise a strategy that allows us to operate in a world where there is absolute uncertainty.

In coaching sessions with the members of my Vistage group, the world’s largest corporate executive peer advisory organization, I find myself reflecting on teachings from opera and how they may help us now. Vocal delivery begins with gaining and keeping an audience’s attention through power, pace, and pitch. I believe these tenets of performance can help usher in a new wave of conducting business in the midst of a rapidly evolving pandemic. Here’s how:

Power: Standing by idle is not an option in uncertain times. Power is all about volume and how loudly or softly one can sing. The most successful leaders won’t wait to see how things shake out. Rethink and act on your near and long-term future before it’s too late.

Pace: What happens if you move too quickly or back away? Pace is the dance of slowing down and speeding up. In the business sense, this equates to calculated risk. What are reasonable risks? Stretch risks when the winds of change are against you? The important thing is to vary your pace. Charge ahead, but give your audience time to process and catch up when needed.

Pitch: In music, pitch can be extreme (rapid rise and fall) or monotone (lacking inflection). It can be unpleasant and cause your audience’s attention to wander. If you play it safe, you risk people tuning you out. You’ve got to find your voice to impact the outcome you’re trying to create before you have a story no one wants to hear.  

Standing Stronger Together

I don’t know how or when this pandemic ends. In many ways, it makes the time I spend coaching that much more sacred. I’m proud to lead more than a dozen high-performing industry leaders gathering for the sole purpose of helping each other reach excellence on a monthly basis. Akin to viewing artwork – each member will have a unique perspective. There is a particular confidence, relief, and success that come with this valuable resource. Please contact me if you’d like to join the world’s foremost leaders convening to shape tomorrow. We can start by figuring out your professional power, pace, and pitch. 

About the author: Jim is a CEO, COO, and founder with 40 years of advertising experience for clients such as Procter & Gamble, Anheuser-Busch, General Motors, LVMH, Coca-Cola, and AT&T. He is now focused on inspiring high-performers to achieve even more success, excellence, and continued growth as a CEO coach, Vistage Chair. He can be reached: [email protected].