Leadership and the art of choral conducting

As it turns out, leading an ensemble and leading an organization are in many ways the same.

Last week, I saw this article by Shellie Karabell, which explains the process well, and applies what we do in the corporate context. And the parallel is also well documented by the amazing Ben Zander. 

In a performance, I do not sing or play a note. Instead, we conductors make strong and potentially transforming connections with our fellow musicians, which have personal and professional components. At NYCGMC, I facilitate and empower others to do the show, in a kind of extreme delegation process where the vision as all mine, but the implementation is literally all theirs.

Above all, I have to trust my singers and players. I show them the vision, demand a lot from them, and help them to understand what to do on a technical level as well as on an emotional one.

Then, I have to give up control, to allow them to commit to their own performance. In jazz, the players even control the form of the piece. We support each other, and all of us lead, follow, evaluate, take initiative and contribute equally.