Listen to the Music

The Ted talk video clip with Talgam was an interested look at how leadership behaviors are shown through musical conductors. Having played an instrument in an orchestra style band for 10 years, I can relate to the different conductor’s styles. During my time in the band, we had 4 different conductors and each of them had different expectations and had varying demands. Using conductors is a genius idea. It allows for the comparisons, similarities and differences between the theory of leadership and conductors acting as leaders. The comical way Talgam portrays the conductors and their individual personalities was a great way to emotionally connect the ideas presented through the conductor’s leadership methods.

I think that Talgam was able to make these connections because of the straightforward manner each of these conductors led their orchestras. Whether it was aggressively or passively, each conductor was exhibiting some kind of reaction and it was fun to see this throughout the video.

In my opinion, all musicians are really part of the in-group. As followers, the musicians see the conductor as the leader of the music. As much as some of the video’s commentary mentions the conductors are allowing the musicians to take over, there are still plenty of examples of the conductors guiding the orchestras throughout the video. Northouse says, “those that were based on expanded and negotiated role responsibilities (extra-roles), which were called the in-group” (pg. 22, 2018). In this manner, I believe musicians are all part of the in-group. Otherwise, you’d see musicians simply refusing to play or not play well.

In Making Sense of Leadership: Exploring the Five Key Roles Used by Effective Leaders, it mentions John Adair being one of the first writers to demonstrate that leadership is a trainable skill and the definition of management beyond task control and production to include decision making and communication activities. Using Adair’s theory, we can see that these conductors learned and honed their craft over time. Each conductor has created his own way of leading these orchestras.

Playing music and being in a group of high performing group of people is very task oriented. The musicians practice while the conductor leads them through the music. But in the case of the Ted Talk video, these conductors having taken the task of playing music to a different level by establishing relationships with the musicians to the point that in some examples, the conductor just stands there, nods or makes small gestures. I see that transactional, path-goal and skills approach leadership are all in action.

Talgam’s examples left me feeling nostalgic about my time playing music. I think he’s ideas of leadership through the eyes of talented and accomplished conductors were well thought out and they apply to an interesting side of leadership. There is more to the establishment of relationships in leadership than I can really imagine. We all know leaders, both fictional and in real life that can command the authority of a room with just a look. Conductors, in many ways, are critical to the success of an orchestra and it is build on the relationship with each member of the team. There is bias on both sides, because even if a musician didn’t care for the conductor, while they are part of the team, they must perform and be held accountable for their actions. I see quite a similarity between this example and that of an office environment. The difference is the sweet, sweet music!

Marques Thomey

November 16, 2019

References:

Cameron, E and Green, M. (2008). Making Sense of Leadership: Exploring the Five Key Roles Used by Effective Leaders. Kogan Page Publishers. ISBN: 0749455586, 9780749455583

Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and Practice (7^th Ed.) Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publishing.