Becoming Concertmasters

Leading and Following

When I was 8 years old, my Saturday mornings were spent with my violin teacher. How she scared me with her judging stare and her powerful gold, silver, and bronze stars. The only thing worse could have been getting one of the terrible blue, green or red stars. She’d whack the back of my back of my hand when I loosened my grip and wasn’t in the open position at the frog of my violin or if my elbow hasn’t held out just so.  Who likes to practice when you’re that young, especially facing such judgment of your ability?  I was always trying to skip out of practice.  I didn’t want to be just another performer in the orchestra.

In 1968, there were only seven television stations to watch on our little 13 inch wide black and white television. So, riding your bike, or skateboard, or playing outside until dark was what you loved most. Still, before I could head outside, homework and practice came first.  It took a while but, eventually practice paid off. When in eighth grade I finally fought my way to win First Chair, First Violin; I understood then. 

Everyone knows who owns the most significant role in an orchestra; the conductor does.  But did you know that the first chair, first violinist is the next most important? They are the Concertmaster and sit to the immediate left of the conductor, closest to the audience. 

The Concertmaster makes decisions regarding bowing and other technical details, leads the orchestra in tuning before concerts and rehearsals and sets the tempo instructed by the conductor.  Leading the tuning is not just a mere formality; if the concertmaster believes that a section is not adequately tuned, he or she will signal to the oboe player to play another "A". 

The Concertmaster is the first follower and being that “a first follower is an under-appreciated form of leadership.”  “… It is the first follower that transforms a lone nut into a leader. There is no movement without the first follower. We're told we all need to be leaders, but that would be really ineffective if that were so. The best way to create a movement, if you really care, is to courageously follow and show others how to follow,” according to Derek Sivers.  The first follower is the next example of Zander’s principles of the art of the possible; leading from any chair.

The principle of ‘leading from any chair’ is about shared leadership. As Albert Einstein had said, “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds” and in today’s organizations, mediocrity reigns.  With uncertainty, the fight for power and  changing times, we find such chaotic and oblique interaction that no one person really knows what is going on.  In this environment especially, success depends upon everyone playing their part, taking on a leadership role  (or showing how to follow) to lead from any chair in the organization when it’s required. This calls for courage and requires everyone to be involved and feel that they can make meaningful contributions no matter what their role might be.

Often we hear  about ‘open door’ policies within corporations but when it gets down to the nuts and bolts during troubling times, those doors don’t appear to be so open. So how do you find your courage to show others to follow? Here are some suggestions for creating a culture where everyone feels a sense of ownership, empowerment and ability to make a difference.  The three main areas are: 

• Clear and open communication
• Alignment with goals
• Having a reward structure that encourages action

  

Do people know how their role fits in with key business strategies? Can you demonstrate how yours do? Is your company encouraging people to seek out and lead from wherever they are positioned in the organization? If not, they’re missing a great opportunity to improve innovation, performance, and passion.  Create a support structure, a Community of Practice that gives people a voice and an opportunity to contribute.

No matter where we sit in the organization, we all have an opportunity to contribute in meaningful ways. Creating a peer-based support system might be a good first choice reward structure to encourage action. If your management doesn’t outright support these principles, perhaps the people must step up and voice them.  One of my mentors would say to me, “Sometimes you have to subvert the system, to make the system work.”  This is the call for courage and leadership.  Warren Bennis has said, 

Leading in the Light of Day

“The manager administers;
the leader innovates.

The manager is a copy;
the leader is an original.

The manager maintains;
the leader develops.

The manager focuses on systems and structure;
the leader focuses on people.

The manager relies on control;
the leader inspires trust.

The manager has a short-range view;
the leader has a long-range perspective.

The manager asks how and when;
the leader asks what and why.

Managers have their eyes on the bottom line;
leaders have their eyes on the horizon.

The manager imitates;
the leader originates.

The manager accepts the status quo;
the leader challenges it.

The manager is the classic good soldier;
the leader is his own person.

The manager does things right;
the leader does the right thing.”

You don't have to conduct the symphony.  Take a small step. You can tune the orchestra and everyone still benefits.