Teaching Leadership Through Conducting

This July I was invited by the Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business to lead a  workshop with young executives from Mahindra & Mahindra, the multinational automobile manufacturing company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. 

In the workshop titled, Innovative Sounds of Leadership: Orchestra Experience, I discussed leadership through the lense of the performing ensemble. I taught the 33 executives basic conducting patterns and then split them into small chamber ensembles where they attempted to conduct each other. After some practice and coaching, each group nominated a group member to come to the stage to conduct me playing the piano. As each leader came to the stage, we discussed ensemble, communication, entrainment, and empathy. Then we took turns working with the CMU Tartan Tuba Band. These musicians were absolute pros, taking the wild directions from our young executives and working them into the performances.

The day was so much fun. We laughed and laughed all while talking about the differences between leading and commanding, between being beside vs being together and noting the level of intimacy, humility, and vulnerability necessary to earn trust. We talked about 'finding' your ensemble where they are and noted how you can only direct a group that is with you. We searched for variables of experience that were malleable — leadable — and then pushed on these variables to find their breaking points. We considered the role of risk, mistakes, blame, and then revisioned those frictions relative to innovation. I am sure we could have continued the workshop throughout the rest of the week if we had more time.

Thanks to the Tepper School of Business and to the Mahindra Accelerated Leadership program for trusting me with your up-and-coming executives. Thanks to the CMU Tartan Tuba Band, you were brilliant. And thanks to my dear friend Lance LaDuke for making these inroads and modeling the leadership, humility, joy, and care that we should carry with us into every boardroom and concert stage. I miss you friend. 

Click below for all of the joyous photos from the day.