CEOs as Conductors – The metaphor used by the authors smacks of a classic ‘hub and spoke’ model where all guidance and direction comes from the person at the front (the CEO). In this model, a symphony is created by the conductor “orchestrating” every move, every play, in a precise, controlled way. This approach works when the task at hand is of a technical, reproducible nature. Organisations and teams don’t work in that way. The authors observe (as many have done) how dynamic and fast-paced our work is today, yet the conductor metaphor is straight out of 19th century management theory – “I have all the answers and so to be successful you need to do exactly as I say.” This doesn’t reflect the real world and takes us backwards.
Where to from Here?
The authors finish this section of the report by stating:
“The movement toward the symphonic C-suite is proving to be one of the most powerful and urgent trends for organizations worldwide.” And that, “CxOs at leading companies understand that working, collaborating, and interacting as a team is now essential—and they are reorganizing around this model. We expect this trend to accelerate as organizations begin to recognize that the symphonic C-suite—teams leading teams—is the most effective way to tackle the complex issues businesses face today.”
I’m not sure teams are – or should be – re-organising around the “symphonic model” suggested. While we can’t dispute that change is required, we must be careful not to re-create the glory days of the all-conquering team leader/CEO who always felt the need to be holding the baton – to be the one in charge. While senior people always need to be accountable, it is the antithesis of good leadership to be always directing. We should be supporting senior people in a way that makes it okay to say “I don’t know”. They need to be taught how to be present, vulnerable and real. A leader’s actions need to be less ego-driven and more service-driven. Perhaps we can help them most by not using archaic metaphors about leadership and teams that don’t move us forward collectively.