Episode #156: Making Leadership Tangible: Analogies in the Arts with François López-Ferrer and Guest Host, Daniel Wachter Part 2

Daniel Wachter, Chief Commercial Officer at Chromatic Technologies, hosts this week’s episode of the Talent Magnet Institute Podcast. His guest is François López-Ferrer. François is the Assistant Conductor at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. A son of a conductor, he’s carrying on in his father’s footsteps. Through his work directing musical orchestras over the years in both Europe and in the United States, he’s been able to observe how the psychology of conducting works across cultures. 

Here are some key points from their interesting conversation:

• Each conductor has their own strong point: you’re never going to find two conductors who have the exact talents or techniques. People have different personalities, and it’s important to find the right balance, as the human aspect is as important - sometimes more important - than the musical aspect. [2:49]
• A good conductor is a motivator. “You need to take your team out of their comfort zone to make them excel, but not over-challenge them, because it then becomes counterproductive,” Francois says. [08:04]
• Accountability and responsibility on the part of leaders is key. If you try hard to lead but your organization does not follow, you cannot just blame the people. It may be that there’s a lack of communication, and leaders must take responsibility for that.[14:37]
• When it comes to making decisions, a conductor’s - and any leader’s - biggest challenge would be maintaining sensibility and openness. There’s a fine line between being confident that you’re making the right decisions and being arrogant. [25:37]
• Leaders have a major impact on the culture of an organization but they cannot define it. You as a leader cannot be the culture because the culture is so much more than the leader. It's the culmination of many interactions of people within the organization. [27:38] 
• Every institution should do whatever they can to stay relevant in their communities. [38:53]

Now in its 126th season, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra reaches audiences locally, nationally, and globally with innovative and inspiring programs. For more information about how you and your business can support the CSO’s performances and free education programs, please visit cincinnatisymphony.org.

Resources

Daniel Wachter | LinkedIn

François López-Ferrer