On orchestras and startups
At a recent orchestra concert, a surprising thought emerged: startups and orchestras have more in common than one might think. Each musician, like each team member in a startup, plays a distinct role while contributing to something greater than themselves.
What fascinated me was how diverse individual expressions could still create harmony through shared direction and leadership.
Some musicians are precision-driven: their posture strict, movements calculated, and eyes fixed on the sheet music. They approach their role like engineers: disciplined, methodical, and focused on technical execution rather than dramatic flair.
And it works for them. Their mastery comes through clarity, consistency, and control, grounding the overall performance with stability.
In contrast, others seem almost airborne, leaning into their instruments, swaying freely, visibly moved by the music. They embrace expressiveness over perfection, allowing their passion to spill into every note and gesture.
And it works for them too. Their emotional presence brings life, connection, and spontaneity to the composition, enriching the overall experience (much to the audience’s delight).
Yet what strikes me most is that these musicians aren’t isolated performers, but interdependent contributors to a shared vision. Both styles coexist without conflict, distinct in method, united in intent. And what enables that cohesion is the conductor, a leader who sensed the whole before it became audible to the rest of us.
And it works for all of us.
Isn’t that the essence of a successful startup?
A startup may feel more like an improvised jazz session than a symphonic performance, but the core truth holds: a great team, like a great orchestra, thrives not by eliminating differences but by harmonizing them under a shared direction.
It’s not uniformity that creates value, but a leader’s willingness to recognize each individual’s unique potential and ability to integrate their contribution into a coherent mission.
And when it works, it does because directed action becomes harmony, not noise.