Make it play like an orchestra

Smaller organizations act very much like a small band. First, there is the band leader. This person is also often the lead vocalist. There is some background voice and music provided by the rest of the band members, and there is the drummer who creates the rhythm and sets the tempo.

Each part of the band is critical and to be successful they must all move in the same direction, at the same time.

A smaller drycleaning plant operates much the same way. The owner is the head of the organization, very much like the band leader and often the lead vocalist.

The rhythm is provided by the drycleaner who sets the pace for the rest of the plant.

The background music is provided by the rest of the drycleaning staff. To be successful, everyone must work towards the same goals of quality and service.

These small organizations are often very dependent on one or two key individuals. If the drummer slows his tempo, the rest of the band will slow down as well. In a drycleaning plant, if the drycleaner slows down, the pressers run out of work.

When the leader of the band leaves the stage, the rest of the band follows. The same is true in a small drycleaning operation. Whenever the owner leaves the premise, the efficiency and effectiveness of the operation falls.

In these small groups, every hour and each day is dependent on a few key individuals. The organization’s successes or failures are dependent on strong, focused and involved leaders.

Larger organizations can also get into trouble if there is too great a dependency on the lead vocalist, aka the leader. To avoid this risk, large, successful organizations allow each section of the business to be somewhat independent and well trained, with a general direction from the leader so that it will not lose its way.

The leader of a large organization is very much like the conductor of an orchestra. The conductor’s job is not to micro-manage each individual player. The players are expected to know their parts and play them to the best of their abilities

In addition, each section has a first chair who has competed for that spot and organizes their own section. The first chair violinist is often able to step into the conductor’s spot when he or she is not present.

The conductor’s job is to make sure everyone moves in the same direction and at the same speed; to modify an individual or section’s performance in order to create the best music possible; to maximize the group’s entire potential.

The conductor selects music to showcase the talents and abilities of the group for the performance to be given and to provide a draw for the audience. The conductor positions members within the orchestra to obtain balance among instrumental sections.

The conductor directs the group at rehearsals and performances to achieve the desired effects, such as tonal and harmonic balance, dynamics, rhythms, tempos and shadings, utilizing knowledge of conducting techniques, music theory and harmony, range and characteristics of instruments and the talents of individual performers.

This is exactly the job of the leader of any medium or larger organization, even a drycleaning operation.

This comparison can even be related to smaller organizations that are interested in becoming truly successful and less dependent on the single band leader.

An owner’s passion is transmitted throughout the organization. Your passion for quality, customer service, cost control and individual development is communicated to all members of your team. You understand each member’s talents and abilities and place them in the positions that best suits these talents and to the greatest benefit of the organization.

Meetings are held among the staff to maximize the company’s results and to ensure that everyone is working in balance to achieve the goals of the organization. The goals are nothing more than the completion of a piece of music with its fast movements, its slow movements and its solo pieces, where one individual’s talents stand out more than others.

The goals for a drycleaning operation establish how to work when it is busy, during the slow periods, to maximize the effectiveness of the strongest employees and to best utilize their talents. These actions are identical to those of an orchestra conductor.

How does one take these seemingly lofty ideas and put them to work during the day-to-day grind? It’s just that — you work on it every day.

Every day you’re considering what’s best for each of your key staff. Are they in the best position? Are they doing their best work? If not, why not? Are their goals clear? Do they need additional training? Can they be moved to a position that better utilizes their talents? Do they have to be replaced?

Just as a music conductor evaluates this each time the piece is played, a leader evaluates it every time there is a contact with a key employee. A leader juggles his or her time between orchestrating the staff to create the best possible performance of each individual and have each individual work well with the rest of the team in order to create a truly beautiful result.