Knowing When to Follow

I play in a community orchestra, something that brings me a lot of pleasure but also offers insights into other areas of life.

At a recent rehearsal, I got a fresh reminder about leadership.

When you’re part of a group, sometimes you lead and sometimes you follow.

Every musician is responsible for bringing their best skill to the piece. But the music only works when we’re paying attention to when it’s our turn to step forward and when it’s time to pull back and support someone else.

We can’t all be leading all the time.

Yes, there’s a conductor. But staying together isn’t just about watching the baton. It’s about listening closely to the people around you—hearing when another section carries the melody and you need to soften, or when the line moves to you and it’s time to step up.

That’s true on teams, too.

I’ve long believed everyone is a leader. That also means everyone is a follower at some point. The work is in knowing which one is needed from you right now.

Good leaders don’t insist on being heard all the time.

They pay attention. They listen for where the “melody” is in the work.

A question to carry into the week

Ask yourself: “Do I intentionally provide space for other members of my team to lead?”

If stepping back is challenging for you, try listening harder for the melody within your team. Find moments to consciously choose when to lead and when to follow so the whole team can perform at its best.