Whether you are a CEO, a mid-level manager, or simply an employee who works collaboratively with a team, you might find a trip to an orchestral concert particularly edifying. It’s always amazing to see how each instrument works together seamlessly to provide a beautiful experience that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Here at Simplus, we know there are many similarities between business and classical music. The CEO, or conductor, sets the stage for success and provides the necessary leadership. Department heads, or section leaders, execute on this leadership vision, using the conductor’s notes, or V2MOMs, as a guide. And when everything works in harmony, the result is truly beautiful.

As you’ll see below, the parallels between the intricacies of a symphonic concert and the operations of a business are surprisingly close.

The CEO is the conductor

There is a question that has surrounded the orchestral world for years: could an orchestral ensemble operate without the leadership of the conductor? A study conducted at the University of Maryland set out to answer this uncertainty by having music experts blindly listen to two pieces of music—one was produced by an amateur conductor and the other by a seasoned conductor. The results overwhelmingly found the experienced conductor’s arrangement to be of better quality and an overall more aesthetically pleasing piece of music.

Just like an orchestral conductor, the level of involvement of the CEO in the business is integral to the motivation of employees, the quality of the work done, and the overall value of the product or service provided. If the CEO is doing their job right, the workforce underneath them is going to act as support to help the company reach their business goals. On another level, however, the CEO is the leader of the brigade, and it is up to them to be the visionaries and inspire their following to achieve greatness. Sometimes, both the business leader and the orchestral leader have to be their own best cheerleader in order to realize the totality of their objectives.

Departments work as the instrumental sections

As the musical direction from the conductor flicks from the baton, the orchestra translates the orders from motion into sound. But between the conduction of the music and the interpretation of the musician, there stands the sectional leader. This person, through much practice, has learned to communicate the motions of the conductor to their respective team. This is not unlike a departmental manager.

While the head of a business is expected to act as the spiritual leader and visionary of a company, the success of the organization is measured by the value brought in through the work done in individual departments. It is up to the leaders and managers of these teams to interpret the objectives of the company executives and translate that into incremental goals that drive the success of their teams.

Related: Four things that awesome project managers do

The goal is to operate in unison

The determining factor between a masterful arrangement of music and an unpleasant cacophony of sound is the ability of the ensemble to work together and understand that every component is important to the end product created. An error or misstep by any one part of the group could mean failure for the entire piece as a whole.

A team’s success is determined by the sum of its parts. It is imperative for executives to establish an emphasis on camaraderie and collaboration between individuals and departments throughout the company. When all parties are on the same page—with aligned goals and motivation for achieving those goals—you will begin to see value driven into your operation. While there really isn’t a set-in-stone equation to develop this culture within your organization, there are some best practices you can employ to get the ball rolling. You should lay out a mission that all departments can agree on and identify with. Strive to build teams that represent a wide range of opinions and skill sets in order to see all sides of the problem. Also, encourage teams to receive feedback as well as give feedback to promote healthy communication and collaboration between all components of the company.

From the outset, the practices of participating in an orchestral group or in a business seem like they couldn’t be further removed. However, both groups are hierarchical yet collaborative in nature. It takes equal parts leadership and team cohesion in order to strike the correct note and find success.

Simplus is all about finding that success and finding it the simplified way. Reach out today for a harmonious implementation of your CRM solution.