In a recent blog post entitled Exploring Character vs. Human Face as the Digital Representative of a brand, Keith Burtis talks about how an organization can develop a social media “character” that does not rely on a single person to create consistency and distinctiveness in social media interactions.
When I was reading this post, what came to mind was singing in a choir; it seems to compliment a lot of what Keith is saying.
For a choir to perform effectively and create great music, two things are needed:
- A conductor who not only has a clear musical vision, but can articulate that vision to his or her singers, in terms that make sense technically and artistically.
- Singers who are enthusiastic, love singing, and follow the conductor’s musical directions.
I’ve sung for conductors who couldn’t articulate what they wanted musically, and let me tell you, it’s not fun at all. Singers aren’t sure how to sing, and start singing defensively, and are not fully committed artistically. The result, a boring “reading” of the piece being sung, instead of a performance that unlocks the musical and artistic intent of the composer, and the conductor.
Any experienced conductor will tell you that it can be very difficult to get good choral results from a choir made of of opera singers, or other singers who are used to singing only in a solo context. There is both a definite technique and attitude required to achieve a proper blend of the voices for a smooth sound, with good “ensemble,” and singers who aren’t used to doing this, or feel they shouldn’t have to sing as part of a group, tend not to do this. You hear a group of people singing at the same time, but you don’t hear a choir.
Interestingly enough, a good conductor can take non-solo calibre voices and achieve incredible, beautiful results. The singers get to be part of an amazing creative process, and even though they are following the directions of a conductor, they are still part of the creative process, and are able to pour heart, soul, and mind into the performance. Being part of such performances is an incredibly rewarding experience, both for choir and audience.
My wife has sung for a Toronto area choir called The Exultate Chamber Singers for 25 years. The group has also recorded a number of CD’s the first in 1991. Now, since then singers have come and gone, and few remain from the 1991 recording, but when I listen to the recording, it sounds like the present incarnation of the choir, because of the gifts (and demands) of the conductor, and the dedication of the singers over the years. The sound, or character of the choir has been preserved.
This seems to me like a great model for an organization to use when multiple people are involved in social media interactions: a clear message and direction, and tapping into the talents and passions of employees to allow them to communicate effectively and genuinely, while still being true to organizational goals and values.
The conductor of The Exultate Chamber Singers has a rather self-deprecating instruction note taped to his conductor’s podium:
“Wave your arms until the singing stops, then turn around and bow.”
It’s not that simple of of course, but he empowers his singers to deliver their best, and to love doing it. This ability can’t be faked, and neither can creating a similar success in Social Media. But the same kind of magic is possible.
