Contemporary leadership can take some lessons from the musical realm. An apt metaphor, leaders today are in fact conductors, composers, performers and lyricists.
Highly functioning leaders conduct their companies and employees as flawlessly as Leonard Bernstein conducted the London Symphony Orchestra. Consider the visual of this passionate artist as he guided each performer, singularly and collectively, through a complex maze of perfectly-pitched notes, all the while determined to entertain, educate and inspire the audience.

From a leader's perspective, one might view their employees as an orchestra, each member playing their own instrument but, together, creating a lovely interplay of talent and skill. When conducted well, a corporate orchestra can achieve amazing things; consider the International Space Station, the iPod and recent life-saving pharmaceutical breakthroughs. In toto, orchestra members respond to adroit leadership with an ease and flow that speaks to both the leader's charisma and expertise.

When was the last time you solicited candid and comprehensive feedback from your orchestra? Applause is great, but it's fleeting. You want solid data that will enable you to strengthen your leadership strategies and methodologies. Once enhancements are implemented, it's just as important to measure the efficacy of these efforts.

As composers, leaders create the melody of their business - in essence, the brand and culture of that organization. Take a moment to consider the melody, tempo and timbre of your company. Is it improvisational? Syncopated? Harmonic? Dissonant? How might you enhance the "beat" and "form" of your business?

Stakeholders, particularly internal customers, are acutely aware of a company's melody. The business' brand, the internal messages the company conveys and the culture that is promoted will determine whether or not the organization will stay on key.

Perhaps you've heard the rather corny term, "sticky song." It refers to a catchy ditty that you just can't seem to get out of your head. Good branding and organizational communications should become "sticky songs" in the minds of your employees and customers. They should be able to quickly identify and relate to your logo, slogan, mission statement and key message points. If you haven't recently assessed your internal and external messages, now is always a good time. Solicit feedback from your "performers" and your "audiences" to determine if your branding efforts are netting results, and if your internal culture is truly reflective of your organization.

If you are in a leadership role, you may not perceive yourself as a performer but, indeed, others do. It's important to be aware of the extent to which you really can entertain, persuade, inform, educate, influence and inspire. Unsure how effective you are in the role of performer? Ask and observe. Do your employees actively seek your input? If so, are they met with a closed door, or an open one? Do you make at least one daily walk through the halls and cubicles to maintain your visibility and accessibility? Do you answer your own phone as much as possible, or does your assistant screen all of your calls? Are you an eloquent - and humorous - speaker? Do others perceive you as being charismatic, influential, expert and polished? Do you command attention when you walk into a room and when you speak?

Understand, too, that audiences bestow upon leaders a great deal of power, an honor that is completely meaningless unless you're conducting yourself and your business with grace and unquestionable integrity.

The lyrics of your business convey your mission statement, policies, procedures and image. Consider your advertising and public relations copy, your brochures, employee handbooks, and Web site text. Do they convey a singular theme, or do they send the message, "We're a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll?" If you're not quite sure, you can bet your customers aren't either.

"Management is a performing art", according to John Kao, author of the book The Art and Discipline of Business Creativity and director of the Managing Innovation program at Stanford University. Kao says, "All the world's a jazz club … the creative role of the manager is to work the central paradox, or tension, of the jam session: to locate the ever-mobile sweet spot somewhere between systems and analysis on the one hand and the free-flowing creativity of the individual on the other." Bravo.

Whether you're into Springsteen or Stravinsky, Mozart or Macy Gray, taking some notes from the world of music seems like a surefire way to enhance your leadership abilities.