Leonard Bernstein was a renowned American composer, conductor, pianist, and educator who led a remarkable life full of achievements, challenges, and inspirations. Here are five leadership lessons from his complex life —
- Be curious: Bernstein had a lifelong thirst for learning. He crossed the established musical boundaries of his time to explore and connect diverse genres of music, from classical to pop, from jazz to Broadway. He explored literature, philosophy, history, and languages and strove to connect these worlds to music.
- Be compassionate: Bernstein was an advocate for social justice and human rights. He supported vanguard causes and movements of his time, including civil rights, gay rights, nuclear disarmament, and anti-war movements. He believed that the arts could bridge gaps between people to promote harmony and understanding.
- Be bold: Bernstein was fearless in experimenting and innovating. He created original and groundbreaking masterpieces like West Side Story and Candide while adapting to changing times and technologies like television, radio, and recording by using novel media outlets to reach wider audiences.
- Be giving: Bernstein was a generous and influential mentor who taught at Harvard, Brandeis, and Tanglewood. He created educational programs and nurtured many young musicians, from Michael Tilson, Thomas, and Marin Alsop to John Williams.
- Be efficient: Bernstein was a master of communicating from the podium with minimal gestures and expressions. He knew how to balance control and freedom, clarity and flexibility, precision and emotion — observing that “the most important thing about conducting is to know when not to conduct.”
Main photo Courtesy of the Leonard Bernstein Office
