Leadership is a learned art, says Margaret Jamborsky, MENC’s director of meetings and conventions for almost seven years.
Jamborsky has led numerous MENC conferences, orchestrating the cooperation of many people and organizations in cities throughout the United States. Asked if some people were natural leaders, she said, “There is such a thing as an alpha dog, but that’s not the same as leadership. A good leader sees things from the perspective of the people he or she is leading. For example, I can’t imagine conducting without having performed with a band.”
Compassion for others and the ability to delegate tasks to those who can handle them are important aspects of a leader’s job. Jamborsky also takes the trouble to thank her hardworking volunteers, often with small gifts and expansive public recognition for their contributions.
Building Leaders
Is there a student in your ensemble who’d like to try her hand at conducting? Perhaps one of the guys in your brass section would shine at rehearsing a sectional. Who in your chorus might lead a group discussion on how to move most efficiently onto the stage at a concert? Can a student whose parent is a member of booster club work with that adult to organize a car wash for your group? Stepping down from the podium can offer you the opportunity to nurture future leaders.
Locate volunteers by speaking to those who show potential leadership or who request leadership roles in your classes. Ask them to foster leadership among others in the group. Find out what qualities students admire most in leaders, and let them know you’ll be looking for evidence of those qualities in them.
Idea for your classroom: Ask your ensemble or other groups of students to name ten qualities of a good leader. Have a student with clear handwriting put these qualities up on a poster, chalkboard, or SmartBoard. Encourage students to consider qualities that help people resolve differences, such as compassion, fairness, and a sense of humor.
--Ella Wilcox, June 4, 2008, © MENC: The National Association for Music Education (www.menc.org)