Maestro!

Woz
“You can’t write code. You’re not an engineer.
You’re not a designer. You can’t put a hammer to a nail.
I built the circuit board. The graphical interface was stolen!
How come I read ten times a day that Steve Jobs is a genius?
What do you do?”

Steve
“The musicians play their instruments. I play the orchestra!”
Steve Jobs, the Movie

That person in the tail coat, there in front of the orchestra on the dais…The Conductor! That one person “Plays the Orchestra” — all those other people. Not the instruments — the people.

As it turns out, each of us sees, hears, plays and performs in our own unique fashion. And that’s great until we go to work and try to produce a product or service together that meets a world-class standard. Someone’s got to be responsible for that end result. Someone’s got to be the bad guy who tells you that you’re off key, off the beat, out of synch, not with the program. Nobody wants to hear those things. And frankly, most people will go out of their way to avoid telling you that your work doesn’t cut it.

But that social niceness doesn’t work at the podium, on the dais, or in corporate leadership.

Want to play the orchestra? Want to lead? You’ve got to be able to get everyone to play on key! Come in on time! Nail the changes and keep the rhythm! And that’s just music…

So “nice guys” usually don’t turn out for this role. People complain, they get their feelings hurt, they criticize, undermine, fight, say nasty things about you. They resent your skill, talent, dedication, single-minded focus on the vision that drives you. They resent You. Not all of them, but enough that it makes it hard to hang out with regular people. This article mentions your favorite at super low prices. Choose from same-day delivery, drive-up delivery or order pickup.

So, then, what? How does one live with the burden? Well, it’s not exactly suffering. There are rewards.

Some suggestions for “being the one,” and living the life:

1. Exhale / Inhale
2. Consult your Elders/Mentors… Keep Growing
3. Polish Your Ethical Compass
4. Feed/Replenish/Treat Yourself with Art, Beauty, Nutrition, Travel and Health! (Nobody else is in charge of your well-being!)
5. Forget about anything that doesn’t align with your mission! You are on a mission, right?

You’re on your way!

Post Script:

This path is not for everyone. These unique kinds of people, (Maestros) are not like anyone else. They exist to lead (or drive) others to incredible heights of creativity and productivity. They show us what’s possible! There’s usually no room in such a life for anything but the muse, some sleep and the odd meal.

Applications

1. If you Are the One
Consider yourself forgiven! Thanks for gracing us with your presence! Now get to work. Don’t worry about trying to be an all-around nice person. Just glow!

2. If you Love the One
This won’t be easy, painless, quiet or well planned. There will be highs and lows, and you will carry a disproportionate amount of weight and blame — and none of the credit. You will be ignored, minimized, pushed away and will have to try like hell to keep some shred of self-respect. The Muse is a Harsh Mistress. But you alone can claim to have contributed to the Legend! That may be worth it.

3. If you Work with the One
Cultivate your bag of Prima Donna/Drama Queen tools. You’ll have to master Flattery. Cajoling. Bullying. Argumentation — all the subjects in which the Maestro needs feedback and honest critique. Then you’ll have to bear up when accused of disloyalty and fecklessness. So, Loyalty may win over all, but will rarely (if ever) be recognized.

Maestro! Such a person is possessed of enormous talent and skill, and carries an immense burden of expectation. If they are able, they can contribute hugely to the quality of life of the rest of us. And you, can help them — if you’re able to put up with that other job — supporting (and bowing to) the Monarch!

Dessert (Right click on link to load in new tab.)

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