Richard de Hoop, CSP 30. May 2017

Richard de Hoop at the 4th South Tyrolean Knowledge Forum

Mr. de Hoop uses music as a metaphor for team building, comparing team roles to musical instruments. A successful team needs a variety of characters, like an orchestra needs different instruments. Clear goals, supportive systems, and the right musicians are essential, with the leader being crucial in guiding the team. Approaching work in a musical way can enhance teamwork and value creation.

Mr. de Hoop, it is not unfair to call you the "rockstar" among the Top100 speakers. You like it loud on stage, a functioning team is like a well-rehearsed orchestra for you. How did you come to link team building with music?

Music is a perfect metaphor and a source of inspiration to bring my topic of collaboration vividly to the stage. As a child, I wanted to become a "rockstar," I composed songs and played in various bands. Besides, I have the pleasure of regularly playing on stage with the best musicians in the world. The experiences I have gained as an employee and later as an entrepreneur and consultant in terms of effective collaboration can easily be compared to making music. Just like in an orchestra, the quality of music depends on the individual qualities of the musicians. Musicians only get better through constant practice. You can't make music if the musicians are not willing to listen to each other, harmonize, and play together. This is the same in companies.

Can we imagine every employee of a company as an instrument in an orchestra?

Absolutely. Since 1993, I have been using Dr. M. Belbin's Team Role Management theory to optimize teams and their collaboration. Belbin has discovered eight different character roles in his research that are present in every successful team. From my perspective, he has given abstract names to these roles, so I compare these team roles to musical instruments. Our clients say that this perhaps somewhat complex and abstract theory becomes very lively and practical through this approach. Every employee of a company can play two to three instruments (team roles). During my lectures and seminars, everyone will recognize the instruments that match their own character. It will also become clear how to develop these instruments to virtuosity.

What characters does a team need to sound harmonious in the long run?

In principle, all eight characters from Belbin: From the inspiring trumpet and the empathetic violin, to the precise horn, the rhythm-setting drum, the practical bass, the coordinating piano, and the creative guitar, up to the calculating harp. Of course, the composition of the team depends on the goals it wants to achieve. Just like in music, I can play with a combo, a quartet, or a fully occupied orchestra. It depends on the musical piece. One could say: The more challenge and complexity there are in the goal, the more important it is to have all eight instruments on board!

What is needed to shape soloists into a symphony? How important is the conductor in the team?

A team needs clear goals, purpose, challenge, supportive systems, and the right musicians. This means I cannot play rock 'n' roll with classical musicians, and hardcore funk is difficult to combine with Chopin's Prelude in E Minor. This is to make it clear that you need to look for employees who share the right values, meaning they have the same taste in music, as this is hardly changeable. This is extremely important for the conductor or the leader. He or she should make the musicians' eyes shine. When the eyes shine, I know I have the right employees who love the piece, have practiced it, and will confidently perform it on stage to delight our audience.

Should we approach our work in a much more musical way in general?

But of course. There is music in every team. Music connects, unites, communicates, entertains, and thus has great value. Every team can easily answer the question: What is our value to our customers? What makes our eyes shine? And how do we create fans? Would you like to experience our Top100 Speaker Richard de Hoop live? Then visit the 4th South Tyrolean Knowledge Forum.