Composing Music & Conducting the SAP Orchestra

This article was originally released on Gabriel Rimmer's LinkedIn page here

In my younger years I used to play in an orchestra and then transitioned over to a 1980's covers band. You can probably guess which was the most enjoyable - for me at least. Most people would prefer to select what music they listen to rather than have something forced upon them. A fan of classical music is unlikely to be listening to Iron Maiden, Westlife or… Snoop Dog.

I was in an important meeting recently with some fairly hefty ‘players’. The conductor (PMO) was in place and the orchestra all sat ready and eager. We began on-time and quickly got into a nice rhythm; keeping on track and to time.

The meeting went well and although it included a few crescendos and even the odd ‘bum note’, the score was concluded with the desired outcome; both the players and audience satisfied.

The key to a successful PMO

A key skill of a successful PMO is to be the conductor of meetings, knowing when to intervene and when to let the meeting flow. As with any conductor, once the performance begins they often are not seen, but subtly steer the orchestra in the right direction ensuring objectives are met and time is kept to.

Sometimes we forget how to subtly steer a situation when we start to lose control. One approach is to raise your voice to talk over someone else, or intentionally interrupt. Both approaches have their place but can often make us appear out of control, too emotional or just outright rude.

A better approach is to remain composed and pick your moment to make your point. Or even limit what you say so then when you do speak people are far more likely to listen. Crescendo subtly to make a specific point or change rhythm and tone to surprise the audience and bring them back into the room.

Conduct yourself in a professional manner. Compose your own tune before you play it to others, considering the below:

• Compositions evoke emotion so remember to check in with yourself and ask what emotion do you want to evoke and what outcome will this bring?
• How do you conduct yourself on a day to day basis?
• Do you need to re-tune or include more in your repertoire?

Get these things in order first and you will find people listen to what you have to say – which is vital when it comes to conducting your SAP orchestra.

If your PMO lacks bite try our SAP PMO Services.