The Lesson Of The Maestro

BusinessThe Lesson Of The MaestroBySultan Sobhi Batterjee,Forbes Books Author.for Forbes BooksAUTHOR POSTExpertise and opinions of authors published by ForbesBooks. Imprint operated under license. | Paid ProgramMay 07, 2026, 12:36pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Every business is like an orchestra, and every orchestra needs a maestro.gettyThere are many talents every executive must master in order to flourish in today’s competitive C-suites. For example, you have to have the restraint to consider all angles, but the decisive nature to act when others hesitate, and the confidence to commit when others vacillate. You have to understand not just the dollars and cents, but the psychology of business that lets you navigate those often-tricky channels of your own organization, your industry, and the community beyond. That’s just the beginning of a long list of qualities modern executives need in their toolkit, but the most important is having a management style that optimizes both you and your organization.Finding the Right Management StyleFor the longest time, corporate leaders followed what I call “The Command Style.” Executives barked orders and made (often unreasonable) demands. The type of execs who put fingerprints on every project, maintained order through intimidation, and were more interested in establishing they were in charge than in actual performance.Then a different management style emerged with the new millennium; perhaps, as a reaction to the heavy-handed practice of “The Command Style.” This management philosophy was more focused on feelings than actual corporate operations. I call it “The Indulgent Style” because it became the nurturing “mother” model to offset the demanding patriarch of “The Command Style.”They were the yin and yang of management styles, but as I began to grow my own businesses, I quickly realized that neither reflected my personality, served the...