Be a trustee of time
I loved hearing in a conversation that a leader's job is "to be a trustee of others' time." It's simple and pretty obvious, but painfully transparent when put into those words.
Musicians trust conductors and arts leaders with their time. Even if they don't actively think it or say it out loud, that's what's happening.
At rehearsals and performances, they want to have a meaningful, worthwhile, and enjoyable time. The expectation is that their time will be respected and not wasted. When that is not the case, resentment and frustration naturally start to build.
How can we evaluate our responsibility in this?
First, in order for time to feel meaningful, we must feel like we've made progress. And there are two kinds.
We need to feel progress toward a collective goal (such as performance of a piece of music):
How engaged they are - not just physically through playing, but also mentally through being asked to think and make artistic choices
How efficient they are - knowing the rehearsal plan of what is to be covered in a projected amount of time. We often fit our tasks into the amount of time we know we have.
How productive they are - facilitate how they get better and recognizing when they've succeeded
We also need to feel progress toward one's personal development (such as improvement as a musician):
How inspired they feel - do they feel motivated and fired up? Inspiration fuels overcoming challenges and growth.
How much they learn - do they walk away knowing something they didn't know before? Learning is a top factor in satisfaction and happiness.
How much better they become - do they walk away being able to do something they couldn't before? Success helps improve confidence.
Second, we can recognize that we are also entrusted with a musician's time outside of rehearsal. We can help enable musicians to be most efficient and productive in their preparation - communicating in a timely manner, providing sheet music that is adequately prepared, assisting with commutes, etc.
How can we start being a trustee of others' time?
First, do no harm. Treat their time as if it were your time. Second, notice when others violate musicians' time and do something about it.
We should all feel like our time is taken seriously and we are being taken care of. That's how we will do our best work.
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