Salus Forum: January 7, 2026

Walt, you and I were talking before this forum started. We both noted that Hitler was a very effective leader. But, for the wrong reasons, and enacting destructive outcomes. That relates to what Ron Heifetz is saying. Walt, how would you lead an orchestra in a way that fits with Heifetz’s adaptive model?  How do you lead in a way that contributes to a long life being led by members of your orchestra?  So, once again, we can turn to Joann Falletta. She is an extraordinary conductor who’s taken a second-rate regional orchestra, the Buffalo Philharmonic, and has made it over the years into one of the most recorded orchestras in the world. I think it is because, Walt, exactly as you’re saying, she trusts the competencies, the skills, and the intentions of the women and men in her orchestra. She thrives, and they thrive. And they’re always collaboratively trying something new. She is a leader now of innovations in classical music because she and her orchestra are willing to try a whole lot of new compositions and interpretations of existing works. She’s the champion now of African American composers and the champion of women composers. It’s extraordinary. I think, Walt, that Joann Falletta’s leadership relates to what you’re talking about.

Walt

Well, two of the things that I brought to this reflection were an important assumption and a related anticipation: If you want to learn something, try to teach it. So, it’s always good to have the blessing of being asked to present something. You’re going to learn stuff.

Our Salus Forum dialogue over the past two years has enabled us to expand our Salus spectrum into bio, psycho, social, cultural, and spiritual realms. And it’s interesting to see how that fits with everything that Bill B just shared. If you’re a conductor who operates in a bio, psycho, social, spiritual, and even cultural realm, then you’re probably going to connect on many levels that would fit with what we’re just saying.

So, what does the term “master: mean in this idea of being a master adaptive leader? Well, we have mentioned the actual names of a few people, such as Joann Falleta, who we would say are masters. We have mentioned other people, such as Hitler, who might have been successful but certainly could not qualify as master adaptive leaders. We’re thinking of master as being aligned with positive, constructive, and innovative outcomes.

One final thought about being a master. This is someone who achieves complete self-mastery. So, being a leader and having achieved self-mastery means that you, as a leader, are not just mastering everybody else that you’re in charge of. You are not somehow in control of others. But do have some control over yourself. Through self-mastery, a master adaptive leader comes to realize their oneness with others. Not a master of others. There is oneness with others. Not a master of others, master of yourself. These master adaptive leaders possess freedom, bliss, happiness, and the power to serve as a living guide to help others achieve.