How do you get your entire staff - the star performers, the disgruntled cynics, the meek assistants - to work together? We asked Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the 34-year-old internationally renowned principal conductor of the Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal, for tips on managing group dynamics to create strong - and harmonious - results.

> Communicate a vision Unite and energize your staff by inspiring them, Nézet-Séguin says. "I try to be passionate about each musical decision I make so that it becomes infectious and people want to contribute to that vision."

> Validate everyone Even though orchestras follow strict hierarchies and the lower ranks aren't allowed to address the conductor directly, Nézet-Séguin makes eye contact with everyone, not just the top-ranking front row. "There's the danger - like in any organization - that if you feel that you're not responsible for decisions, then you don't put your heart into it as much," he says.

> Treat people fairly Like any organization, orchestras have tensions. And while Nézet-Séguin says conflicts must be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, it's important not to take sides. Take particular care not to give special treatment to stars, especially when they are underperforming. Any conductor who pussyfoots around a powerful musician when they're not meeting standards, he says, instantly loses the respect of the orchestra.