How the Boston Symphony Orchestra Board broke trust with its musicians (and what they can do to earn it back)
by Roy Karp
Reading the news, I often say half jokingly to my wife, “Where is my restorative wand?” In a world filled with conflict, organizational dysfunction, and leadership failures, I wish I could magically pass along the common sense wisdom of the restorative framework and values I have been using and teaching for the last two decades. Looking at the world through a restorative lens, one has an effective tool for diagnosing a wide range of issues and identifying a better way forward.
“Restorative Practices” is a broad term but it generally refers to a values-based framework for building and maintaining community through a deep commitment to trusting relationships. These practices can be used proactively to build community or for collaborative problem solving and addressing serious harm or conflict.
The work of implementing these practices begins with a mindset shift. When people and organizations make this shift in disposition, they take time for building trust and healthy relationships and shift from “power over,” top down decision making to a collaborative, “power with” approach. While decisions may take longer to execute on the front end, it invariably saves time in the long run. When we slow down to build trust and hear from all stakeholders, conflicts lurking beneath the surface can be brought to light and creatively addressed by those impacted by the decision.
Consider for example the Boston Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors’ recent decision to not renew the contract of its conductor, Andris Nelson. According to Boston Globe reporting by Malcolm Gay (“Inside the BSO power struggle that led to Andris Nelsons’ fall,” Boston Globe, March 13, 2026), the move was apparently made without any input from members of the orchestra. The BSO’s corps of world class musicians found out they would be losing their beloved maestro the same way as members of the general public.
Globe columnist Joan Vennochi noted the Board’s profound misstep of not engaging the orchestra itself in its change process. (“The BSO board — another bad boss,” Boston Globe, March 18, 2026) “For an organization that needs to first sell the concept of change to the musicians who will be delivering it to BSO audiences,” she wrote, “ that’s a problem.” She predicted the Board’s top down process will negatively impact staff morale and even the quality of performances.
Without knowing anything about the substance of this decision, from a restorative perspective, the process was fundamentally flawed. As one of my mentors in this work, Janet Connors, likes to say, “You can’t get to a good place in a bad way.” The Board has stated Nelson no longer aligned with the Board’s “future vision.” Even if true, this should have been the starting point of the process, not the end. If the board had embraced the restorative approach, it would have proactively engaged the orchestra in its decision making. This would have built trust and cultivated a collaborative approach leading to workable solutions. Instead, they left them out completely and significantly broke trust.
A restorative process could be used to repair harm and build back trust, but it will have to begin with a mindset shift by members of the board. They would have to be open to change course based on input they failed to solicit the first go around. Admitting to mistakes and showing a willingness to learn from them could begin the process of healing. It could also help them regain trust by showing they are accountable for their actions and will no longer act with such impunity.
I have seen people and organizations shift to the restorative mindset. Fortunately, it doesn’t require a magic wand. But it does require a willingness to share power and see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow stronger together.
March 25, 2026
About the Author
Roy Karp is owner of Tidal Water Consulting, which works with mission driven organizations to support restorative culture change.