The oboist plays a note. It is an A at 440 beats per second. The other members of the orchestra join in, playing that note or another in harmony with it. The orchestra is calibrating itself. When the conductor enters, they all go on a musical journey. They rise to the level of Bach, or Beethoven, or Mahler, or Mozart. They collectively contribute to the beauty of the performance, making use of the same model even though the sound generation technologies that they use are very different. If there is an error or anomaly, it can be identified immediately. Once understood and adjusted for, the error does not return. The performance level goes higher, and higher, and higher.

Is organizational wisdom possible? You would not think so, given the disorganization, dissatisfaction, and disanimation that many if not most people face at work. There are those who would say that organizational cooperation is contrary to human behavior. It isn't those who cooperate that benefit, it is felt by many, but those who look out for their own interests even at the expense of others. Share knowledge? Certainly not. That would be career suicide. The point is to negotiate for the most and to give the least.

If organizational wisdom is not possible, how do we describe the phenomenon of the professional symphony orchestra? The keys to organizational performance and personal satisfaction are resident there somewhere. Fluidity surely is a factor, as well.