When Lee Dittmar enters a room, others immediately ask: When is he going to sing? As a principal at Deloitte Consulting and the leader of its governance, risk and compliance practice, Dittmar has been known to liven up a lagging training session with song or even make a guest appearance at a party. He recently spoke to Consulting a bout his ability to carry a tune. Consulting: How did you get started singing for audiences?
Dittmar: Singing has been one of my hobbies for about 25 years now. I wanted to do it because I do a lot of public speaking, and singing teaches you how to breathe and project. And you have to have a lot of chutzpah! Here's my philosophy: It's hard to be unhappy when you're singing, and it gives joy to other people.
Consulting: What effect does your talent have at work?
Dittmar: I think it's kind of consistent with the Deloitte culture. We tend not to be a super-hierarchal firm. Our senior folks are very approachable. This is just part of the culture. It says we're real, and we have fun.
Consulting: You used to be in a barbershop quartet about ten years ago. Tell me about that experience.
Dittmar: That was so much fun because you saw it come together. There's something about four-part harmony. It's like a great example of a team—you all have your part to play, but when it all comes together, it is just amazing. That's true in any sort of performance where you're bringing folks together.
Consulting: What's your favorite song?
Dittmar: One of my favorites is the Beatles' tune, "With A Little Help From My Friends." I'll tell you what I like about that song; it's easy to sing a cappella. [And] I believe we get by with a little help from our friends. We're not designed to do it alone.
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E-mail jdurett@consultingmag.com.
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