Count-offs at the beginning of musical performances, whether verbal ("One, two...") or symbolic (with a baton or a snap), are a fixture of live collaboration for musicians. Conductors use them to establish tempo and feel, and to provide guidance on how to interpret the written rhythms - the patterns of sound and silence - that the ensemble is about to play.
Similarly, in the workplace, leaders help set the beat for their organizations' and teams' collaborative efforts. For at least a century, they have done this largely by planning working-group meetings, huddles, one-on-ones, milestone reports, steering committee readouts, end-of-shift handoffs, and so on. Through 30-, 60-, and 90-minute calendar meetings scheduled weeks in advance to prevent conflicts and at odd times to accommodate global team members, they have established the patterns of active interaction ("sound") and individual work ("silence") that form the rhythms of their employees' collaboration.