Expression v. Technique

The eternal question: what is the conductor's responsibility to the ensemble, a technical clinic of all conducting gestures to completely execute the composers music to the letter, or an emotional filter through which the ensembles music is expressed? With new friends beginning their conducting sequence at UAB, this old question popped up into my head. I have been under conductors and watched conductors who ascribe to both philosophies, I want to know some other people's opinions. This also leads to another question, and one I would like to get some opinions on as well. What does the conductor owe to the composer in a performance? What should be observed and kept in the performance from the composer? Hopefully, these composers are musicians and will use appropriate instructions, but what are the boundaries to be set for the conductor? and what are the ramifications if the conductor disagrees with the instructions of the composer, but likes the piece enough to perform it in his/her own interpretation?

Leadership

Another year of school has started, and with it come all the trials and tribulations, hard work, dedication, etc. This is my final year of undergraduate study, if all goes according to plan, and I feel as though I am in a certain position of leadership in school. These feelings have also sparked an awareness and a curiosity on my part into leadership in general. The motivation for this blog was a self-help commercial I saw on the TV, and also Delia's orientation "Team Building" at Samford.
It seems in the last ten to twenty years, there has been a spike in the self-help, motivational speaking industry, with bustling technology and an increasing desire to create the "global economy." Am I the only one who gets a bad taste in his mouth when I think about these things. I personally don't feel as though I need someone to tell me how I should live my life, and in what way I should conduct my affairs. I feel successful in myself, and I believe I will be successful as an adult with a career. It is wonderful that these people who write books and speak have become successful, but why do they think that the way the lead their lives will help me at all? I know a lot of people swear by these systems, but I just have a hard time believing that these actually work, or that they would make a difference in my life. Perhaps that's why it's a good thing I'm having to research "Getting Things Done" for Dr. Copeland's class. Maybe it will open my eyes to what these systems are REALLY about.
The other half of this blog is on the issue of building teamwork and "leadership skills." Anyone that's ever been to camp, or an orientation, or something like that knows what I am talking about. I find these exercises usually pointless. But the question is why? Is it because, I believe, I already feel like a leader, and don't need to build these skills? or am I just missing the point altogether? We watched Troy last night, and I said that I hope I would be like Hector, a great leader of men. I hope I conduct myself that way and that I am a leader in my adult life.
Ohh well, this was sort of a ramble, kinda missed my point from what I was originally going to blog a few days ago.
charles