You might think his answer had something to do with the difficulty of the musical score traditionally assigned to the orchestra's second violin. But Bernstein made it clear he was not talking about music. He was taking about teamwork.
Nobody wants to play second fiddle.
As a business owner, you know full well the importance of your second fiddle, your store manager. Store managers know the importance of their second fiddles, whether they are buyers, stockers or cashiers. The store where an owner or manager does not recognize the importance of these players or is unable to gain the support of them is a store that will not be around very long. But it works both ways. Those who play second fiddle typically play it best when they know they are appreciated, and that their efforts take them closer to their career goals, however humble or sophisticated.