Joe Patti posted a fascinating piece over at Butts in the Seats which examines why a sense of guilt may be a strong indicator of leadership potential. Not only is it sincerely thought provoking but Patti asks some tough questions regarding how arts managers are drawn to the field. And be sure to stop by tomorrow when guest author and President of the brand new Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, Paul Helfrich, provides an insider’s tour through the Dayton Ballet, Dayton Opera, and Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra merger.
About Drew McManus "I hear that every time you show up to work with an orchestra, people get fired." Those were the first words out of an executive's mouth after her board chair introduced us. That executive is now a dear colleague and friend but the day that consulting contract began with her orchestra, she was convinced I was a hatchet-man brought in by the board to clean house.
I understand where the trepidation comes from as a great deal of my consulting and technology provider work for arts organizations involves due diligence, separating fact from fiction, interpreting spin, as well as performance review and oversight. So yes, sometimes that work results in one or two individuals "aggressively embracing career change" but far more often than not, it reinforces and clarifies exactly what works and why.
In short, it doesn't matter if you know where all the bodies are buried if you can't keep your own clients out of the ground, and I'm fortunate enough to say that for more than 15 years, I've done exactly that for groups of all budget size from Qatar to Kathmandu.
For fun, I write a daily blog about the orchestra business, provide a platform for arts insiders to speak their mind, keep track of what people in this business get paid, help write a satirical cartoon about orchestra life, hack the arts, and love a good coffee drink.
View all posts by Drew McManus | Website
Related Posts
Not unlike many across the country, I became absorbed with current events yesterday so today's original topic will have to wait. It's been an…
Whether you're home all day enjoying the holiday with family and friends or your orchestra is putting on a performance today, try to take…
Whether you're home all day enjoying the holiday with family and friends or your orchestra is putting on a performance today, try to take…