More On The Value Of Happiness

Adaptistration People 082Workplace satisfaction is an important topic here if for no other reason than it is one of the most common areas where the field refuses to address its collective shortcomings. But I’ll let you in on a secret: the first groups to genuinely embrace the notion of creating and, perhaps more importantly, quantifying internal value by way of workplace satisfaction and happiness will also be among the first groups to successfully move to what is colloquially known as the next level without the usual uptick in labor expense.

One of the most recent voices contributing to the value of happiness is Chattanooga Symphony & Opera Concertmaster, Holly Mulcahy, who wrote about the topic in a 2/14/14 article at Neo Classical. Titled Happiness Quantified, Humanist Qualified, Mulcahy lays out her rules for happiness within the context of a professional orchestra musician.

Her article provides a rare glimpse into some of darker recesses of internal orchestra musician culture so do yourself a favor on this federal holiday and set aside some time to give it a read.

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.

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