You’re An Ignorant Dilettante

Adaptistration People 200Holly Mulcahy published an article on 6/2/16 titled I’m a condescending bore. You’re an ignorant dilettante. Please give us money. that takes a long, hard look at one of the more damaging stereotypes the field as a whole can’t shed fast enough: erudite posers.

But in her typical way, it isn’t just an extended gripe session; instead, the article examines three all-too-familiar situations and compares/contrasts condescending erudite responses against something far more positive.

It’s far too easy to get caught up in this sort of self-serving behavior, but that doesn’t mean anyone is beyond redemption. All it takes is an honest evaluation and owning up to bad habits.

Mulcahy’s article is an ideal first step in that direction.

“But of course, you already knew that…”

I’m a condescending bore. You’re an ignorant dilettante. Please give us money.

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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