#TBT It’s As Though We Don’t Want To Learn From Our Mistakes

In the wake of the breaking scandal at The Met, today’s #TBT post focuses on a series of articles that demonstrate that a failure to take Human Resources (HR) policies seriously is going to continue damaging organizations, putting stakeholders at risk, and generally mucking things up for everyone.

Here’s a historical overview of what’s come out from under the rocks over the years that could have been marginalized if the field spent more time developing, implementing, and reviewing HR policies.

Examining The Value Of Morals Clauses

How To Ruin Your Career in 10,000 Words Or Less or Why The Orchestra Field Needs To Take HR Seriously

Another Example Behind Why HR Policies Matter

The Oregon Bach Festival’s PR Crisis Just Got Weird

The last entry isn’t an Adaptistration post, but it’s absolutely worth your time. Retired blogger, conductor Bill Eddins, published a scathing examination of problems throughout the field related to racism at Sticks and Drones. It’s worth pointing out this article was published in 2011.

Uncle Tom’s Orchestra

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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