Chapter 13 Integration of Managing and the Arts
What’s every day look like for an arts manager? It’s preparing yourself for discontinuous activity interrupted by meetings The Plan? 1. Recognize what’s really happening 2. Assessing appropriate and timely action 3. Reflecting and regrouping 4. Think and do strategically No plan? Then watch out you don’t fall into the patterns of behavior exhibited by a dysfunctional manager.
The Dysfunctional Arts Manager Dysfunctional arts managers are often a byproduct of attempting to do too much with too little. People like to think they can handle multiple job responsibilities and duties with high stress levels, however everyone has their limits. Arts organizations seldom have the financial resources to hire enough people to do the work of the business. The result is a wide span of job functions with often unclear outcome objectives. The arts manager faces the dilemma of evaluating where they will spend their time every day knowing they are spreading themselves too thin to be effective in all areas. People also invest emotionally in working for arts organizations and failure trying to do an impossible job becomes a personal failure. Passion without perspective can trap an arts manager into creating a set of unrealistic expectations that others in the organization will mirror their attitudes and behaviors. One place to start in formulating a plan to not becoming a dysfunctional manager is by recognizing and adapting to the “conundrums of managing.”
Navigating Mintzberg’s Conundrums of Managing * THINKING CONUNDRUMS PEOPLE CONUNDRUMS The Syndrome of Superficiality The Enigma of Order The Predicament of Planning The Paradox of Control INFORMATION ACTION CONUNDRUMS CONUNDRUMS The Ambiguity of Acting The Dilemma of Delegating The Riddle of Change The Mystery of Measuring To help from slipping into dysfunction you must realize that the day-to-day life as an arts manager is going to be challenging. Challenging doesn’t mean impossible, but it does imply you need to be disciplined about how you allocate your time and energy as a leader and manager. Consider the risk factors related to these key conundrums and the potential for your organization to create lasting impact through its programs in decision making. * Managing , Henry Minztberg, p. 159, 2009-2011.
Leveraging a Mix of Management Styles to be Effective Rather that becoming overwhelmed be the challenges of your job as an arts manager or resigning yourself to unsolvable conundrums, step back and assess where your management and leadership strengths lie. Are you more Are you more of a Or do you mix of a Systems Analytical and match Manager? styles to Manager? circumstances? Are you more of an Organic Manager?
Management Styles Analytical Manager Changing the culture • Analyzes dysfunction • Adaptive approach • Cooperation, not coercion • Seeks board and staff support • Defines new culture and values for the group
Systems Manager Structure and control • Analyzes dysfunction • Formulates organizational development plan • Installs better control systems (finance, personnel, etc.) • Revises job descriptions and redefines working relationships • Actively engages with staff to provide feedback on job performance
Organic Manager Adjustment and adaptation • Analyzes dysfunction • Views organization as an evolving organism • Focuses on prevention and symptoms and causes • Promotes flexible job boundaries and team work • Recognizes control is relative and some chaos is good
Organic Analytical Systems Manager Manager Manager INTEGRATION OF STYLES --------------------------- It all starts with analysis
Analytical Manager Systems Manager Organic Manager Process Mgt Model Contingency Operating System Open System Human Relations Model Model
Formulating Strategy Using Contingencies Using a contingency operating system helps the arts manager make plans, but it requires carefully using strategies designed to achieve the outputs and outcomes of the organization. Strategies evolve, change and need to be intentional and focused. Working closely with the board and staff helps ensure the arts manager is keeping a sense of perspective about what’s working and not. Growth Strategy: Increase, diversify, encompass Types of Strategies to Stability Strategy: Maintain, focus, strengthen Apply in Retrenchment Strategy: Discontinue, pull back, Contingency consolidate System Combination of Strategies: Apply a mix of the three to maximize mission fulfillment
Which brings us back to … What’s every day look like for an arts manager? It’s about being prepared for discontinuous activity, many meetings, and a slew of management conundrums to sort out The Plan You Now Have Is To . . . 1. Recognize what’s really , really happening in the situations you face 2. Assess appropriate and timely action through your management style 3. Reflect and regroup to manage another day 4. Think about the strategic direction your organization is and where are going on a personal level And keep working on the skills and abilities of effective arts managers . . .
The Skills and Abilities You’ll Need Always Be Working On Planning & Development Planning takes practice and so make it ongoing activity. Don’t wait for all the conditions for planning to be perfect. Engage your staff in planning that supports development and fundraising so the two are connected in building a forward looking organization Marketing and Public Relations Keep focused on getting the message out to the widest public audience while putting financial resources to support imaginative marketing, promotion, and advertising of your programming . Personnel and Financial Management Be relentless in seeking the best people you can afford and don’t be reluctant to drop someone who isn’t adding value to the organization. One bad hire can drag everyone’s productivity down. Treat every dollar as if it were your own and demand accountability for the impact of every dollar spent. Government Relations Assume your organization is part of the political ecology of your community and not outside or above it. Be present at public meetings and clear about how your organization makes an impact. Find out what your arts patrons value about good government and help be a voice for their concerns.
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