Did you know that according to a study, job satisfaction rates for orchestral musicians ranked below that of prison guards?
We see this heartbreaking truth in our daily work – conflict between conductor and musicians, unresolvable tension in negotiation processes, and little correlation between musicians’ commitment and revenue increase.
What sets me apart is my obsession with learning why these issues exist and how we can do better.
My curiosity led me to learn how other industries have successfully tackled these problems. I’m eager to help orchestras and opera companies evolve by applying those strategies.
Hubert Joly, former CEO of Best Buy, advocates for any company to have three imperatives: people, business, and finances - in this order of importance. Excellence in the development of employees (people) will lead to more loyal customers (business), leading to making more money (finances).
“Purposeful leadership recognizes that all companies are human organizations composed of individuals working together for a collective purpose. And the magic happens if you connect what drives individual employees to the purpose of the company in an authentic fashion.” - Hubert Joly
I wholeheartedly subscribe to this philosophy. Happier, valued, more purposeful musicians make better music.
It seems so simple, yet hard to achieve in our industry, because taking care of our musicians (and their goals) often come last - if at all.
My current fascinations revolve around how to 1) optimize orchestral team morale and cohesion, 2) create conditions for the most satisfied musicians, and 3) leverage people-first leadership for artistic excellence.
I'm a nerd when it comes to building work cultures, leaders functioning as coaches, and promoting psychological safety in the music industry.
These avenues are how we ultimately best serve our audiences and ensure prosperity in our businesses. I believe that we can achieve this - together.
Conductors, arts leaders, musicians!
Nobody is stopping us!
Have conversations with your friends, colleagues, and with yourselves to make our work matter.
Share this blog with someone you love, someone who cares, someone who'd want their work to matter.
Let's consider how we can:
Create a culture of trust and safety in the work environment
Infuse the group with a shared vision and goals
Be empathetic to the musicians' needs and desires
Explore pitfalls, biases, and limitations of our hiring processes and organizational structures
I don't have all the answers, but I want to start the conversations. I'd be interested to hear from you!
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