In our work with marketers and fundraisers, and our efforts to help them collaborate, we observe that strong and intentional leadership at the top of the organization is the linchpin. In a period of multi-layered crisis when so many organizations’ staff members are being called upon to support fundraising efforts to carry the company through to better days, it’s not enough to simply say “work together.” It takes real leadership to reimagine the two parallel systems that drive earned and contributed revenue and fully integrate them (and for those who are thinking it, this is a more complicated task than saying “you now report to the same person”).

For years, the role of the arts leader has been evolving, and COVID has put the continued demand for evolution in stark relief. In many arts genres, and perhaps most evidently in the performing arts, the emphasis of leadership has been on production and fundraising—incredibly important and central functions that are key to an arts organization’s continued success. But when the game changes entirely, we are reminded of what has always been true: the task of getting a performance or event on its feet is not the same as the task of leading a sustainable organization.

The most resilient and effective organizations are led by those with an understanding of systems thinking and organizational behavior, all with the goal of supporting a team to continue learning, adapting, and delivering. As we approach another period of reinvention, I suspect (and hope) we’re about to see many inspiring additions to the next generation of 21st century arts leader—whether new to their roles or not—who possess this important set of skills.

Whether we’re talking about shifts in revenue models, moving to digital-first programming, or venue re-opening strategies, the solution in developing new modes of collaboration is not simply one technology tool or another meeting. The solution involves a full plan for the human systems at work within our organizations, an articulation of the driving questions that should animate them, and metrics that go beyond dollars and cents. If we are to keep ourselves constantly growing (with our audiences) in the direction that our missions promise, the pace of change will need to move much more swiftly than it has in recent decades.

I mentioned systems thinking and organizational behavior; so if you’re an arts leader looking for a way to use these concepts to frame the opportunities for growth and change, here are a few seed questions to get you started:

Systems Thinking: If you’re not getting the output that you desire, where is the missing input? It’s a short question, but a critical one to provide focus in strategic planning. Your organization is divided into departments (sometimes arbitrarily, if we’re honest), but they are all collaborating to support multiple systems—whether those systems are the artistic program, happy and loyal audiences, strong communities, or many others. If you were to re-envision your organizational structure around these systems rather than around individual revenue streams, tactical responsibilities, or old power structures/balances, what would that look like?
Organizational Behavior: Organizational behavior looks similarly at the interplay of individuals/groups, organizational structure, technology, and environment—and how they either support or are supported by your organization as a whole. How well have you mapped out the needs of each area as a framework for understanding the needs of the whole? And when was the last time you had an honest conversation about the health of each area?

I started this piece talking about marketing and development, but clearly the implications of where I’m ending are much larger—because they are all related, and can’t be separated. While our work at TOCG is often with these two revenue departments, we are acutely aware that the solutions are so often higher up the ladder. If you are craving change within your organization to meet your goals, then the scale of the change should match the scale of the challenge. Only you can say, but are you thinking big enough?

_____

Tom O’Connor is the President of Tom O’Connor Consulting Group. TOCG is a New York City-based arts consultancy offering strategy, assessment, executive search, and leadership coaching services to organizations across the US—all with a focus on audiences and revenue outcomes. Tom has spent over 15 years working in the cultural sector, is on the faculty of the graduate Theater Management program at the Yale School of Drama, and received his MSW in Clinical Social Work from Fordham University.