Notes from the ''Knit your Own'' sessions:

1. Leadership: How do we nurture the performing arts leaders of tomorrow?

Leader: Anne Millman

Note-taker: Janice Mayer

Participants: Ruth Felt, Monde Wani, Robert Gilder, Michael Hardy, Sid Katz, Anthony Field, John Causebrook, Rosa Nolceva, Bongani Tembe, Linda Bukhosini, Gudrun Eichbauer, and Niels Veenhuijzen

Is there a distinction between a leader and a manager?

Attributes of a ''leader'':

            Vision

            Policy

            Inspire

            Motivation

            Curator

If there is a distinction: i.e managers also have to lead.

Role of consultant as a leader of interest as well.

How does one assume the role of leader – by evolution or parachute?

Training is a significant issue: in professional categories of all types all leaders need to be trained. Leader may be the greatest visionary, but may not know how to manage.  Leader must see both sides of the situation: able to protect the organization through interaction with the board and then need to manage staff who reports to him/her.

Leader is not necessarily the person who leads the group:

Taoism on leadership:

            Good governance/highest level leader is not known; Second level person is loved; Third level is feared; Fourth level is that the people managed think they did it themselves.

How do we nurture and find the leaders of tomorrow, or how do we recognize the potential of leadership?

Qualities of a person with leadership potential:

1)          listens

2)          sees both sides

3)          empathetic

4)          thinks outside the box

5)          takes initiative

6)          questions what has been said/proposed

7)          articulates his/her points well

8)          courage without ego

9)          influences others

10)       develops followers

11)       person goes the extra 10%   

12)       reads what passes by him/her

Nurturing:

13)       Provide training – we train people on instruments need to train     leaders as well.

14)       give them space to be themselves

15)       leader takes risk to give an opportunity

There is a giant leap between being a good deputy and becoming a leader: choosing to step-up.

Process for identifying leaders:

1)             Interdepartmental teams:

                   Disadvantage: very process intensive

                  Advantage: find out who has ideas – who takes risks

2)             Leader has to take risk to allow person to take flight

3)             Liability of going to senior staff as a habit – may overlook person under senior staff member

4)             Real leader must not feel threatened – must find opportunities for person to grow

Example: OperaAmerica has identified leadership development as a major issue. Suggestion to identify hot shots (ages 25-32) and create a ''club'' for them and encourage opportunities for them to come together and also to meet with senior leaders in the filed.

Need to be more pro-active – recruit.

A model from South Africa is to bring leaders from established organizations to work with indigenous groups and expose them to the breadth of knowledge that will serve them in the future.

Psychology of the leader:

Ambitious enough to take on the role.

Passion is key a leader will ''bubble to the top'' because of their obvious enthusiasm for the work – must do it.

Incentives:

Relationship between the economic factors and compensation for leading and accepting the risks.  In our field, we don't respect leaders enough as realized thru compensation and pension benefits.

2. Executive Education

Participants: Ernie Lisi, Susan Stockton, Charlotte Jones, Rogene Kirkegaard

This group addressed the issue of executive development and how learning models might be incorporated into ISPA conferences and Congresses.

Summary

Conversation concentrated on how people learn and ways we thought the New York 06 conference could be orchestrated to incorporate learning models designed to provide an interactive learning experience for participants.  Our thoughts are based upon the notion of creating an environment designed to encourage us to learn from each other in the most helpful ways possible.

We discussed models we thought best embodied the conference theme: UBUNTU: I am because we are:

Suggested models:

• a one-hour presentation to the delegates entitled, an introduction to learning and coaching which would cover the topics of learning style preferences the open question technique, KOLB  learning cycle, grow model ( Goal, Reality, Options, What next) etc.
• Peer learning groups

one-on-one coaching sessions with or without moderator would be available to delegates throughout the conference as a sign of the opportunity matching willing delegate mentors and delegates.

• Action learning sets

a small group dynamic where a  willing manager/delegates presents an issue/challenge/opportunity they are facing in their job; the other participants are invited to ask open questions of the manager that are geared to help the manager unravel the issue for themselves with the aid of questions aimed at their issue.  The delegates would be advised of open question technique so the question did not contain direction advice or judgement.

This activity could be a sign up option during the conference was in delegates and issues be organised and others generated a conference.

We suggest the open mic session of the conference utilise this technique with Johann or a board member presenting key ISPA challenges and the delegates will participate in the open question technique as a prime demonstration of how to gain insight to effect change and assist our organisation without the usual advice and commentaries be seen to be so well able to give.

Priorities

The above model implementation would address:

1. People learn differently; delegates would be able to identify their learning styles.

2.  Peer learning opportunity; harvests the rich resource contained in ISPA's delegate pool and makes the conference specifically valuable to every delegate us further justify the cost of participation

3. Everyone has a challenge/issue/opportunity that needs venting; the action learning model will give participants the tool to address this at home in a helpful and non-threatening way.

4. Lessens the isolation of executives and establish/continue valuable peer relationships.

5.  Builds competence and confidence for all involved

6.  Improves everyone's communication tool box; the coaching model will encourage involvement by everyone and in a style that is comfortable for them

Mentoring systems:

1)         Most had very positive mentoring experiences and continue realizing them throughout his career.

2)         Feel lucky to have found interesting people interested in them as well

            3)         Create partnerships

4)         Invite corporate leaders onto advisory committee – may discover leader prospect

            5)         Compensation for mentors?  In Canada it is a volunteer role.

What models of administration are best?

1)             Should organization be led by Artistic Director

2)             Should organization be led by Executive Director

Model may differ from organization to organization – not one for all.

How do you teach creativity? – question addressed to important writer:

Teach rudiments but Ôspark' can not be taught

Suggestion: Establish leadership retreat for department heads to balance out skill set.

Opposing observation: Department heads may be entrenched in optical survival mentality.

Young people may be more flexible – maybe should jump over next generation to younger colleagues.

In Balkan states there is no mentoring.

Everything is politically governed and controlled, can not recruit directly.  Young people have to go abroad, study and bring their knowledge and connections back to their home country.

Concept: Not all leaders as nice people

But there are different levels of evil. How do we define ''not nice'' – perhaps speak to different levels differently instead of approaching everyone equally and encouraging them to bring their gifts to the table rather than dictating to them?

Question: How do ''not nice'' people lead?

Question: What to do if your superior is a problem leader?  - Try and separate the person's style from the vision if it is worthwhile.

Brash young person might be good potential leader has to give a chance.

Finding Leaders of tomorrow

Does the model of a foundation setting up a program to competitively select 20 ''leaders of tomorrow'' and sending them out to organizations for a year-long stay work?

Simulated society game: stratified society, roles taken and leaders emerge by the end of the day regardless of initial stratification assignment.  Good exercise in identifying potential leaders.

One can learn more from leading small institutions more than take a secondary position in large organization.

Career paths can be in two stages: Lead small institution with success and then become number 2 or 3 in large institution.

Develop better relations between business community and arts.  Exchange ideas in a meaningful way – don't just go to businesses for funding.

Bring corporate funders and businesses into dialogue, don't just present awards at guest appearances.

Personal catalysts which led participants  into leadership roles: epiphanies resulting from rising to an unexpected occasion, appreciation of mentoring, reaction against bureaucracy – stepping up when the occasion arises – timing is everything.

Warning: leaders do not always succeed; they may succeed for a while and then need to move on.

ISPA's role in fostering leaders????

A) Three key points:

1)             Engagement

2)             Exposure – learning from others – get people into rooms with people with other perspectives

3)             Mentoring

B) Talent spotting –share information on good prospects

C) Create open space in ISPA for new people to come into the dialogue

D) Publicize and help match candidates to opportunities internationally

E) Make sure that integral organizations continue participation past retiring member – ISPA as a legacy for the organization.

F) Make sure that primary and influential organizations in the field are participating members and attend regularly.

G) The Ken Fischer model

            1) Be outgoing and gregarious

            2) Introduce people/network

            3) When you can't provide an opportunity for a staff person internally help them to connect to the next position or international experience (visa permitting)

H) Inclusiveness is good. Bring in more corporate donors into the process in a meaningful way. We can learn from them and they would add to the dialogue.

I) Bring in new colleagues – bring a friend idea for established members to bring non-staff newcomers. Scholarship adjudication would be needed here.

J) More intimate sessions where you can get to know other participants more completely.

K) Opportunity to meet established leaders from many fields. '' Swimming with the big fish''

L) Board should encourage continued participation by luminaries in the field – emeritus status? Ripe for mentoring – lots of knowledge and more available time perhaps?

M) Engaging volunteers by encouraging their meaningful participation.

N) Networking  - teach how to build bridges between and among organizations.

O) Foster an understanding of how the world operates

P) Valuing viewpoints from different perspectives in the profession – sense of a community of the performing arts looking at common issues from different angles is positive.

Q) ISOA is a model for other service organizations – senior organization.

Canada Council though doesn't recognize ISPA for support scholarships as it does APAP etc. Need to educate sponsor groups more of value of ISPA for community leaders in terms of how they enrich their home communities when they return from conference.

Key Words in reflection on the session:

Vision

Timing

Mentoring

Nurturing

Information sharing

Partnerships

International contacts

Intimate sessions

Sharing Ideas

Identification of young cubs

Leadership not only in our field, but in humanity in general

Inclusiveness

Openness without judgment

Humility

Mentoring

Inspiring

Recommendation: Three-year mission on leadership – potential conference over-riding topic, bring in other leaders in other fields as well to share their thoughts.