NYS ARTS presents ArtsForward Leadership Training Webinar & Blog Series Leadership & Succession In the Arts Instructor: Alene Valkanas Session One What do Current and Future Arts Leaders Need to Succeed? This program is made possible with support from American Express Foundation and the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency

What do Arts Leaders Need to Succeed? Our Leaders are leaving their posts Does the next generation want to lead? Are they prepared? Are boards prepared to make good hires? What are the opportunities for retiring execs? Does the culture have to change to meet the needs of the new generation?

Our Leaders are leaving their posts

Does the next generation want to lead?

Are they prepared?

Are boards prepared to make good hires?

What are the opportunities for retiring execs?

Does the culture have to change to meet the needs of the new generation?

Three Studies Reveal Similar Findings Arts Alliance – Succession – Leadership for the 21 st Century First Generation of arts nonprofits retiring Most learned on the job Only 5% of organizations have a succession plan in place Organizations lack staffing depth to develop leaders within

Arts Alliance – Succession – Leadership for the 21 st Century

First Generation of arts nonprofits retiring

Most learned on the job

Only 5% of organizations have a succession plan in place

Organizations lack staffing depth to develop leaders within

Do arts professionals like their jobs? SOURCES OF SATISFACTION EL Artistic reputation Art/community mission Relationships Job Satisfaction Findings ED – 76% EL – 78% ED Mission Relationships Engagement w/Art

SOURCES OF SATISFACTION

EL

Artistic reputation

Art/community mission

Relationships

Job Satisfaction Findings

ED – 76% EL – 78%

ED

Mission

Relationships

Engagement w/Art

Do arts professionals like their jobs? SOURCES OF DISSATISFACTION ED HIGH Organizations Finances Stress/Long Hours Fundraising Unhappy with staff LOW Conflict with board Low compensation Isolation EL HIGH Organizations Finances Stress/Long Hours Unhappy with Management Low Compensation LOW Funding programs Conflict among staff Personnel problems

SOURCES OF DISSATISFACTION

ED

HIGH

Organizations Finances

Stress/Long Hours

Fundraising

Unhappy with staff

LOW

Conflict with board

Low compensation

Isolation

EL

HIGH

Organizations Finances

Stress/Long Hours

Unhappy with Management

Low Compensation

LOW

Funding programs

Conflict among staff

Personnel problems

Focus Group Findings Racial Barriers hamper minority progress Arts management degrees carry both pros and cons Professional development can be hard to come by Mentors are important but rare Lack of exposure to board hinders advancement Emerging leaders are dedicated to the arts The starving artist is an idea whose time has passed Professional performance must command fair compensation There’s no clear path to moving forward in the arts Structure encourages turnover

Racial Barriers hamper minority progress

Arts management degrees carry both pros and cons

Professional development can be hard to come by

Mentors are important but rare

Lack of exposure to board hinders advancement

Emerging leaders are dedicated to the arts

The starving artist is an idea whose time has passed

Professional performance must command fair compensation

There’s no clear path to moving forward in the arts

Structure encourages turnover

What can we do? Make leadership transition a more visible issue Make information about succession readily available Become an advocate for professional education Create opportunities for person-to-person assistance

Make leadership transition a more visible issue

Make information about succession readily available

Become an advocate for professional education

Create opportunities for person-to-person assistance

Focus Groups Recommendations Current Leaders Must Provide young artists with info about arts management careers Reward the skills developed in arts management degree programs Provide mid-career challenges and growth expertise Provide opportunities for professionals from the corporate sector to learn about arts management Accept some attrition as inevitable & provide mechanisms for those who leave paid positions to stay connected Create support systems for new leaders to help overcome the stress and isolation Encourage mentoring and communication among all levels of the field

Current Leaders Must

Provide young artists with info about arts management careers

Reward the skills developed in arts management degree programs

Provide mid-career challenges and growth expertise

Provide opportunities for professionals from the corporate sector to learn about arts management

Accept some attrition as inevitable & provide mechanisms for those who leave paid positions to stay connected

Create support systems for new leaders to help overcome the stress and isolation

Encourage mentoring and communication among all levels of the field

Compasspoint.org – Daring to Lead Massive Turnover – Boomer Retirement 76% plan to leave in 5 years 5 Arts service organization leaders departed in last 5 years Half of social service organizations are still led by founders Leadership gap expands with smaller population of Millenials

Massive Turnover – Boomer Retirement

76% plan to leave in 5 years

5 Arts service organization leaders departed in last 5 years

Half of social service organizations are still led by founders

Leadership gap expands with smaller population of Millenials

Majority of executive directors will not do it again! Challenges of the Executive Director Job Dissatisfied with Boards of Directors Financial Management and Fundraising – least favorite aspects of job 73% say fundraising most desired partnership area with Board Many admit to making significant financial sacrifices

Challenges of the Executive Director Job

Dissatisfied with Boards of Directors

Financial Management and Fundraising – least favorite aspects of job

73% say fundraising most desired partnership area with Board

Many admit to making significant financial sacrifices

Rewards of the Job Working for organizations that change lives of individuals and communities A level of autonomy Wide variety of tasks and responsibilities Opportunity to work in constructive partnerships

Working for organizations that change lives of individuals and communities

A level of autonomy

Wide variety of tasks and responsibilities

Opportunity to work in constructive partnerships

Compasspoint – Ready to Lead Follow up study to Daring to Lead Largest national study to date Profiles 6,000 emerging leaders across country

Follow up study to Daring to Lead

Largest national study to date

Profiles 6,000 emerging leaders across country

What did They Learn? One in three aspire to be an executive director someday A higher percentage among people of color Nonprofit Sector desirable place to work for social change Pipeline filled with highly educated and committed individuals Most feel they have meaningful and satisfying work

One in three aspire to be an executive director someday

A higher percentage among people of color

Nonprofit Sector desirable place to work for social change

Pipeline filled with highly educated and committed individuals

Most feel they have meaningful and satisfying work

The Barriers Lack of Work/Life Balance Nonprofit salaries and lifelong earning potential Lack of mentorship and support form incumbent executive directors Inherent nonprofit structural limitation Prevailing executive director job description unappealing to next generation of leaders

Lack of Work/Life Balance

Nonprofit salaries and lifelong earning potential

Lack of mentorship and support form incumbent executive directors

Inherent nonprofit structural limitation

Prevailing executive director job description unappealing to next generation of leaders

Recommendations to Current Executive Directors, Next Generation Leaders, Boards of Directors, and Funders Current Executive Directors Replace dated power structures Help staff build strong external networks Be a mentor Be a good role model Pay reasonable salaries and provide benefits Engage in succession planning Recognize generational differences

Current Executive Directors

Replace dated power structures

Help staff build strong external networks

Be a mentor

Be a good role model

Pay reasonable salaries and provide benefits

Engage in succession planning

Recognize generational differences

Next Generation Leaders Take control of your career Develop broad management expertise Join a board Find a mentor Work with a coach Recognize and respect generational differences

Take control of your career

Develop broad management expertise

Join a board

Find a mentor

Work with a coach

Recognize and respect generational differences

Board of Directors Pay reasonable salaries and provide benefits Ensure robust leadership beyond the executive director When hiring – get out of your cultural comfort zone Recruit young leaders to serve with you Funders Support leadership and training programs Ask the question Don’t be part of the problem

Pay reasonable salaries and provide benefits

Ensure robust leadership beyond the executive director

When hiring – get out of your cultural comfort zone

Recruit young leaders to serve with you

Support leadership and training programs

Ask the question

Don’t be part of the problem

The Ideal Executive Director drawn from focus groups – IL Arts Alliance Succession: Arts Leadership for the 21 st Century Honor the Mission Stay Stategic, Focus on the Big Picture Look Outward, Not Inward Be an Excellent Fund – Raiser Be Muliti-dimensional Work Well With People Hold Up Under Pressure Be An Excellent Financial Manager Be Motivated by Intangible Rewards Be Ego-driven, But Only a Little

Honor the Mission

Stay Stategic, Focus on the Big Picture

Look Outward, Not Inward

Be an Excellent Fund – Raiser

Be Muliti-dimensional

Work Well With People

Hold Up Under Pressure

Be An Excellent Financial Manager

Be Motivated by Intangible Rewards

Be Ego-driven, But Only a Little