Our paradigms dramatically affect our judgment and our decision making by influencing our perceptions. Paradigms are sets of rules and regulations that do two things: 1.) They establish boundaries 2.) They provide rules for success by allowing for problems to be solved within these boundaries. In order to make a good judgment about career planning (the future) and to successfully accomplish crafting a career plan, we must recognize our current boundaries and be ready to go beyond them. Example: Yes, I believe I can achieve the 'American … [Read more...]
Clarity & Observation
Developing a career plan was natural for me, as I was fortunate to discover what I wanted to do at a very early age. Initially, I figured out the general steps to reach my goal, which included finding the appropriate college degrees to earn. However, after completing both undergraduate and graduate school, I recognized that there was so much more I needed to know, and wanted to know, before reaching my ultimate goal. I realized this journey would be a lot longer than I initially anticipated. As with many emerging leaders, the biggest … [Read more...]
Kill Your Darlings!
“Kill your darlings!” we were told by William Faulkner, a sentiment we take to heart in our writing and our creative practice. Authors must often rid themselves of their most labored over, most precious passages, for the greater good of the literary work. Unfortunately career planning and career paths ask you to “Kill your darlings” as well, and for me this has been the harder lesson to learn. In careers, as in writing, those things you spent the most time on, that you poured yourself and your heart into, sometimes do not have a place in the … [Read more...]
It’s About Defining Your Values
I think that defining your values is far more important than defining your career path. Careers change, values do not. Know the impact that you want to have in the world and set goals towards making it happen. When you let your values be your guide, the career path reveals itself! It may take years or decades, but you'll get there eventually. … [Read more...]
Get A Mentor
I got my first CEO job at a nonprofit because the woman who hired me as her second in command told me she would invest in my development and ensure that I was prepared to take over when she retired – and she did just that. Her investment in me cut 3-5 years off of my career plan. Thinking back, some of my best positions came as a result of a referral from a mentor or because someone advocated for me to be hired into a position where I was not a clear ‘fit’. On the other side of this is the time I spent languishing in positions where I knew I … [Read more...]
It’s Not A Career. It’s A Lifestyle.
It's hard to plan for how to follow your dreams. And those of us who work in the arts have landed here because of a personal calling, following an often non-linear path because dreams don’t form a straight line. Individuals have been taking care of the business of arts for as long as art has existed, but arts administration still isn't often a profession your high school counselor talks to you about or you see in children's books about what to be when you grow up. In my experience, arts management chooses you. I am a classically trained … [Read more...]
Your Career Plan: It’s not always a straight line!
Even though I am not an arts administrator, I have had to wear small versions of that hat in my career as a professional musician. In my past life as a member of a string quartet that was a non-profit, my colleagues and I were responsible for many aspects of the business, from planning tours to working with our board, to fundraising and everything in between. That kind of work made me realize that there were many gaps in my training to be a professional. Yes, I received excellent training to help me be the best musician I could be, but as … [Read more...]
Feeling Alive
The following two thoughts cross my mind nearly everyday. When I forget why I’ve chosen to build an unconventional career, they remind me. The first is of my friend, Seth Vidal, who was killed on July 8th, 2013 at the age of 36 when he was struck by a car while biking. The second is of Mister Rogers, who said, "You rarely have time for everything you want in this life so you have to make choices. And hopefully those choices can come from a deep sense of who you are." My time, a huge portion of which I spend working, is limited. … [Read more...]
The Career Knapsack
As a recent MA graduate in Arts Management, I thought I had lots of career plan steps under control. That was not the case. Though I’d had a semester-long career prep seminar, a team of cheerleader colleagues behind me and a very clear idea of where I wanted to be, I could not answer the seemingly easiest question, “Where am I now?” I found myself caught in career purgatory like a little gypsy with a collection of read-between-the-resume-lines experiences in my nomad’s knapsack. I’d packed a couple years of field experience, a slew of … [Read more...]
Civic Health. Civic Equity. Civic Capacity.
Michael Rohd, Founding Artistic Director of Sojourn Theatre and Founder & Director of The Center for Performance and Civic Practice shares the values that guide both organizations: Civic Health. Civic Equity. Civic Capacity. Rohd conveys how these values are integrated into every decision made by both organizations and the approach taken to support equity conceptually through their work and literally in the community. … [Read more...]
On Values & Building Community
Inclusivity. Creativity & Innovation. Integrity. These are the values that Irfana Jetha Noorani thrives on through her work with the 11th Street Bridge Park. Each day is about bringing communities together around a civic space and it is these values that serve as the thread stringing all the aspects of her work together. … [Read more...]
Scott Kratz: Values
The intentionality of our actions, the generosity of our time and the creation of an authentic space. These are some of the ways that Scott Kratz, Director of the 11th Street Bridge Park, brings his values into his work. … [Read more...]
We’re Better Together
HowlRound is a commons by and for theatremakers. No one owns a commons, it exists for the benefit of all, and the role HowlRound plays is not one of curator, but rather of steward, of enabler. We believe in operating from a place of abundance, rather than scarcity. We believe that there is enough for everyone, and promote collaboration over competition. All HowlRound platforms and programs (an online journal, livestreaming television channel, interactive data map, in person convenings, etc.) are designed to create openness, … [Read more...]
The Commons
Growing up, the public library was a place that allowed Polly Carl, Director & Editor of HowlRound: A Center for the Theater Commons, to find belonging and access imagination. This introduction to a commons model is something that s/he's continued to carry and that influences all that s/he brings as a leader to the organization. The commons model is all about inclusivity. Carl honors and encourages this through her/his work at HowlRound. Inclusivity is so engrained in the organization, Carl says that the staff must have buy-in to this … [Read more...]
The Ethics of Process
I think a lot about how outcomes can be deceiving. What I mean by this is that a beautiful work of art is sometimes not so beautiful in the making. How many times have we heard about a director sexually abusing his cast in the process of making a great movie, or intern/assistant labor being exploited in the process of creating a million dollar artwork? Too many. I think about the types of values that we promote when we celebrate an outcome but fail to examine what goes into achieving that outcome. I think about this especially in the context … [Read more...]