3 experiences of safety and belonging
I feel strongly that our industry needs two things: psychological safety and a solid sense of belonging. So imagine how lucky I feel that all three gigs I had in 2023 allowed me to experience first-hand the positive impacts of both of these in the musical workplace I was in.
I want to take this opportunity to reflect and share a few thoughts about each experience:
Minnesota Opera - I felt safe to be the kind of leader I aspire to be and to experiment. I tried some things for the first time - in my life. Not all of them worked or resonated. Some backfired and I definitely felt some eye-rolls. But I felt good about being able to show up with my leadership style authentically. And I know that it was not an accident: the culture in some part enabled this. It made me feel safe and brave enough. I felt supported at every turn and didn't feel like my success was contingent upon doing the "right" things in someone else's eyes.
Lyric Opera of Chicago - I felt like part of a big family, like I was welcomed and belonged from before I even got there. That's a feeling I would not trade for anything. There wasn’t anything I needed to do to be accepted or to prove. I didn't need to explain to anyone who I was or why I was there. There was nothing to "live up to" because of that inherent acceptance. And the feeling of instant belonging was liberating. It was a huge weight lifted (that I didn't even know I carried), and I was able to just focus on doing the work.
Washington National Opera - I felt like I was seen and valued for the integrity of my artistic work. It made me feel like I was among others who understood and shared the same values and standards I had. It made me feel like the people around me believed I could do the work and trusted me to do it. That belief gave me a strong sense of belonging to the team and safety in knowing that I didn't need to be perfect all the time in order to be worthy.
Now, none of these were perfect, frustration-free gig experiences. Yet, it is undeniable that there was enough there for me to walk away feeling uplifted, seen, understood, and valued.
To me, the 3 major conditions are:
Aspiring toward a common goal or standard without prescribing exactly how to achieve it.
Perfection was not the expectation. Integrity was.
Recognition of, acceptance of, and support for who I was authentically.
It is my hope that more of us can experience musical workplaces that make us feel like we belong and are safe to be ourselves. No matter our position, we are all responsible for being the leader or colleague that helps make this a reality. After this year, I feel affirmed that this work is important. I am committed to do my best to advocate for and create these kinds of spaces for musicians.
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