An employee-centric approach
Artistic organizations often strive to improve by focusing on their audiences--a customer-centric approach.
We consider how we could cater to what audiences want, what they need, and how they feel. We strategize how we can get them to the hall or how we can bring ourselves to them. We explore avenues to reach a diverse audience and to increase our reach. As in any industry, customers are never going to be completely happy. Something can always be better, and it is fantastic to always aim for better customer experience.
At the same time, I don't see enough of an equal emphasis on employees, the orchestral musicians delivering the product to the customers. The conductor as a leader actually spends a larger proportion of their time in front of the musicians rather than the audience. So we are more responsible for the people who are responsible for the customer - to make them feel indispensable, valued, growing, belonging, and impactful. Not simply a cog in the wheel.
We poll our audience for their satisfaction with their experiences. We should also poll our employees. We ask audiences what they want and need, and for their opinions. We should also ask our employees.
It doesn't have to be an either or scenario - only thinking about the customers or only about the employees. It can be both.
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In thinking about an employee-centric approach, I hope to consider how I might take these two actions:
Find out what they want, what they need, and how they feel about their experience - artistically and personally
Include the orchestra as a crucial facet of the customer-centric approach - get their buy-in to serve the customers by highlighting purpose
So to take action, here's a running list of some questions I'm hoping to sprinkle into my interactions with my musicians, in rehearsals, meetings, conversations, etc:
To find out what they want, need, and feel
Did anything surprise you in today's rehearsal?
Are there artistic choices that you'd want to rethink after the rehearsal?
How can I help? What does support look like for you?
What are you afraid of? Why?
In what ways would you want your work to exceed your own expectations?
What are the special musical moments for you? Why?
What are you convinced of? What are you not convinced of? Both artistically and operationally.
What should we continue doing?
What should we stop doing?
To get buy-in to serve the customers through purpose
What do you care about?
Why do you care about it?
What problems do you want to fix?
Who do you want to help?
How do you want to help?
How does your work take you one step closer to fixing and helping?
What would success look like?
Whether you're a leader or an ensemble member, I wonder if anyone has ever asked you these questions? I wonder if we can start?
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