Chapter 8 – Leading Artists

1.     Can you remember your favorite choir director or drama director, or some leader who inspired you to go further with your talent? What was it about this leader that inspired you so much? I remember choir directors. I don’t know that I had a favorite. There was always so much drama in the schools. I don’t think we had the same choir director two years in a row. The choreographers didn’t stick around either. At church we had longevity at least. I saw commitment. I had trust. I knew what they expected and I knew where to find them. But I don’t recall a relationship. I was too young I think. The best things I remember that stand out – I was asked to do things like solos or duets or hit the high notes. That made me feel that they had least recognized some ability or willingness to serve in that fashion. There’s nothing better than being asked to do something – being recognized.

2.    What do you think is the most important ingredient needed to be a good leader of artists? Right now, I am thinking that there needs to be a relationship in order to lead artists. You cannot remain separate from them. The artist feels that standoffishness and calls it dislike. It feels like being used. The leader needs me to do something. They appreciate my gifts or talents, but they don’t care to invest in me as a person.

3.    What ideas can you suggest to someone who’s trying to balance the demands of being a leader and an artist? You cannot flip a switch between the two. You cannot act as a leader then flip a switch and be the artist. It’s like turning your emotions off in order to deal with people and turn them back on in order to create your art. Wouldn’t be better if we chose to create our artists? Create them into people of character and integrity? Wouldn’t it be better to treat them with the same care we give our art? Invest in and sacrifice for people. Serve them. That’s a true leader.

4.    What advice would you give to a leader who works sixty hours or more a week? Oh please. That’s simply ridiculous especially if you have family. Share the work for crying out loud. Especially if there are people willing. And I bet there are. What are we trying to protect, our jobs? Yes, those leaders might think they can do it better, but there is always someone out there who is better. Leaders are missing infinite opportunities to grow new leaders by doing it all themselves. And their burning themselves out in the process.

5.    How can a leader help those they lead be the best artists they can be? By having a relationship with them. By knowing them and working alongside them. By responding to them. By being available to them. By investing in them. By supporting them. By caring for them. Or by finding a leader who will and has the time to do it.

6.    What can a leader do to help the artists they lead grow spiritually? Hold them accountable. Share their own spiritual life with them. Have devotions and Bible studies with them. Pray for them. Challenge them. Give them opportunities to minister and lead. Stretch them.

7.     Can you think of any more leadership styles that don’t work well with artists? The one I identified with most was the Silent Type with an ounce of Protective Patron. But neither one were really quite right in my personal experience. I would identify three more – the Hands Off Leader, the Too Busy to Lead Leader and the Ignore It and It Might Go Away Leader. The Hands Off type gives you the introductory information to get you started and then they disappear. They expect you to handle it all. When it fails, they blame you even if you tried to engage them when you needed help. The Too Busy type is more interested in the work itself than leading others to help. They micromanage everything accepting praise for success and placing blame for failure. The Ignore It type knows that there are problems primarily problems between people, but they don’t step in to resolve conflicts or character flaws. They hope that it will go away if they don’t address it. They must not like conflict.

8.    Which of the five keys for nurturing artists (being sensitive, loving them, exhorting them, encouraging them, imploring them) do you respond to most favorably when you’re under someone’s leadership? I’m not sure. Perhaps encouragement. Or maybe that’s the only kind I’ve recognized or felt. I get encouraged a lot. And it’s not exactly right either. I feel like I am encouraged to do. And thanked for having done.

9.    If you’re a leader, what would you like to say at this time to those you lead? Do what you love. Love what you do. Put more time into people. Relationships are more important than anything else. Don’t hold yourself back. Give freely. Be bold and passionate. Be vulnerable. And do it all for the Love of God.

10. If you’re under someone’s leadership, is there anything you’d like to say to your leader? Invest in me as a person and not for what I can do. If you don’t have time, then find a leader who does. I have too many leaders and I don’t feel any relationships. Don’t feel like following much anymore.

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
2 Timothy 1:6-7 (ESV)