018: Dual Leadership in Arts and Culture Institutions. Does It Work ?
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/gvqhb
The traditional wisdom of the corporate world, born from what managers perceive as the battle-hardened trenches of business, delivers an uncompromising verdict on shared leadership: "co-lead is no lead." The logic is straightforward —any semblance of divided authority inevitably raises the million-dollar question that strikes fear into the heart of every organisational structure: Who is truly in charge here? However, a growing corpus of management research examining leadership dynamics across both commercial enterprises and arts and culture institutions suggests that this long-held conventional wisdom warrants re-examination. Several studies indicate that the reality of co-leadership may be significantly more nuanced than typically assumed, potentially following organisational logics distinct from traditional corporate hierarchies. Notably, in the arts and cultural sphere, the concurrent presence of an executive director and an artistic director, both directly reporting to the Board, is not uncommon, yet the delineation of authority and areas of responsibility overlap in complex ways that challenge simplistic notions of unified leadership.
1. Introduction
In the world of orchestra and opera management, the leadership model chosen to guide an organisation significantly impacts its trajectory and success. Traditional single leadership structures stand alongside dual leadership models, each with its distinct advantages and challenges. The efficacy of dual leadership, where a CEO (or executive director) and an artistic director both report to the Board, is a topic of ongoing debate among scholars and practitioners alike. Research findings present a spectrum of perspectives, not unequivocally favouring one model over the other, but rather highlighting the conditions under which each may succeed.
Within the field of cultural management, both leadership models are prevalent, with organisations often navigating the delicate balance between unified and dual leadership approaches. The dual leadership model, in particular, offers opportunities for enriched decision-making through the amalgamation of business acumen and artistic vision. However, it also introduces potential governance challenges, especially when roles and responsibilities between the CEO and artistic director overlap or lack clear definition and allocation. This situation can either herald a new era of collaborative innovation or usher in complexities that hinder effective governance and organisational performance.
As such, the exploration of leadership structures in arts and culture institutions, and specifically in orchestras, demands a balanced consideration of the potential advantages and drawbacks of both single and dual leadership models. This balanced inquiry is crucial for understanding how leadership dynamics can best support the unique blend of artistic excellence and managerial efficacy that characterises successful orchestras around the globe.
In the following sections, I will distill the key insights from a large corpus of academic studies on dual leadership and outline both the advantages and challenges highlighted by the research.
2. Key Insights
Trust Development and Cultural Leadership: Trust between co-leaders, rooted in their historical context and past interactions, plays a pivotal role in the success of dual leadership models. This foundational trust is further augmented by the leaders' commitment to cultural advocacy and the facilitation of cultural activities, showcasing the unique blend of managerial acumen and artistic vision.
Balancing Creativity and Innovation: The dual-leadership structure fosters an environment ripe for creativity and innovation, where artistic and managerial objectives coalesce to drive organisational success. Empowering leadership within this framework is instrumental in elevating employee creativity and innovation, suggesting a potent synergy between trust, creativity, and leadership efficacy.
Conflict Dynamics and Organisational Impact: The inherent balance between business and artistic objectives within dual leadership models often leads to conflicts. However, these conflicts, when managed effectively, can catalyse growth and learning, demonstrating the delicate dance between conflict and collaboration in creative organisations.
Leadership Development and HRM Practices: Tailored leadership development programs and human resource management practices play a crucial role in sustaining the dual leadership model. These initiatives support the continuous growth and development of leaders, ensuring that the organisation remains adaptive and resilient in the face of changing industry landscapes.
Role of Diversity and Cross-cultural Collaboration: Dual leadership structures benefit from the rich tapestry of diverse perspectives, particularly in cross-cultural settings. This diversity not only enhances creative processes but also strengthens the organisation's capacity for knowledge management and social learning, underscoring the importance of cultural diversity and inclusion.
3. Pros and Cons of Dual Leadership
Pros:
Enhanced Creativity and Innovation: By leveraging the diverse skill sets and perspectives of two leaders, organisations can foster a more innovative and creative environment, conducive to breakthroughs in artistic and managerial fronts.
Improved Decision-making: The dual-leadership model allows for more balanced and well-considered decision-making processes, with each leader contributing their unique expertise to the decision-making framework.
Increased Flexibility and Adaptability: Organisations benefit from increased flexibility and adaptability, as dual leaders can more effectively respond to challenges and opportunities, navigating the complex landscape of arts and culture with agility.
Cons:
Potential for Conflict: The differing (and sometimes divergent) perspectives, objectives and key success factors of the two leaders can lead to conflict, requiring robust mechanisms for conflict resolution, communication and corporate alignment.
Complexity in Leadership Dynamics: The dual leadership model introduces a layer of complexity in leadership dynamics, demanding a higher level of coordination and mutual understanding between the leaders.
Resource Intensiveness: Implementing and maintaining a dual leadership structure can be resource-intensive, necessitating significant investment in leadership development and support systems.
4. Conclusion
The dual leadership model, with its inherent tension between trust, conflict, creativity, and innovation, presents a compelling approach to managing arts and culture institutions, including orchestras and operas. While the model offers a plethora of benefits, such as enhanced creativity, improved decision-making, and increased organisational adaptability, it also poses clear challenges, including potential conflicts, divergent objectives and the complexity of leadership dynamics. Nonetheless, the insights garnered from exploring dual leadership in the context of arts and culture underscore its potential to contribute to organisational success and innovation. As the arts and culture sector continues to evolve, embracing dual leadership may well be the key to unlocking new horizons of artistic excellence and managerial efficacy, heralding a new era of collaborative leadership in the orchestral domain. On the other hand, integrating dual leadership may well introduce the wolf into the sheepfold, and potentially render management more convoluted and less efficient. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate on a case-by-case basis and consider the existing governance framework of the organisation to ensure it can support the success of dual leadership or, conversely, preempt its failure unless the Board is intent on modifying this framework for a different managerial approach.
In the forthcoming section, I present a curated list of scientific publications that have significantly contributed to an informed discussion on the advantages and drawbacks of dual leadership models. These works collectively shed light on the nature of dual leadership, offering insights into its impact on organisational dynamics and efficacy.
Abfalter, D. (2013). Authenticity and Respect: Leading Creative Teams in the Performing Arts. Change Management & Organizational Behavior eJournal. https://doi.org/10.1111/caim.12004
Berkes, F. (2009). Evolution of co-management: role of knowledge generation, bridging organizations and social learning. Journal of environmental management, 90 5, 1692-702. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2008.12.001
Bligh, D., Chacksfield, C., & Sapsed, R. (2009). Leadership and learning in the arts. Action Learning: Research and Practice, 6, 343 - 348. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767330903301898
Chen, Y., & Tjosvold, D. (2005). Cross-cultural leadership: goal interdependence and leader-member relations in foreign ventures in China. Journal of International Management, 11, 417-439. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.INTMAN.2005.06.007
Dong, Y., Bartol, K., Zhang, Z., & Li, C. (2017). Enhancing employee creativity via individual skill development and team knowledge sharing: Influences of dual‐focused transformational leadership. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 38, 439-458. https://doi.org/10.1002/JOB.2134
Ebbers, J., & Wijnberg, N. (2017). Betwixt and between: Role conflict, role ambiguity and role definition in project-based dual-leadership structures. Human Relations; Studies towards the Integration of the Social Sciences, 70, 1342 - 1365. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726717692852
Hunter, S., Cushenbery, L., & Jayne, B. (2017). Why dual leaders will drive innovation: Resolving the exploration and exploitation dilemma with a conservation of resources solution. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 38, 1183-1195. https://doi.org/10.1002/JOB.2195
Katz-Buonincontro, J., Phillips, J., & Arnold, N. (2015). Developing School Leaders through the Arts. Journal of School Leadership, 25, 1169 - 1202. https://doi.org/10.1177/105268461502500606
Khodyakov, D. (2007). The Complexity of Trust-Control Relationships in Creative Organizations: Insights From a Qualitative Analysis of a Conductorless Orchestra. Social Forces, 86, 1 - 22. https://doi.org/10.1353/SOF.2007.0100
Kirkman, B., & Shapiro, D. (2001). The Impact of Team Members’ Cultural Values on Productivity, Cooperation, and Empowerment in Self-Managing Work Teams. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 32, 597 - 617. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022101032005005
Klinga, C., Hansson, J., Hasson, H., & Sachs, M. (2016). Co-Leadership – A Management Solution for Integrated Health and Social Care. International Journal of Integrated Care, 16. https://doi.org/10.5334/ijic.2236
Lim, J., & Zhong, Y. (2006). The Interaction and Effects of Perceived Cultural Diversity, Group Size, Leadership, and Collaborative Learning Systems: An Experimental Study. Inf. Resour. Manag. J., 19, 56-71. https://doi.org/10.4018/irmj.2006100104
López, S., Peón, J., & Ordás, C. (2004). Managing knowledge: the link between culture and organizational learning. J. Knowl. Manag., 8, 93-104. https://doi.org/10.1108/13673270410567657
Reid, W. (2014). Artists and Managers as Executive Leaders of Arts Organizations, 197-207. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-05871-5_20
Reid, W., & Karambayya, R. (2009). Impact of dual executive leadership dynamics in creative organizations. Human Relations, 62, 1073 - 1112. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726709335539
Reid, W., & Karambayya, R. (2016). The shadow of history: Situated dynamics of trust in dual executive leadership. Leadership, 12, 609 - 631. https://doi.org/10.1177/1742715015579931
Ropo, A., Paoli, D., & Bathurst, R. (2017). Aesthetic leadership in the arts. . https://doi.org/10.4337/9781784715465.00031
Ruta, D., & Sala, I. (2018). HRM in Cultural Institutions. , 145-182. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57583-4_6
Sutherland, I., & Gosling, J. (2010). Cultural Leadership: Mobilizing Culture from Affordances to Dwelling. The Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society, 40, 26 - 6. https://doi.org/10.1080/10632921003603984
Trice, H., & Beyer, J. (1991). Cultural Leadership in Organizations. Organization Science, 2, 149-169. https://doi.org/10.1287/ORSC.2.2.149
Wang, X., & Howell, J. (2010). Exploring the dual-level effects of transformational leadership on followers. The Journal of applied psychology, 95 6, 1134-44. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020754
Woodward, J., & Funk, C. (2010). Developing the artist-leader. Leadership, 6, 295 - 309. https://doi.org/10.1177/1742715010368768
Zhang, S., Ke, X., Wang, X., & Liu, J. (2018). Empowering leadership and employee creativity: A dual‐mechanism perspective. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 91, 896–917. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12219
More details and relevant bibliographic references may be found in my new book, Orchestra Management in Practice (Routledge, London, 2024).
The author, not a native English speaker, used Large Language Models (LLMs) for editing the article, addressing grammar, syntax, and spelling, enhancing fluency and readability, and translating sections from his native languages.
#culturalmanagement #businessstrategy #orchestramanagement