027. Chief of Staff in Performing Arts. Addressing the Absence
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Introduction
Observations reveal a notable absence of the Chief of Staff (CoS) role within performing arts organisations, even amongst the largest orchestras, opera houses, and theatres. Despite the deep complexity, the dual leadership (Salvaggio 2024) and extensive administrative requirements of these institutions, the role of a CoS, which is increasingly common in the private sector (Ciampa 2020), remains largely unexplored in this industry. This disparity prompts a fascinating question: why do these cultural giants, with their complex and demanding operational and strategic challenges (Hagoort 2004; Emilova 2011), with their desperate need to keep artistic excellence and management imperatives aligned (Raduski 2016), not utilise a role designed to support and optimise executive functions?
In the business world, a CoS serves as a vital facilitator, bridging the gap between the CEO and the rest of the organisation, ensuring that strategic initiatives are executed efficiently and that the leader’s vision is effectively communicated and implemented. This role, while originally rooted in military and governmental contexts, has been successfully adapted to the corporate environment, where it enhances organisational efficiency, streamlines decision-making processes, and improves overall communication. The CoS acts as an extension of the CEO, managing day-to-day operations, overseeing projects, and ensuring that the leadership’s time is dedicated to high-level strategic matters.
The performing arts sector, by contrast, traditionally relies on a different structure. Artistic Directors, General Managers, and various department heads typically share the responsibilities that a CoS would undertake in a corporate setting. While this model has its merits, it may also lead to inefficiencies and communication breakdowns, particularly in larger organisations where the coordination of numerous departments and projects can become unwieldy.
The absence of a CoS in most large performing arts organisations raises several questions about the potential benefits such a role could bring. Could the introduction of a CoS lead to better alignment between artistic vision and operational execution? Might it improve the efficiency of these organisations, allowing them to better navigate the complex landscape of funding, programming, and audience engagement? As we explore the function and advantages of the CoS role in the private sector, we will consider how these benefits might translate to the performing arts, potentially offering a new paradigm for leadership and organisational effectiveness in this vibrant and dynamic field.
What's a Chief of Staff
The role of a Chief of Staff has its origins in military and governmental institutions, but it has increasingly been adopted by the private sector in recent years. A CoS is a strategic ally to the CEO, acting as a facilitator between the leadership and the rest of the organisation. This position has evolved significantly over time, adapting to the needs of the institutions it serves. The CoS is often seen as a key advisor, manager, and coordinator, ensuring the smooth operation of the executive’s agenda.
A CoS’s primary function is to enable the CEO to focus on high-level strategic issues while ensuring that the leader’s vision is executed effectively and correctly implemented. Additionally, the CoS oversees daily operations, providing the necessary support to other members of the company’s management team. Importantly, the CoS is not an additional hierarchical layer that creates distance between senior management and the CEO. On the contrary, the CoS works directly with the CEO, facilitating interaction between the CEO and various executives, helping them achieve their goals. The CoS supports corporate leadership, ensuring smooth communication and effective cooperation, acting as a crucial link and valuable resource for the organisation’s success (Bensley et al. 2023; Dewar et al. 2024).
Role
In the private sector, the role of a Chief of Staff is divided mainly into two areas: direct support to the CEO and leadership of specific projects.
a. Direct Support to the CEO
Management of Strategic Priorities: The CoS collaborates with the CEO and business leaders to identify strategic priorities and define success criteria, regularly monitoring progress against these criteria.
Time Management for the CEO: The CoS works with executive assistants to schedule meetings, events, and other engagements for the CEO, ensuring they align with corporate priorities.
Meeting Preparation and Follow-up: The CoS prepares the CEO for important meetings, ensuring they have all the necessary information to be productive and engaged.
Follow-up on Operations and Ongoing Projects: The CoS monitors the progress of corporate operations and projects, coordinating the collection of information to prepare reports for the CEO, providing regular updates, and identifying problems or delays promptly.
b. Leadership of Specific Projects
Management of Cross-functional Projects: The CoS oversees large-scale corporate
projects, coordinating key stakeholders and facilitating decisions.
Strategic Planning: The CoS coordinates the company’s strategic planning process, ensuring alignment with the CEO and the leadership team.
Evaluation of New Initiative Proposals: The CoS helps the CEO concretise proposals for new initiatives, assesses their feasibility, and makes recommendations for new systems and processes to optimise corporate operations, examining and evaluating business plans related to new proposals or initiatives.
Potential Benefits for Performing Arts Organisations
The role of a CoS has proven to be highly beneficial in various sectors, particularly in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of executive leadership. In the performing arts industry, large organisations such as orchestras, operas, and theatres face unique challenges that could be mitigated with the introduction of a CoS. This section explores the potential benefits that a CoS could bring to these cultural institutions.
Optimisation of Executive Time
In performing arts organisations, the Artistic Director and the CEO/Executive Director often juggle numerous responsibilities, from overseeing artistic productions to managing administrative tasks. A CoS could significantly optimise the time of these executives as they take on operational and management duties. This would allow the Artistic Director and the CEO to focus more on creative and strategic decisions, enhancing the overall artistic quality and vision of the organisation as well as its efficiency in operations overall. By delegating routine tasks and ensuring that executive time is dedicated to high-impact activities, a CoS can streamline operations and improve decision-making processes.
Improved Communication and Coordination
The CoS acts as a crucial link between the executive and various departments, ensuring that communication flows smoothly and efficiently. In a performing arts setting, this role is vital for coordinating the efforts of different teams such as marketing, production, development, and education. The CoS can facilitate regular updates and meetings, ensuring that all departments are aligned with the organisation’s goals and strategies. Improved internal communication can lead to more cohesive and effective teamwork, ultimately enhancing the performance and reputation of the organisation.
Increased Operational Efficiency
Managing large-scale productions and events requires meticulous planning and execution. A CoS can oversee these operations, ensuring that projects stay on track, on time and within budget. As a matter of fact, CoS's allow other leaders to concentrate on their specialised areas of expertise whenever they handle logistical details and troubleshoot issues on their behalf. This not only increases operational efficiency but also ensures that the organisation can deliver high-quality performances consistently (Abdullah, Khadaroo, and Napier 2018).
Support to Leadership
The demanding nature of leadership roles in the performing arts can lead to burnout and decision fatigue. A CoS provides essential support to the executive team, offering a balanced perspective and emotional backing when needed. This support can help maintain high morale among leaders and foster a resilient leadership team capable of navigating complex challenges. The CoS can also act as a sounding board for ideas and initiatives, providing valuable feedback and insights that contribute to more informed and effective leadership.
Flexibility and Adaptability
The performing arts industry is dynamic, often requiring organisations to adapt quickly to changes in audience preferences, funding landscapes, and external conditions. A CoS can enhance an organisation’s flexibility by efficiently managing transitions and implementing new strategies. Their role in overseeing cross-functional projects and initiatives ensures that the organisation remains proactive and responsive to new opportunities and challenges. This adaptability is crucial for sustaining long-term success and growth in a competitive and ever-changing environment.
Conclusion
The integration of a Chief of Staff within the organisational structure of performing arts institutions, particularly orchestras, presents a promising opportunity to enhance overall efficiency and effectiveness. The complex nature of managing large orchestras —balancing artistic vision with operational pressure— underscore the potential value of a CoS.
Orchestras operate in a highly dynamic environment, requiring meticulous coordination between artistic and administrative functions. The role of a CoS can bridge this gap, ensuring that the artistic director and general manager can focus on high-level strategic initiatives while operational and managerial tasks are effectively handled. This delegation not only optimises the time and efforts of senior leaders but also ensures that strategic priorities are consistently aligned with the organisation’s goals.
The benefits of a CoS, as observed in various sectors, are directly applicable to orchestras. Improved communication and coordination facilitated by a CoS can lead to more cohesive teamwork across departments. This enhanced internal communication is critical in ensuring that all stakeholders are aligned with the orchestra’s mission and strategic direction.
Operational efficiency is another significant advantage. The CoS can oversee the logistical aspects of concert productions, tours, and other major events, ensuring that these initiatives are executed smoothly, on time and within budget. This oversight allows artistic leaders to concentrate on the creative aspects, thereby elevating the overall artistic output of the orchestra.
Support to leadership is crucial in the high-pressure environment of performing arts. The CoS provides indispensable support to the executive team, helping to maintain high morale and offering a balanced perspective on complex issues. This support system is vital for fostering a resilient and dynamic leadership team capable of navigating the challenges inherent in the performing arts sector. The flexibility and adaptability offered by a CoS are invaluable in an industry that must continually evolve to meet changing audience preferences and external conditions. A CoS can facilitate the swift implementation of new strategies and initiatives, ensuring that the orchestra remains proactive and competitive.
In essence, the role of a Chief of Staff could transform the operational dynamics of orchestras, providing a structured yet flexible approach to managing the subtle balance between artistic vision and operational efficiency. As orchestras continue to strive for excellence and sustainability in an ever-changing cultural landscape, the adoption of a CoS could serve as a pivotal step towards achieving these goals, ensuring that the organisation is well-equipped to face both present challenges and future opportunities.
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. Academically, LLMs helped in peer-reviewing, identifying gaps, and suggesting improvements.