When it comes to good staff management it's hard not to think of what not to do and look to Ricky Gervais as the cringe-worthy but brilliant boss in BBC's The Office. David Brent has given some rather questionable advice on keeping staff happy over the years but in his heart, he knows what being a good manager means.
"What is the single most important thing for a company? Is it the building? Is it the stock? Is it the turnover? It's the people, investment in people," he explained in one episode. Wise words, although the punchline that follows does undo all his hard work.
Nick Loveland of Birmingham's Town Hall & Symphony Hall gave us some more real and sensible advice this week: encourage creativity, give your team a voice and never say nothing, he said. Meanwhile, Clerkenwell-based agency, The Partners, use a heady mix of brainstorms and breakdancing, as Guardian writer Patrick Kingsley discovered when he visited them last year.
But what about your organisation? How do you keep staff happy, motivated and on track, especially with a dark financial future facing the culture sector?
Do you open the channels of communication, listen to and collect the views of your employees and pull together as a team? Or do you do a Brent, and focus on raising staff morale?
We'll be answering these questions and more (and avoiding Brent) this Friday 23 March at 12pm – join us as we look to share insights, examples and best practice around staff management in arts and heritage.
Panel
Nick Loveland, director of facilities and operations, Performances Birmingham Ltd
Nick has worked in the arts for over twenty years. As director of facilities and operations he is responsible for the delivery of all events that take place at Town Hall and Symphony Hall Birmingham – he is responsible for the management and welfare of over 200 permanent and casual staff within his teams. @Nick_Loveland
Toks Majek-Akisanya, CEO, CIDA
Toks is responsible for the development of CIDA's programmes and ensures the agency continues to develop and provide quality innovative services to meet the needs of its clients and stakeholders. He's also a photographer, writer, actor, musician, painter – name a creative form and he does it! @toksmajek @CIDAtalk
Henry Stewart, chief executive, Happy Ltd
Henry is founder of Happy Ltd, an umbrella training organisation that delivers IT, management and personal development training – he's author of Happy Manifesto and evangelist for happy workplaces. Let's make work fun! @happyhenry
Michael Smith, director, Cog Design
Michael set up Cog Design when he left college in 1991 – he says he's never had a proper job. Cog Design specialise in design communications for the cultural and heritage sectors. @cog_design
Jennie Jordan, consultant / lecturer, self-employed / De Montfort University
Jennie is a cultural sector consultant and project manager specialising in audience and leadership development, impact evaluation and facilitating participatory arts experiences. She teaches on the university's Arts & Festivals Managegmt BA & Cultural Events Mgmt MSc, specialising in leadership and marketing. @JennieThinks
Kathleen Alder, founder and managing director, WildKat PR
Kathleen is the founder of the PR agency WildKat PR. Based in London and Berlin they offer press and media relations services to musicians, organisations, festivals, venues, charities and labels. Kathleen is also a fellow of the RSA and is featured in a book of Unconventional Entrepreneurs. @WildKatPR
Maria Barrett, lecturer in music, theatre and entertainment management, Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts
Maria's background is in making and managing theatre, as a producer, director, manager, actor, community artist and consultant. She has just finished a chapter on employment and HR for an academic textbook on the entertainment industries, and is a PhD research student at the University of Warwick. @MariaBarrett
To join this live chat as a panellist, email Matthew Caines
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