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Aubrey Bergauer: [00:00:00] Hey everyone! Wow, it has only been a few weeks since we wrapped up Season 4 here on the Offstage Mic, but so much has happened since then. We, of course, had a big presidential election and don't worry, I am not here to talk about that at all. It's just not what we're going to do today. Uh, over the last few weeks I've also finished my kitchen renovation that's been going on for the last few months.

I talked about it a little bit last season on the podcast, so just closing the loop on that. Finally at the finish line on that project. And so all of you are invited over for Thanksgiving, uh, but something else pretty big happened over the last few weeks, which is that we wrapped up our latest webinar series, our latest training here at Changing the Narrative, and it was called They Never Taught You That, How to Grow Your Career in Arts Management.[00:01:00] 

And when I say growing your career, what I really mean, what I'm really saying is growing your leadership skills. We talked a lot about that in the training. It was a three part training, so probably each of those was at least an hour long. So all, all of it, all three parts, all, hours of it was based on the fact that you can't win a game if you don't know the rules.

And unfortunately for most of us working in the industry of arts and culture, working in arts management, there is a lot we were just simply never taught. And you can't win a game if you don't know the rules. So with this training, over the course of the three sessions, we focused on the seven research backed steps to growing your leadership.

So we say we can't win a game if you don't know the rules. What are the rules? Well, research tells us. So seven research backsteps to growing your leadership and specifically all of that was tailored to your work, our work [00:02:00] in the arts, in arts and culture, and specifically in arts management, I should say.

So if you are new to the Offstage Mic, or new to the Changing the Narrative community, or if you just haven't been paying attention, it's not like there haven't been a million other things in the world going on around us these last few weeks, last few months, uh, You might've missed this series, is the point I'm trying to make.

So if you missed it, that is why I'm here today. So no, we are not starting a new season of the podcast just yet, but I was going to say spoiler, but maybe it's more like preview of things to come. We're already working on season five for 2025, which I can't even believe. These words are coming out of my mouth.

Season five of the podcast, 2025, but it's all coming down the pike. So anyways, put a pin in that. What we are going to do today is play all three parts of the series that you were just hearing me talk about the training. We're going to play all three parts of that here on the podcast released as three different podcast episodes to get us through [00:03:00] the end of the year in 2024, if you're listening in real time.

So in case you didn't make it to the original webinar, the original training series, consider this. Sort of the highlight reel, I would say. We have edited it down a little and tightened it up a bit from what the live attendees experienced. And so today, what you're going to hear is part one of that training.

Next week, we're going to release part two. And then the week after that will be part three. And if you are listening to this now, I got to tell you, you were in great company. We had hundreds of people attend the training from all over the world. We were at just around 500. Registrants from all across the globe, Mexico, Poland, Estonia, South Africa, just to name a few countries aside from kind of the usual suspects, Canada, UK, and those sorts of folks.

And of course the US, every corner of the US was there too, across all kinds of different arts organizations, all kinds of performing arts organizations, some visual arts organizations, theaters, operas, [00:04:00] orchestras, chamber music ensembles, choruses, and on and on and on. Really, just hundreds of people joined us for the live sessions, joined us to grow their knowledge and just share a lot about how they're navigating their careers in arts management right now.

And they used the tools we provided in each training to think more deeply about their work and really just how to make a bigger impact wherever they're at. So one of those tools I am able to share with you now, and that is a free workbook to go along with everything I covered in the series, which means everything I'm covering here in these podcast episodes.

So as you listen along, if you want to maximize these episodes, really maximize this material, meaning really think about how to apply this material to your specific situation, you are going to hear me say, You're going to hear me say a lot that knowing the research is not [00:05:00] enough, okay? It is all about how you apply the research to where you're at.

So, if you really want to make this content work hard for you, is what I'm trying to say, like actually work on applying the research, applying the material to get max benefit, we workbook available to you here as well, so you can use it as part of the exercises you're going to hear me lead you through today.

So you can download it right now on my website. Go to www.aubreyauer.com/ 39. That's three nine for episode 39. Now, if you're listening in the car, focus on driving. But when you are able to focus on your phone, your tablet, laptop, wherever you are, you know, go back, get the workbook again. It's free. It's there for you.

So take advantage one more time. If you can get it right now, it's www.aubreyauer.com/ 39. That's three nine for episode 39. We are going to dive into those exercises in just a few minutes, [00:06:00] so go ahead, go there now and download it. All right, I am so excited to bring this training to you, so let's get started.

Stay tuned for part one of They Never Taught You That, How to Grow Your Career, and by career I mean your leadership.

I'm Aubrey Bergauer, and welcome to my podcast. I'm known in the arts world for being customer centric, data obsessed, and for growing revenue. The arts are my vehicle to make the change I want to see in this world, like creating places of belonging, pursuing gender and racial equality, developing high performing teams and leaders, and leveraging technology to elevate our work.

I've been called the Steve Jobs of classical music and the Sheryl Sandberg of the symphony. I've held Offstage roles, managing millions of dollars in revenue at major institutions, been chief executive of an orchestra where we doubled the size of the audience and nearly quadrupled the donor base. And now I'm here to help you achieve that same kind of success.

In [00:07:00] this podcast, we are sorting through data and research inside and outside the arts. Applying those findings to our work in arts management and bringing in some extra voices along the way. All to build the vibrant future we know is possible for our institutions and for ourselves as Offstage administrators and leaders.

You're listening to The Offstage Mic.

Hi everyone, Aubrey Bergauer here. Before we dive into today's episode, I want to tell you about Annual Fund Toolkit. If you're a non profit looking to revolutionize your fundraising strategies, you need to know about Annual Fund Toolkit. They're not just another consulting firm. They're specialists in transforming annual funds through data driven donor engagement.

What sets Annual Fund Toolkit apart is their laser focus on two critical challenges, improving donor retention and [00:08:00] growing the major gifts pipeline. You can see why I like them, right? They combine fundraising expertise, data analysis and strategic planning to help nonprofits like yours reach your goals.

I'm particularly excited about their work in the art sector. They have helped organizations like Austin Chamber Music Center and Castle of Our Skins unlock their fundraising potential. And get this, you get one dedicated strategist to help with all aspects of running your fundraising shop, from data to major gift coaching.

It's like having an entire fundraising department that does Intimately understands you and the arts. Annual Fun Toolkit provides a clear roadmap to donor loyalty, automated dashboards to track your progress, and a catalog of proven playbooks. I know their founder, Luis Diaz, personally, and I think he is, hands down, one of the most brilliant minds in fundraising I've ever met.

Whereas many arts groups are stuck with old models that aren't working anymore, the organizations that utilize Luis's advice and [00:09:00] assistance are coming out ahead. If you are ready to take your fundraising to the next level, visit annualfuntoolkit. com. That's www. annualfuntoolkit. com. Trust me, your donors and your mission will thank you.

Now, let's dive into today's episode.

All right, one more time. Welcome to They Never Taught You That, How to Grow Your Career in Arts Management. And as I mentioned, this is just part one of our three part series, and I am so excited we are able to bring this to the podcast for you to hear. So as we get going, I know we have a lot of different people who listen to this podcast, so I want to define specifically who I made this training for.

So everybody is welcome to listen, of course. If you are here, you are welcome here. But, just to make it clear. You are definitely in the right place if there's kind of [00:10:00] three categories here. So you are definitely in the right place if one You are an arts administrator wanting to advance your career in arts management.

That means you are driven, you are a high performer, you're career focused, you are somebody who wants to advance and grow your career and your leadership. So if that's you, you are definitely in the right place. A second group of people who I specifically designed this training for are those who want to begin a career in arts management.

So that kind of goes two different directions within this bucket of people. One, maybe you're a student. I know we definitely have students who listen to this. If you're a student and you want this to be your career path, want to grow your career in arts management, and you want to make sure you are doing everything possible to set yourself up for success, then for sure this, this series of episodes is for you.

Or the kind of part B of who's in this bucket are people who aren't students, but already have an established career, already are in the [00:11:00] workforce, but still not currently working in. Arts administration. So you are somebody working outside the industry, but have an interest in this work. I definitely know we have listeners in that camp as well, wanting to make that career change.

So for you, for sure, this training is meant to help you too. And the third big group of people, uh, this training is specifically designed to help our people who identify first and foremost as an artist, but who have an interest in arts management and arts administration. So, like I said, if you first and foremost identify as an artist, you're a working artist today, that's kind of your primary gig, shall we say, but maybe you are thinking of transitioning to an arts management role, for sure this is going to be helpful to you.

Or maybe this is okay, too. You're an artist and not necessarily wanting to transition or really make a career pivot, but you are an artist who also wants to navigate your career, who wants to get a glimpse into what the research says on general career building [00:12:00] strategies. Like, wow, my friend, you are definitely in the right place if that's you, too.

So if any of these things I've said in any of these categories describe you, you are 1000 percent absolutely in the right place. Now, at the beginning of part one of this, uh, training we're about to play for you, I really wanted to make the connection between the frustration we can sometimes feel with our work and why showing up for yourself in this situation.

in every day, but particularly in this training, is so important. So don't worry, we are not going to dwell on the pain points of being in arts management. This is not meant to be a rant fest, but It is important in my mind to lay out what got you here in the first place, like why you decided to seek, whether it's this podcast or some other content, to think differently about your work.

Like, there's so many people here who are in that category. I'm trying to think [00:13:00] differently about my work. So, I hope this resonates, you know, the why we're here, what are the frustrations that kind of drove some of that is really what you're going to hear, no matter where you are in your career journey.

So, with all of that said, kind of laying that groundwork, let's get into it. Here is part one of They never taught you that. So now we're going to take this a step further. Tell me which of these resonate most, all of these are career related. There are nine total multiple answers are a thousand percent.

Okay. So as I'm saying, these put a one in the chat or a plus one, or even like, yeah, that resonates. Yeah, that hit whatever, just something to vocalize. You know what I'm talking about. I'm so curious, which of these kind of resonate the most. So is it, you see, The other people getting ahead, like fill in the blank, like they're getting the job, they're getting the promotion, the raise, the whatever.

And you don't understand why when you also have good ideas, some good experience and deliver good work. If this hits, put something in the chat about [00:14:00] that. Somebody was saying to me the other day, quote, they wrote to me and they said, as a young female leading the development department, I often feel like I am getting questioned and examined more than my older male.

Counterpart who previously led this department. If you know what i'm talking about or experience this you see other people getting ahead not just sexism But others getting ahead for any reason put a one or something in the chat. What else you feel blocked? Put something in the chat if this one resonates You sometimes feel blocked in terms of getting buy in for your ideas, uh, fully recognized for all you bring to the table.

Maybe blocked just because your organization is so deeply and heavily siloed. Blocked because of Micromanagement. Maybe it's you feel blocked by your current boss or current board. Maybe, maybe you feel blocked by somebody outside of your organization. You know, hiring managers who don't see all you bring.

Or maybe it's recruiters or search firms. Or again, maybe it's your own board or just whoever. Basically, this happens to all of us at some point is where I'm going with this and you have ideas and goals, but you can't seem to [00:15:00] get the green light sometimes at least. Next one. You want a promotion. Who doesn't want that?

But maybe it's a promotion. Maybe it's someday you want another job altogether. It could be now, it could be in the future. Um, and you want to better navigate that. Or maybe if you're, uh, earlier in your career, we said we had some students here earlier, you are trying to land your first job in the industry, whatever that is.

Like if you're gotting it. Put something in the chat that says you know what that's like. Next one, light up the chat if you feel like sometimes others put you in a box. So you want to break out of whatever step or container or phase that other people seem to want to put you in and like, wow, do people like to put us in boxes?

Like, Like to see us a certain way. And in some ways that's human nature, like the brain's just trying to make sense, but in some ways, of course, that can be a real disadvantage for us. So if you've ever felt that way before ever felt pigeonholed, I certainly have felt pigeonholed in a role before not seen for like, again, the totality of all you bring totality of your [00:16:00] skillset.

This one is. for you. Many people dislike the lack of a box. Yes. Okay. Yeah. You guys are totally resonating here. Um, okay, here we go. I don't even have to define this one. If you are feeling or have ever felt burnt out in the last couple of years, you know what to do. Put something in the chat. Say, you know what I mean here?

What else here? You are not nailing the interview. Okay. Probably we've all been there at one time or another, but for whatever reason you're having trouble in interviews, or maybe you lack some confidence or just wish you had more of it. Going into interviews, asking for promotion. I would say these things are, um, in some ways synonymous, at least for this purpose right now.

And then what about, speaking of confidence, you wish you had more of it. Like this could be when trying, could be when trying to land the next job, could absolutely be in your current job as well. There's no parameter on that. Just the idea of not feeling either not qualified enough or not confident enough to move up, to move forward.

Any of these topics we've already hit, like this. topic of confidence can also supplement. [00:17:00] And I would say true for 99 percent of us. Like if a genie or fairy godmother came here right now and said, I'm handing out free confidence, who would say, yes, please. Right. So if that's you, uh, would take a free dose of confidence, say it in the chat.

Yes, please. Confidence hit something like that. Step out of my comfort zone. Yes. Love that. A couple more here. You wish you had more financial stability. Who in the arts has ever thought this before? Oh my gosh, uh, that could be any of us, right? So, it could apply to an artist looking for or wanting more financial stability.

It could absolutely apply to them. To somebody working in arts administration as well. Could be anybody wanting to study paycheck, not wanting to live gig to gig It could be somebody who wants to know how to negotiate better We're going to talk about that a lot more in part two Kind of negotiate better when it comes time to ask for a raise negotiating a job offer that kind of thing could be somebody Managing a deficit budget right now at their organizations.

Tell me if that hits Managing a deficit budget budget and [00:18:00] still you want or need Cost of living raises for you, for your staff or whoever, but how do you ask for that? Like if any of that in this like financial category resonates, like light up the chat, you know what to do. In other words, you don't know the rules maybe is a way to put other words to it.

You are trying to navigate an industry. Tell me if this resonates full of unwritten rules, sometimes gatekeeping and things you were never, ever taught in your training prior to working in this business. If that resonates, I want to hear from you right now. The rules question. Yes, the rules keep changing.

25 years of experience, never got the rules. Yeah, that's so honest. When I asked to become full time, I was literally told you're so efficient, you can do the job in three days. Why should I pay you for five? Oh my God, mind blowing emoji at that. Here's the thing. You can't win a game if you don't know the rules.

That is a fact. And so if you feel like there are things you just [00:19:00] don't know because nobody ever taught you. Put a one in the chat, a fire emoji, something to indicate that you have been there. You guys are doing such a great job with this chat. I love it. So if you were an arts professional or arts administrator struggling with getting to the next level, next phase of your career, that doesn't have to mean changing jobs necessarily.

It could. It could also mean just getting ahead, getting unblocked, getting the board to do what you need them to do. Somebody tell me if that resonates. Breaking through whatever the next level looks like for you. If you're struggling with that and it feels like you don't know the rules to the game, don't know some things that you were just never taught, I can help.

I have experienced all of these feelings before myself, everything on the last slide, everything we're going to see today, and I will share more of my story I mentioned as we continue throughout this three part training, but what's important for right now is to know that I have gone deep on what the research says on all of this.

If you know anything about [00:20:00] my work, you know, I'm pretty research driven, pretty data driven. So that's what I, uh, am bringing to share with you all today. So here's what you're going to learn over this three part training. You're going to learn my seven step framework for advancing your career in arts management.

No matter where you are now, these are the seven areas of research based Skills. We'll even call them leadership skills that you need to know to get ahead on your terms, not somebody else's terms. How does that sound? So that you can then make a plan to get there. I hope that by the end of these three days, you have a lot more clarity.

Even by the end of today, I hope you have a lot more clarity, uh, so that you can make a plan to get there. You know, what is getting to the next level mean for you? That's what we're going to unpack a bit today. Nobody shows up at the airport and says, hi, I'm here. I'm ready. Put me on the plane. without knowing the destination, right?

Like literally nobody does that. You can't even do that. You can't even get through security, uh, if you don't know [00:21:00] where you're going. So we're going to do some exercises over these three days to really help elicit that clarity, bring clarity, bring focus to where it is you want to go. Because thing number three, you're going to get out of this over this next, uh, three part training is that nobody else, no matter what people say, nobody else is driving the bus of your career.

You are. And I used to think that if I just kept my head down and did good work, that that would like be enough, that that would be seen, that that would be recognized by others. Or especially earlier in my career, when I was beginning my career, I really thought that people with more years of experience or more knowledge would train me on the things I needed to know to be successful.

And the sooner you learn, and I mean fully understand and internalize that. You are the one who has to drive the bus. Nobody else is going to train you. Nobody else is going to take ownership of your own learning and where you're going. The sooner you feel like empowered [00:22:00] to take the actions to carve out your own success, the sooner you're going to be empowered to better navigate the system.

And I want that outcome for you so bad. And by part three, we're going to be doing some pretty deep work, introspective work to help you show up like that, you know, show up with intention, show up with confidence. There's that word again, every day in every meeting. Every post online, every interaction with others, like that's the goal.

So one more time, you are the one driving the bus of your own career. So stay to the end, watch all three parts because we are just getting started. I want to say some things not being said or not being said enough. That's my goal and how I'm going to try to show up for this. And I have so much to share with you.

So we're going to just squeeze in as much as we can in our time together. And my sincere hope is that after this training, you achieve the goals I already outlined, you learn the seven things you need to know. about a career in arts management that you were never taught. You get clarity on where you're going and you feel fully aware and empowered to drive that bus of your own career.

And then at the very end, if you want more or want to keep going, [00:23:00] I'm going to tell you how you can do that. Okay. So if you're tracking with me on everything I said so far, and you were like, I am here for this, I'll say it again. Me and the Changing the Narrative team want to support the hell out of you over this next week that we have together.

Okay. So let's get into it. What are the unwritten rules of the game? I said you can't win a game if you don't know the rules and there is a lot in navigating a career in arts management that you were never taught that I was never taught. So how do you actually learn the rules? The answer is research tells us.

I've hinted at this already and like I said if you have followed my work for just about any amount of time you know I am pretty much always looking at the data, the research, the case studies. Why? Because data, research, that's trends. Like big data sets, statistically significant [00:24:00] information, not one person's advice.

Okay. So what I'm telling you during our time together is not one person's advice. That's not what we're here for. Um, it's not a gut feeling of what I think you should do or what anybody thinks you should do. Sometimes advice can be helpful. I don't want to completely carte blanche say advice is bad.

That's not what I'm saying. So don't hear that. But advice is certainly not guaranteed. That's for sure. And I have to say, I have received a lot of bad advice. even well intended advice over the years that I believed because I thought they must know best. And I later learned they were actually just categorically wrong.

So here's a story to exemplify that. I was in my twenties and a big time CEO of a major symphony orchestra said to me, In a training session, said to me and said to all of us that when we are hiring somebody for an arts management role, the number one quality we should [00:25:00] look at when making a hiring decisions is their passion for the art form.

The research tells us that is wrong. Like flat out, that's not true. And I now know that. That's not how you hire the best talent. I'm not saying we don't want passion for the art form. Pretty much all of us here probably have passion for our art form. So don't hear me saying that, but how you hire the best skillset needed to do the job.

That's not the number one thing. And even in something like an artistic planning role, for example, passion matters, of course, but I would go so far as to say for even a role like that, probably not the de facto number one thing I'm looking for when I'm hiring for that role, because I know the research tells us how to hire the best people in the world.

in different ways with as much reduced or eliminated bias as possible. And that means when we do that, follow the research in this example of best hiring practices. It means that it's number one, better for landing the best, most qualified person for the job. Two, better for building diverse and representative [00:26:00] teams.

And three, it actually expands the talent pool. So for anybody who's not hiring, And you want a bigger talent pool. The research actually helps us take advantage of a bigger talent pool, but here's the real kicker. And all of this, there is a difference between knowing the research. And applying the research to your specific role in arts management.

We can read books, we can listen to podcasts, we can do all these things all day long. If we don't apply it, we're not going to get that bus very far. Okay. So I listened to that big CEO tell me that advice when I was earlier in my career. And I remember thinking he must know what he's talking about. So here's how that played out later.

As I was managing more people, I was hiring a marketing coordinator. And. We came down to two candidates in our finals, and one of them had tons of passion for the art form. They had worked at a symphony orchestra before, [00:27:00] and had, you know, some experience working in arts management under their belt. And they were finalists, right?

So it's not that they had no qualifications. Finalist number two had not worked inside the arts before. They had a done marketing work for a big corporation, and they had a lot of skills. And I remember being so torn on that hiring decision. And I decided to go with the person who had the passion. And I feel like that person came in probably at a six or a seven.

Over time, we maybe grew them to, you know, an eight out of 10. I think that other person in hindsight would have come in at an eight out of 10 probably. And that hurt me is what I'm trying to say. I had to spend a lot of time investing in that person and training them and all because I didn't apply the research.

I had read the research at that point. I had read books, I had read articles, I had consumed other resources and All on best [00:28:00] practices, fair and equitable hiring, but I didn't apply it and it hurt me. And all the time I spent training, teaching, cleaning up their work at the organization I was serving at the time.

And from that point on, I got super serious. Not just about how to hire well, but how to not just take in what the research says, but how to apply it. Fast forward to today. That means I, on this example of job search and hiring, I list the exact skills I need. I write behavioral questions to elicit who has those skills.

I wish we had time to unpack all this. I make the first round interview a phone call if possible to eliminate any visual bias that might otherwise creep in and allow somebody on the other end to show up and focus on the, Answers, questions, conversations, rather than how they are presenting. Everyone gets asked the same questions in the same order.

I use a rubric to evaluate, which we attempt to talk more about that. And I diligently tally the total and stick to that score. There's a lot there, and there's even more to talk about in terms of this topic of equitable hiring. But I just share all this to say, like, all of that is so different than [00:29:00] hire for passion, right?

Hopefully you guys are tracking with me on this. And these are now the things I teach full sessions on. So, again, right now, the point is When I actually started applying the research to how I identify talent and invite them onto my team, wow, did it open up. An incredible just pathway to exemplary talent entering my orbit and my teams started knocking it out of the park because I figured out how to land high performers across the full spectrum of talent available.

Is this making sense? Put a one in the chat. If you understand that there is a difference between knowing the reason. Research cerebrally and applying the research. This is so critical, so fundamental to everything we're doing over this three part training. Let me hear from you. Yes. Yes. Yes. Lots of ones.

Good. Good. Okay. Super. Love this. Okay. Now I want to take this one step further. You know what I think it's called when somebody applies the research to their work. Leadership. [00:30:00] That is a way to define leadership. And note, I am not saying seniority and I am not saying experience. Okay. Talking about leadership, no matter your role, no matter your title, no member, no matter where you are on the org chart, no matter how long you've been in this business, like now we are at the heart of what this training is all about.

Learning, research fact, leadership skills that are proven. to help accelerate and advance people's careers, get buy in for your ideas, motivate the behavior we want to see in others. Boy, is that a result of strong leadership, motivating the behavior we want to see in others, and position yourself in the marketplace.

Applying the research back to your role in arts management is the best and fastest way to do that. to advance your career. Let me read that again. Applying the research back to your role in arts management is the best and fastest way to advance your career. [00:31:00] Following the research means you are following what's been proven by massive sample sizes of people.

It means you are betting on a winning strategy because it's already been proven. Here's the alternative. If you don't learn the research on these leadership topics, I've talked about managing up, managing laterally, bringing others along, getting buy in for your ideas, standing out from the pack, differentiating yourself in the marketplace.

You don't follow the leadership on those topics. You won't advance your career on your own terms or the organization you serve or even the field. Definitely not quickly, I should say, and not on your own terms. It'll be on somebody else's terms or somebody else's timeline. That's how it works.

Okay, let's take a little break. When we come back to the second part of today's training, I will get into the seven research backsteps to growing your leadership and getting ahead in your career and what you can achieve when you Actually apply this research to your work. [00:32:00] Also, we are going to do some exercises to get into your personal journey.

You are going to hear some more about me and my journey as well. And we'll use that workbook I mentioned to get your brain going, get the juices flowing, really thinking about how all of this is relevant to your individual specific situation.

Good marketing talent can be hard to find. That's why I'm so glad I discovered Marketer Hire. Marketer Hire. As my business has grown this year, I can definitively say a part of that growth was because of the way Marketer Hire helped me not just find good marketing talent I needed, but how fast they did it and how they worked to match me with the perfect people.

First, I reached out about an email copywriting project and email platform migration we were going through. And Marketer Hire matched me with Jamie within a week. A few months later, we needed technical support on our Google Analytics, and they had us connected to Alec within [00:33:00] days. Both Jamie and Alec needed zero training, were incredible to work with and experts in their respective areas, and most important, they completely delivered on time, on budget, and got the results I needed.

What I like about Marketer Hire is that you can engage someone for as long or short as you want. I hired Jamie for a three month project, for example. On the intake call, they really listened to what I said I needed. I even said that I need someone with an interest in the performing arts. And it turned out, Jamie had a theater background and is still a member of her local thespian troupe to this day.

Both Jamie and Alec were able to move my projects forward so much quicker than if I had led a traditional hiring process or search. The whole thing was really easy from start to finish, and they never made me feel obligated to proceed if I didn't want to. They were even able to work with my small business budget.

At your arts organization, imagine working with fortune 500 level talent who ramps up to understand your work [00:34:00] fast and then delivers great results. Get a 1, 500 credit toward your first hire. When you go to try. marketerhire. com slash Offstage, Mic. That's try dot M A R K E T E R hire dot com slash Offstage Mic.

Whether your arts organization needs email copywriting or Google Analytics set up like I did, or if you need paid ads, paid search, or even a fractional CMO, Marketer Hire will get you set up with top talent fast. One more time, that's try dot marketer hire dot com slash Offstage Mic to get started and get your 1, 500 credit.

So who am I and why do I believe all these things? One more time. If we haven't met, I [00:35:00] am Aubrey Bergauer and I have been in arts management for almost 20 years now. And I have served organizations of all different sizes. I have managed millions of dollars at major institutions in fundraising and then in marketing roles.

Eventually I was a VP over all of those things, all of those revenue streams. And then chief executive of a regional orchestra where over five years, we doubled the audience and nearly quadrupled the donor base by applying a lot of the strategies we're talking about today. Uh, I know so many people follow me because they want to learn about revenue growth and growing the audience and all of that.

But inevitably the conversation always comes back to our own leadership. So here we are. Now for the last five years, I have been working to make an impact beyond one organization and have worked with hundreds of organizations and individuals to grow revenue, advance their careers and leadership, and advance their organizations and change their narrative.

A lot of people, you know, you tell me if this resonates or if this feels true for you, you [00:36:00] know, we sort of fall into arts management roles. We started as an artist or we had training as an artist and then later transitioned or learned about even for the first time these Offstage roles, this other side of the profession later in life and talk about things that They never taught us that there are all these administrative roles necessary to make the art, producing the art possible, right?

For me, though, I learned what arts management was actually in high school. So some of you know this story, but a lot of you don't. And I played an instrument growing up and I grew up playing in the Houston Youth Symphony and When I was a sophomore in high school, we went through an executive director change, the youth symphony.

And before rehearsal one day, they brought this new person in front of all of us kids and introduced them and said like a sentence about what that was. And for me, you know, at age 16 years old, that was the light bulb moment where I realized, Oh my gosh, there's a job. Managing all of this. Like that's what I want to do.

And then when I went to [00:37:00] school, you know, fast forward age 17, 18, I'm applying for college. I went to a top school both acadeMically and musically thinking that I wanted to double major in music performance as well as business that was like the best my 17 year old mind could think of what to do at the time.

Arts management programs were definitely not, uh, really available. Certainly not prolific. Like so many exist now. And I thought I share all of this because I thought at the time I had checked every box and that I would just sail through the ranks, that I would deliver good work. Work my ass off and get recognized for that and be seen and mentored and trained.

And then really quickly, as I got into the workforce, it hit that that is not true and that's not how it works. And I learned that there is an incredible amount of old school, traditional thinking, bad habits in our industry, [00:38:00] doing things the way they've always been done, resistance to change, bias, gatekeeping, discrimination.

and a system that often preserves and protects all of that. So I have felt all of the pain points and frustrations we talked about earlier. I have felt all of that firsthand.

Feeling all that pain is when I became obsessed with the research on everything from how to manage up, how to pitch a project, how to develop. High performers around me, all the things that are necessary to grow our careers, to grow ourselves, and to combat the challenges of this sector. I went on to deliver results in every role I've ever held, from being a new grad, Out of college, going for my first job without a lot of experience, to early in my career, but gunning for more challenge and responsibility and hungry for that, to being ready for my first department head role and [00:39:00] wanting to make sure I crushed it when I made that leap, uh, to being an aspiring executive director with some management experience under my belt and navigating how to take that step.

To being a VP on the senior leadership team at a major institution. And as I mentioned, as chief executive of an orchestra, which we grew to a multimillion dollar organization. And now I CEO of my own company and a team of 10 earlier this year, I had a book published talking about the challenges in the sector and bringing in a lot of additional research and data to talk about the solutions.

And it quickly became a number one bestseller. And it's already in its second printing and the number one career question I am asked is how to chart a path through it all to be a force for positive change in this field of arts and culture. The answer is that there's a ton that we, that I, that you were never taught about how to navigate a career.

As a leader in arts [00:40:00] management and everything I'm sharing with you right now, everything I'm sharing with you in the rest of this training, it changed my life. That's fair to say. It changed my business and it completely changed my approach to leadership. And I am sharing as much as I can with you over our time together so that you can do the same.

My entire career in arts management changed the moment I chose to follow the research. Not what I thought I should do, not what I thought other people thought I should do, not what I was hearing when I started to drive that bus myself. And trust me, if I can do it, so can you. I am not a data wizard. I do not have an MBA.

You just heard me say that. A lot of people think I do. I don't. I have an undergrad degree in business and management. I don't have a research background, but I am someone who doesn't just consume, but now works very hard to apply all of that research for just about 20 years now. And I still believe That it is [00:41:00] absolutely possible to have an upward career in arts management and navigate the system while simultaneously working to change it.

So if you're not convinced yet, why does learning and applying the research and data matter? There's a few reasons. First, as much as I believe that all this good stuff is possible, joy, fulfillment, building our careers, it's not playing out that way for a lot of people. That is what the data show. So to quote this article, it says at a time of increased financial and societal pressure, leaders of more than 200 performing arts companies have stepped down from their roles since 2018, more than 200 since 2018.

Now I know we have visual arts people in this training too, and exhibitor based institutions here, but you know, We're seeing similarly high turnover rates in museums and visitor based institutions as well. The point is, the work of arts management, stating the obvious here, but the work of arts management is not getting easier, right?[00:42:00] 

Here's some more data. Workers confidence in their career progress is falling. This comes from LinkedIn, which of course is a massive, massive data set. So tell me in the chat, between the last two weeks, Slide and this one. Do you feel seen at all in these two studies? These two statistics, one is data from over 200 arts organizations.

The second here is a survey of over 34, 000 working professionals across all kinds of industries saying their confidence in their career progress is falling with the smallest level of bravery and vulnerability. Tell me, does this resonate? Yes, definitely. Yes, for sure. Okay, great. Indeed. Okay, good, good. A lot of bravery indeed.

Okay, love this. This is why the research matters, or at least one reason why. When we are following, investigating, taking in bodies of research and data available to us, information that is validated, big sample sizes, sometimes we feel seen, because we [00:43:00] are reflected in that data. So, here's another story.

We're going to put a pin in that so we can come back to it. But here's another story. I remember the first time reading research where I felt seen in a big way. Uh, this book, Next America, came out over 10 years ago now. It was written by the then head of Pew Research Center. And he was putting all kinds of data that they had collected through his time at Pew Research.

Um, And writing about the difference between millennials and boomers. So again, this is 10 years ago. Now everybody cares about Gen Z, but at the time it was all millennial, millennial, millennials. And for me in 2014, that happened to be the same year. I was in my first executive director job and I am a millennial.

I'm like the oldest millennial out there, uh, which jokes aside means I was among the first wave of millennials entering these kinds of roles, uh, executive leadership roles in our industry. And I was reporting to a board that was primarily who? [00:44:00] Baby boomers and even older, right? And so reading this data, And it wasn't just about my own thoughts or experience, but about what these big data sets describe, like the different characteristics of these two groups of people, I felt so seen.

And I realized that some of the things I was seeing or experiencing or feeling were Uh, that I thought were just me, were actually true for millions and millions of other people. So, one more example, about a year earlier, I had read Lean In, and uh, when that came out in 2013, there are definitely some valid criticisms of that book.

So, um, know that, um, but by and large. Sheryl Sandberg put so much data and research behind issues of gender and being a woman in the workforce and all the bias barriers, expectations, gender norms, and penalties for breaking those norms. And those issues became undeniable. And she really reignited a conversation on gender equality that prior to 2013 had mostly stalled.

So why does it matter? Three reasons. One. Research [00:45:00] matters because we see ourselves in it. That is really important. This comes from Joe. She took one of my programs. She says the ideas and research you spoke about really resonated with me and I've carried them with me into my current role. She was on the podcast this week for anybody who heard that.

Another reason why research matters is because we don't always see ourselves. So this is important. Sometimes. Data and research helps us see others. It is really easy to believe data and research and case studies when you see yourself reflected in it. That's why I like those books I shared, but it is much, much harder when you don't see yourself reflected in it.

I see this play out all the time when I teach audience development. I, uh, bring research and data about, you know, growing new audiences and what are people experiencing in our concert halls, our venues, our galleries. Well, the most important thing that we all need is a website. So, for example, we can have a website where we can share our research, our exhibits, or I bring data about who is visiting our website and how we can serve them better and who is that data reflecting?

Not arts [00:46:00] administrators. Not artists. Not board members. And this is simultaneously why it is such a hard pill sometimes to swallow the data for folks and simultaneously why it is so important. Because if we can trust in the validated data research case studies when we feel seen, the rules of logic tell us.

We have to believe in the validated data research and case studies even when we don't feel seen, right? This matters for audience development, yes, but it also matters when we are talking about career conversations and leadership conversations Like what is my baby boomer? Boss, board, chairperson, uh, person interviewing me, et cetera, thinking about this.

And, uh, then, or if you are a baby boomer, what is my millennial or Gen Z employee, whoever, fill in the blank, right? It's helpful to know in these examples I'm giving. And how do we manage up to that person? How do we manage laterally to that person? How do we manage down to that person, depending on the role or relationship?

The data helps us [00:47:00] see others and be better at those things. So again, we are not talking about somebody's opinion. We are not talking about well meaning advice. We are not talking about what Aubrey thinks, or what your friend or partner or anybody else thinks for that matter. When we're chasing what somebody else might think when it comes to our career, we have already lost, you guys.

So, in other words, how can you ever expect to achieve massive career success without having these skills and tools that are statistically proven as necessary to do so? So all of this is why learning and applying the research is so critically important to navigating and advancing our own careers. Not just get a new job, but like talking about crushing it, being where you are, driving the bus to where you want to go.

Learn more at www. verbalink. com Okay, anytime I talk about research, here's what I hear. I know somebody listening right now is thinking this. You're thinking, yeah, but we work in the arts. It's not like other industries. The research doesn't apply [00:48:00] to us. And you are absolutely right in that arts and culture is not like Other industries, but the topics we are talking about in this training are one more time managing up to a boss, to a board, whoever, navigating job applications and the interview process, getting people to see and value your ideas.

I could go on and on and on. These topics are the same no matter where you work and what industry you work in. And that's why I say applying the research to your specific role in arts management is what is so important. Like that's the piece that I think is often. missing particularly from our sector.

It's not just the research, it's how you apply it. Some people say, yeah, but there are other ways to advance your career than following research. And that is correct. And I'm glad you see that if you feel that way. Um, there are plenty of people in arts management who get ahead and advance their careers who are definitely not following the research, definitely not following the research on how to lead, how to, uh, motivate behavior on others and how to do all those things, manage change, create change, [00:49:00] all those things we so desperately.

need in this field, setting company culture, you know, all those things. So there are other ways to get ahead. I'll just name two of them. One is to wait. You can sit around and wait and hope that an opportunity comes up that you want. I've been there. It's not fun, but it is a way to, you can conform. There's a reason why a lot of top leaders and most senior roles in this industry of arts and culture are quite homogenous.

So I'm going to say this bluntly and with love at the same time. Some of you watching probably absolutely can conform and not rock the boat and you will probably do just fine in your career in arts management because you look like the historical profile of a traditional arts manager. That's called privilege.

Not everybody has it. Okay. I say this with love. And some people, no matter who you are, I don't want to conform to the status quo. I hope that's a lot of people here right [00:50:00] now, no matter your identity or no matter your background or how you present whoever you are, if you want to improve your leadership skills, and use whatever privilege platform opportunity you have for good, then wow, you are so, so.

Welcome here. And then last one. Some people say, yeah, this sounds great, but I am at, you know, insert place. I'm new in my career. I'm not new in my career. I'm a student. I'm an artist. I just moved. I just changed jobs. I have been in my job for so long, whatever it is. And I don't know if this applies to me.

This is actually a good thing if you're not sure. Okay. It means you are going to gain so much clarity out of the exercises we are going to do in just a few moments. So this is a good segue. Let's get to the heart of why we're here today. The seven research factors. steps to getting ahead in your career.

So a couple things to keep in mind as we get into it. One, get out of your own way. All right. In a moment, we're going to do that introspective thinking I talked about. I told you at the top, this is coming. So don't [00:51:00] overthink it though. Get out of your own way. Give yourself permission to be a little raw, turn off that internal filter, and just let your mind go wherever it Two, perfection is your enemy.

Too often in the arts, we strive for perfection. That's in our performance and how we deliver our art. And in arts management, I think we get a little confused by that. Like, we act like when we try something new, it has to be the most perfect home run out of the gate. But we forget, our artists get to rehearse.

And, We don't have to be perfect out of the gate either. So progress, not perfection. That is what we are here for. And three, it is about taking action. Even just one tiny baby step. That is actually how change is made. So I'm going to lead you through these exercises today, and then definitely more exercises in part two and part three of this training as well.

So one more time, if you're here to just binge content, this is Not going to be helpful for you today. Uh, it is participatory. [00:52:00] So come back here. If you are here to take action and get serious about advancing your leadership, I've got you. Okay. Seven research back steps to getting ahead in your career.

There's so much they didn't teach you. I've boiled it down to seven though. Okay. These are not necessarily progressive. You don't have to be good at step one before you get to step two, but they do kind of build on each other, which is why I have it in this order. So. As I go through this list, here's your assignment.

As I go through this list, think about your top like two or three of these that you wish you could learn all the research now. Like Aubrey, give me the download now. Here for it. There's no right or wrong answer. It's just kind of whatever is feeling helpful to you. So this is a good time to get out that workbook, by the way.

Uh, if you haven't done that yet, this is all there. It's, um, where you can fill in the blanks. I forget what page I was trying to see if I can see what page, but it's all there. So think about this. Uh, oh, page six. Tell me which of these resonate. One job search. You've got to know the do's and [00:53:00] don'ts as a candidate.

And as an employer, I talked a little bit about that in hiring practices earlier. Obviously this is fundamental to getting a new job. So even if you don't want a new job now, chances are you will someday. So you're either managing people now on the hiring side or chances are you will be someday. Two out of seven is knowing how to stand out from the pack, how to position yourself in the marketplace when it is hard to be competitive.

How do you break through the noise to get where you're trying to go? Number three, negotiations. Oh, we're going to spend a lot of time on this tomorrow. Uh, sorry. It's third, Tuesday, next training, part two. Uh, whether that's negotiating salary, a job offer, collective bargaining agreements. For those of us here who've done those union negotiations on any side of the table, we got to know how to negotiate.

Number four, bringing others along. I keep talking about managing up, managing laterally. How do we bring others along? To the ideas we want to enact, the change we want to seek, the initiatives we [00:54:00] want to begin, like we've got, it's not, it's not a solo sport. We've got to figure out how to bring others along.

Number five, company culture. So important. How do you set and contribute to a strong company culture, no matter your role in the org chart? There's a lot research tells us about that. Number six of seven, Knowing the qualities of high performing teams, high performing leaders and high performing organizations.

You cannot navigate a career in arts management without being part of a team. I just said, it's not a solo sport, part of a team, or even leading a team for a lot of us. So you need to know the research behind what makes good, strong, high performing teams. And it's not what you think. At least it was a, some of it was a big surprise for me when I first learned it.

So there's that. And then part seven, revenue generation. So no matter your role, if you understand how your role, no matter what it is can contribute to generating revenue. And I promise you it can no matter what role you have. [00:55:00] If you can understand the connection to revenue, you make yourself indispensable, uh, pretty untouchable when it comes time for layoffs or furloughs or budget cuts, things like that.

And if you are in a non revenue generating role and you do not understand revenue and how your role can connect to it or contribute to it, You are expendable, at least when it gets, the times get really tough, right? Or at least more expendable than the people who are vocalizing and positioning themselves as somebody who understands revenue.

Okay. This happened to Nathan. He started as a coordinator, not in a revenue generating role, but he learned how to attach the work he wanted to do to revenue. He said, I focused on translating revenue needs into logical solutions that Symphony's mission and created user centric. Experiences. So said differently, he connected the dots basically on how his role could help his organization make more money.

And that subsequently opened doors for him. He eventually pitched a new role for himself, which he got at the [00:56:00] manager level. And then just recently he did it all again and got promoted to director level. So if you are in a role that's responsible for revenue already, you need to see how to generate revenue in a tough climate.

I teach revenue generation a lot. I've got a whole, Run it like a business academy on that, so we won't get into that a lot in this training, but just know it's important. So, okay, which of these, if you had to pick two or three, are you thinking you want or need the most? Just put it in the chat, no rush.

Right or wrong answers, two and seven says Adam, teams, revenue, culture. Yes, yes, yes, okay, super, super, super. Okay, this is awesome. Here's the good news. We're talking about all of these to some degree in this training, but especially I already hinted, um, way more in part two and part three. Okay. So now here's our last exercise for today.

Now that you've learned the seven research backed areas to getting ahead in your career, really up leveling your leadership in arts management, the [00:57:00] next thing we're going to do is a little visioning exercise. Why? Because you can't make a plan if you don't know exactly where you want to go, right? I said, nobody shows up at the airport and says, I'm ready to board the plane.

And the agent says, uh, to where, right? So you can't make a plan unless you know where you want to go. Paula learned this too. Maybe you heard her on the podcast this season. She said, I learned that I needed to be very clear about my goals as an administrator and not be scared to change the narrative.

Okay, so get out your workbook. If you don't have it, then just get out a sheet of paper, open a Word doc, Google doc, whatever, but you need to be able to write something down, uh, to maximize this exercise. So this is page seven, if you've got the workbook, and follow the prompts I'm about to give you. So one more time, this is permission to free think.

Remember what we said earlier, get out of your own way. Perfection is the enemy. This is about taking action, and right now the action is Uh, doing some free thinking, a little writing, [00:58:00] giving yourself permission to be raw, to turn off that internal filter, and just let your mind go wherever it wants to. So, uh, maybe for you, if you don't normally like these kind of exercises, maybe this is the moment where your tiny baby step is to commit to doing it.

Like, just give it a try. Just give it a try. So it's a free training. What did you get to lose? Okay. So here you go. Here, there's a series of prompts I'm going to lead you through. So first is, it's approximately one year from now. Think about that in your head. Define that. This is your first prompt. Is it October 2025?

Is it next summer of 2025? Is it next December? I would say don't go farther than December, because greater than a year is actually harder to envision. Um, that's statistically proven too. It's more vague to think out farther than a year in the future. And sidebar, this is exactly why three year strategic plans tend to sit on the shelf.

Not the only reason, but a reason. It's just really hard to think more than a year in the future. So. [00:59:00] Sometime in 2025, name it though, and don't think about the exact timeline just yet. Just put a date about a year into the future where you know you want to have a vision of your career or leadership or a milestone or some victory that you want to have taken shape.

And where are you? Where are you in this vision you're conjuring right now? Like, is there a specific city in mind? Is there a specific organization in mind? For me, getting specific on this question, to be honest, is actually the hardest when I do this kind of exercise. Like, you mean I have to write down on paper where I want to live, not just say yes and be open to whatever opportunity comes my way?

You are driving the bus of your career, remember? So what makes you smile when you answer this question? Maybe you are right where you are right now. That is absolutely okay. Maybe you know it's not where you are right now. Write it down. And then some people don't struggle with [01:00:00] this part. Some people are like, yep, I know that answer.

So wherever you fall, write it down.

What are you feeling? What What are you feeling in this future? Like, write about it as if it's in the present. I feel what? Name it. Write it. And as you're thinking about that, name it as well. What are others around you feeling too?

What does your day look like? You get out of bed and then you do what? Like, start there and keep going. Why are you feeling this way? Is there something about the work you're doing in this future, present vision?

Note, I did not say what is your title, but [01:01:00] like what are you actually doing? That is the more important. Unless you know the title is somehow critical to this milestone, then you can put it. But I just want to challenge, for a lot of us, it's what we think comes with a title change. More money. More freedom.

More whatever, like a title does not guarantee those things. So really get specific. What are you doing? What is this picture looking like? Next, what do

you do outside of work? Because our career and job is not the totality of who we are. What makes you smile when you think of your time outside of work? Where are you? Who are you spending time with? What are you doing? Pause here, write it down. Give yourself some more time. And where do you live? Again, more specifically, what type of place?

Are you in a high rise apartment? Did you buy a house somewhere?[01:02:00] 

And then last, what else is going through your mind? What else is coming to mind for you that maybe you just haven't captured yet?

Take the time you need. The more captivating your vision, the more it will fill you, motivate you, and help you. This exercise is modeled after one from Jenny Blake. She's the author of a book called Pivot, and that is a great book for mapping this stuff out. And she says, making a captivating vision is quote, the difference between a vague sweeping statement such as, I value travel and teaching, and the difference of, uh, an alluring invitation from your future self, like, One year from now, I am living in London, working from a coffee shop as I prepare for a class I'm teaching on international business law.

That's her example. Okay. [01:03:00] Um, for some of you, articulating a goal is the scariest thing you're going to do all week. Because if we say something Out loud or in this case, write it down as an articulated thought, like say something we're truly excited about. Then we've also just articulated that we might fail and we might not get that super exciting thing.

So that is scary as hell. I'm here to validate that, but that is precisely what is often holding us back. And we have to choose all of us. Do you want that thing, that vision? Do you want it? More than you fear it. Jenny Blake says, your career will remain stalled until you examine what positive outcomes will motivate you into action.

So here's the good news. If you can think the thought, if you can articulate it, anything you just put down from that little exercise, Your brain already knows it's possible. That is like the laws of our brain. It's already working it out in the [01:04:00] background. Okay, so that is why these exercises are so powerful.

You don't know, you don't have to know the whole how just yet. You don't even have to make the roadmap yet. You don't even have to know to the full extent of what's possible yet. You just have to vision it and dream it because then our brain start going to work. Don't solve the problems just yet. We're going to get to that.

Last quote from Jenny Blake. She says, You have enormous creative brain power, so feed the outcome you seek, not the one you fear. Wow. Those last words never get old for me. I have to say, feed the outcome you seek, not the one you fear. Excellent job with part one of this training, everybody. You are now one step closer to diving into everything they didn't teach you about how to be a leader in arts administration.

In arts management and more Next week, on Tuesday when the next episode drops, we are coming back to that vision you started today. [01:05:00] So when we come back to it, this all definitely builds on itself. We are gonna start to talk about how do we make that vision a reality? What do we start to do to really make it come to fruition?

We are also next time gonna talk more about these seven research back steps to getting ahead in your career, to growing your leadership. And specifically within those seven, we are gonna spend. And a lot of time on negotiations. So you know what most of us were definitely, like, never taught in our school or training?

How to negotiate. How to negotiate a job offer, a contract, how to ask for a raise, ask for a promotion, how to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement, no matter your role in the org chart. So if you want to make more money in the arts, get paid what you are worth, and do work on your terms, not somebody else's, you must.

This is true. That's true for all of us. You must, we must, I must master the skill of negotiating. So if you didn't get a chance to download the workbook, don't forget, we're [01:06:00] going to use it again. That's aubreybergauer. com slash 3939 for episode 39. Go there now, pick it up. And we are going to get way more into the research, go deeper and really reflect on all these things a lot more next week.

That's all for today, folks. Thanks so much for listening. If you like what you heard here, hit that button to follow and subscribe to this podcast. And if you've learned something or gotten value from this, please take two seconds to leave a quick one tap rating or review in return. To all of you, one more time, thanks again.

See you next time on the Offstage Mic. The Offstage Mic is produced by me, Aubrey Bergauer, and Erin Allen. The show is edited by Novo Music, an audio production company of all women audio engineers and musicians. Our theme music is by Alex Grohl. Additional podcast support this season comes from [01:07:00] Jeremy Cuebas, Kelle Stedman, other members of the Changing the Narrative team, and social media brand management by Classical Content.

This is a production of Changing the Narrative. Is

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