If Music City gave up

[Barifonium]

You will basically be defined by your mistakes.

So it's basically like being President?

For anyone who wants to do it, the effort has to be the prize.

Edited September 6, 2013 by Barifonium

[drumcorpsfever]

only problem is, unlike Cali, there isn't much local for them to do. drawing kids doing a season of maybe 6/7 shows isn't going to work. The better option would have been to look into going DCA

There was never any challenge in drawing kids to Music City. This is a corps that attracted upwards of 300 kids at their audition camps for the 2013 season alone. All totaled, they performed in 14 shows this year - including 2 in Michigan City and 2 in Indy. The value for each member commensurate with corps dues was among the very best in DCI. The draw for membership would not have been the same in DCA - and that would have had a negative impact on the high turnout of kids they were accustomed to getting. Without a thriving membership, no drum corps has a fighting chance. Although saddened by the loss of MCDC, I am grateful for the opportunity they gave to so many.

Edited September 7, 2013 by drumcorpsfever

[Pete Freedman]

Garfield, you might consider assembling a concrete list of the skills needed to do the job. This would be done in conversation with several other directors you admire (assuming there are any). Then assess your abilities in each area, again using guidance from friends, family, coworkers, and introspection. Skills you lack need to be covered by others (such as your significant other)

Categories for the skills might include Money, People, Stuff, and General, let's say (I don't really know).

Within People you might have:

Finding the Best (So many different avenues, including poaching. Can you do what it takes to get the best available?)

Firing (Rarely needed I think, but failure to act when necessary leads to cascading problems)

Inspiring (A critical skill for any leader. Not just about pep talks, also about routine interactions, smiling, enthusiasm, energy, all that crap.)

Oversight (How to micro manage without appearing to micro manage. You have to know what everyone is really doing, but they won't just tell you.)

Trusting (Yet, you have to trust them. Nobody has ever figured out how to do both of these last two simultaneously. That's probably why so many businesses fail.)

And so on. Good luck with this, if you decide to do it. One thing we know; the books will be balanced.

[Stu]

Garfield, you might consider assembling a concrete list of the skills needed to do the job. This would be done in conversation with several other directors you admire (assuming there are any). Then assess your abilities in each area, again using guidance from friends, family, coworkers, and introspection. Skills you lack need to be covered by others (such as your significant other)

Categories for the skills might include Money, People, Stuff, and General, let's say (I don't really know).

Within People you might have:

Finding the Best (So many different avenues, including poaching. Can you do what it takes to get the best available?)

Firing (Rarely needed I think, but failure to act when necessary leads to cascading problems)

Inspiring (A critical skill for any leader. Not just about pep talks, also about routine interactions, smiling, enthusiasm, energy, all that crap.)

Oversight (How to micro manage without appearing to micro manage. You have to know what everyone is really doing, but they won't just tell you.)

Trusting (Yet, you have to trust them. Nobody has ever figured out how to do both of these last two simultaneously. That's probably why so many businesses fail.)

And so on. Good luck with this, if you decide to do it. One thing we know; the books will be balanced.

IMO, Oversight does not mean 'micro-manage without appearing to do so'; it means making sure required tasks are completed by the subordinates via 'Verification', which can be accomplished by the ED leading through example, and staying available and involved at all levels including washing dishes when the food staff is short handed. And when this type of 'Verification' occurs the last two items on your list (trust and oversight) certainly can coexist. To steal a phrase, Trust but Verify.

[drumcorpsfever]

the ED leading through example, and staying available and involved at all levels including washing dishes when the food staff is short handed. A

If the Executive Director has to wash dishes, or perform any other tasks that typically should be done by others, then the Executive Director, and most likely the corps, will fail.

Drum corps, in order to survive, must have a successful business model. There have been extraordinary financial, social, and cultural changes since the early days of drum corps - many of those changes have had a deep impact on the activity. Modern drum corps must have a high quality business structure: defined duties, separation of powers, oversight, a healthy balance sheet, dedicated people...

Drum corps can survive in the modern world. It simply must adapt along with it.

The days of the Dictatorial Chief Bottle Washer are gone.

Edited September 7, 2013 by drumcorpsfever

[Pete Freedman]

If the Executive Director has to wash dishes, or perform any other tasks that typically should be done by others, then the Executive Director, and most likely the corps, will fail.

Drum corps, in order to survive, must have a successful business model. There have been extraordinary financial, social, and cultural changes since the early days of drum corps - many of those changes have had a deep impact on the activity. Modern drum corps must have a high quality business structure: defined duties, separation of powers, oversight, a healthy balance sheet, dedicated people...

Drum corps can survive in the modern world. It simply must adapt along with it.

The days of the Dictatorial Chief Bottle Washer are gone.

You make good points, but I'm with Stu on this one. I was being facetious with the "Nobody has ever figured it out part." I just meant that it was very difficult to trust and verify, because many subordinate tasks cannot easily be measured (converted to a metric that's actually valuable) without taking longer than the task itself. Not to mention the problems of accuracy and issues involving employees maxing out the metric while ignoring other things. It's difficult, but still possible and necessary.

I also like Stu's expression (paraphrased from an early post in this thread) "Reality exists only at the point of action."

There is some reason for confidence in Garfield (though I've never met him) because he's obviously a very smart guy with a business mindset, and because I believe he runs a show currently (?). So he's starting from a standpoint of having a clue. That's always helpful.

[Stu]

If the Executive Director has to wash dishes, or perform any other tasks that typically should be done by others, then the Executive Director, and most likely the corps, will fail.

True story: In high school I was working on the loading dock at a Walmart; a semi trailer backed up to the dock and two men jumped out of the cab, one wearing jeans and the other coveralls. After a few moments one of the gentlemen noticed that we were short handed; without hesitation he then jumped into the trailer and began unloading boxes placing them on the conveyer rollers. He even told us a few very funny stories!!! Once the truck was unloaded he looked at us and said, "Great job y'all." We yelled back, "Thanks!!". Then he left the dock and disappeared somewhere into the store. A friend that I was working with looked at me and asked, "Do you know who that was?" I said 'Nope." He responded, "That was Sam Walton!". "Nooooo." I said. However, when I traced down a picture of Sam Walton, sure enough, he was the guy who helped us unload the truck. That experience inspires me still to this day.

So in that context, if you were the ED of a rather new DCI Open Class corps and out on tour; the corps arrives at the housing site at 3am; at 3:30am you are walking through the parking lot; one of the semi drivers is attempting to lift a spare tire, by himself, back into the carriage in which it fell; you what? a) Pat him on the back and say good job and encourage him for his work and dedication? b) Tell him you will go find a person to help him with that manual labor and then walk away? Or c) Would you just grab the tire with him and do some grunt work yourself. I contend that if not c, the the new Open Class corps will most likely fail due to the lack of respect and leadership of the ED by him considering himself 'above' the necessary grunt work.

P,S. I suppose that you consider Sam Walton and Walmart both as 'failures'.

Edited September 7, 2013 by Stu

[GUARDLING]

any consideration that the people in charge may just be plain ole burned out? Tired of the task of survival mode..empty promises of members who feel entitled to march and dont pay, fundraising.I've seen all of that in many corps. I can go on and on..its a great activity BUT not an easy one by no means...just a thought :smile:/>/>

Edited September 7, 2013 by GUARDLING

[garfield]

True story: In high school I was working on the loading dock at a Walmart; a semi trailer backed up to the dock and two men jumped out of the cab, one wearing jeans and the other coveralls. After a few moments one of the gentlemen noticed that we were short handed; without hesitation he then jumped into the trailer and began unloading boxes placing them on the conveyer rollers. He even told us a few very funny stories!!! Once the truck was unloaded he looked at us and said, "Great job y'all." Then he left the dock and disappeared somewhere into the store. A friend that I was working with looked at me and asked, "Do you know who that was?" I said 'Nope." He responded, "That was Sam Walton!". "Nooooo." I said. However, when I traced down a picture of Sam Walton, sure enough, he was the guy who helped us unload the truck. That experience inspires me still to this day.

So in that context, if you were the ED of a rather new DCI Open Class corps and out on tour; the corps arrives at the housing site at 3am; at 3:30am you are walking through the parking lot; one of the semi drivers is attempting to lift a spare tire, by himself, back into the carriage in which it fell; you what? a) Pat him on the back and say good job and encourage him for his work and dedication? b) Tell him you will go find a person to help him with that manual labor and then walk away? Or c) Would you just grab the tire with him and do some grunt work yourself. I contend that if not c, the the new Open Class corps will most likely fail due to the lack of respect and leadership of the ED by him considering himself 'above' the necessary grunt work.

P,S. I suppose that you consider Sam Walton and Walmart both as 'failures'.

What's the right answer if the ED has a bad back?

So, physical strength is a requisite for a successful ED and corps?

(Only half pulling your leg)

EDIT: And what if the driver pulled the tire out of its rack when it wasn't necessary? Let him learn the lesson himself or bail him out of a mistake he might then repeat?

Edited September 7, 2013 by garfield

[Stu]

What's the right answer if the ED has a bad back?

So, physical strength is a requisite for a successful ED and corps?

(Only half pulling your leg)

EDIT: And what if the driver pulled the tire out of its rack when it wasn't necessary? Let him learn the lesson himself or bail him out of a mistake he might then repeat?

Good grief Garfield, I know you are sort of pulling my leg, here, but... Let's say that the ED is healthy as an ox and the spare tire came loose while out on the road no fault of the driver. So, without pulling my leg, do you agree that 'if needed', the ED should not consider himself above grunt tasks, and by pitching in during those situations and doing some grunt stuff he garners much respect from the subordinates? Or should he, no matter what, consider himself above those tasks?

Edited September 7, 2013 by Stu