Becoming lean.

Lean is creating more value for customers by using fewer resources. I think there is a huge opportunity for many arts organizations to create more value for their customers. The tough part for many organizations is the realization that becoming lean means smaller staffs or a responsibility to deliver more services.  It also means that everyone in the organization is indispensable, that they must be both committed and competent in both identifying and delivering the programming and supporting services artists and audiences want.

Lean means the ticket representative and and the stagehand need to have just as much input as the development officer and the executive director. Lean may mean they are the same person. Cross functional staff is a key to becoming lean. Cross functional staff fosters understanding and innovation that identifies both the opportunities and constraints for change.

Becoming lean may can also mean outsourcing and creating partnerships. Marketing, stage labor, programming and concessions are often outsourced. Given the variability in frequency of events and their support needs, relying on organizations that service many presenting organizations eliminates excess capacity and waste.

Lean for many organizations can also mean creating volunteer opportunities, building a community of supporters who benefit from their participation through social interaction, learning new skills and being engaged with the presentation. Becoming lean also means innovating, trying new ideas and measuring outcomes.

Programming and presenting the performing arts is performed by a myriad of organizations and institutions both profit and non-profit based. The reasons for presenting the performing arts vary greatly from presenter to presenter. But at its core, the presentation of performing is about engaging audiences and artists with one another, a phase you'll hear often in this blog. The artists and the audience have many different visions of what an engaging experience means. Becoming lean starts with an understanding of which audience and which artists your presenting program is going to serve.

Becoming lean is an ongoing process of thinking critically about your organization's purpose, it's people and its customers. Your comments are always welcome and appreciated!