Ann Daly Arts Consulting LLC:
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Career Coaching
A new study confirms it — a looming crisis in the arts management pipeline.
According to the report from Thomas & Associates, 77% of the mostly early- and mid-career arts and culture professionals who responded to an online survey plan to leave their positions within five years.
The reasons? A lack of career advancement and training.
When asked what would remedy the problem, the majority of respondents suggested personal coaching (59%).
As a coach, I know the difference that the focused dialogue, reflection, and decision-making of the coaching process can achieve. It’s the difference between fulfillment and discontent.
Across the non-profit sector, institutions often fail to provide clearly defined career ladders. Without any apparent opportunity for structured growth and advancement, employees are left to figure it out by themselves, often resulting in a wholesale change of job, or even career.
As “The State of the Arts: An Art Career Inventory” points out, hiring a replacement employee is much more costly than providing coaching and professional development to current staffers. Skimping on human resources is a false economy.
At least one study has documented the effectiveness of coaching in the nonprofit sector. In its 2003 study of executive coaching in the non-profit sector, CompassPoint found that coaching had a “profound impact” on EDs and their organizations.” The “Executive Coaching Project” concluded that:
“For many EDs, benefits included getting new insight into their strengths and weaknesses, improving their leadership and management skills, and increasing their confidence in their ability to do their jobs well. Various participants found they were better able to address personnel issues, delegate tasks appropriately, fundraise for the organization, work effectively with their Boards of Directors, and communicate with staff and Board. For organizations, benefits included increased financial stability, improved internal communications, and improved ability to fulfill the organization’s mission and vision due to improved ED leadership skills. Coaching appears to be a relatively inexpensive, high impact way to develop the leadership of EDs while they are in their roles.”
To learn more about coaching, listen here to my recent interview on “The Coaching Show.” (Choose segment 3 on 2/14/2007.)
Best,
Ann
February 2007