kenyasue S.’s Post

Reflecting on History Through Hamilton: The Musical🎭 1804: One of the most dramatic events in American history took place – the duel between Alexander Hamilton & Aaron Burr. While this tragic duel resulted in the loss of Hamilton, it also marks a moment to reflect on his immense contributions to our nation, from being George Washington's right-hand man to crafting the foundational monetary policy as the first Secretary of the Treasury. Fast forward to today, and Hamilton's legacy is immortalized in Lin-Manuel Miranda's groundbreaking musical, #Hamilton. This cultural #phenomenon not only brings #history to life but also offers a powerful example for those of us in the #Learning and Development field. ***Application in the L&D field*** #Storytelling: 🗣 Hamilton uses compelling storytelling to #educate and #engage audiences. In L&D, we can harness the power of storytelling to make #learning #experiences more #memorable and #impactful. #Innovation: 💡 Just as Miranda innovatively blended hip-hop with #history, L&D professionals can use #creative and #diverse #methods to deliver #training, ensuring #content resonates with a modern #audience. #Engagement: 🔌 The musical captivates audiences with its dynamic performances. Similarly, L&D #programs should #strive to #captivate #learners, making #education not just #informative but also #entertaining and #engaging. #Inclusivity: 👥 Hamilton casts a #diverse group of actors to tell a universal #story, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity. In our field, promoting #diversity and #inclusion within #training programs can lead to richer and more comprehensive learning #experiences. As we remember Alexander Hamilton, let's also celebrate the #innovative ways his story is told today and how it can #inspire us to #revolutionize #learning and #development.

This article brings me back to my master’s research dissertation, where I delved into leadership and management styles within dance companies. Like described here as “unicorns,” who blend artistic passion with business savvy, in my research, I explored the critical duality between artistic directors and executive directors within dance organizations, using the metaphor of “The Elephant vs. The Dolphin.” A concept that captured one of the biggest leadership challenges: the contrasting responsibilities and imperatives each role holds. Artistic directors (the elephants) are focused on creative success, while executive directors (the dolphins) are tasked with ensuring financial viability and business strategy. This duality often creates a tension between modern business practices and creative thinking, communication, and shared vision. I argued that having two leaders, no matter how well-aligned, naturally leads to conflicts because of the inherent differences in their goals. This interdependence of roles represents a convergence of professional spheres, yet both roles are behaviorally and socially distinct, much like elephants and dolphins. Participants in my study consistently highlighted the importance of mutual understanding and trust between them, recognizing that organizational success depends on it. However, the underlying ambivalence and dualism in their relationship remain the most significant realities of this leadership dynamic. Hence another reason why executive leadership in dance is so difficult.

All areas of the creative industry provide means for economic growth, regeneration, they are the future of our city centres landscape, culture, tourism, business growth, communication and should be supported. Theatre / Dance / Music / Festivals / Live Events - Dates beyond the Shakesphere era provides fantastic insight into our history, culture and drives creativity, growth and spend within city centres. Vera Lynn’s music empowered soliders during WW2. Radio, Press and TV - Plays an integral role in our democracy reporting on major news stories holding those in power to account, weather which influences consumer spend and support’s communities on travel issues, ads on air which boost businesses and provide strong ROI. Social & Online - Keeps people connected and drives conversation, communication and enables SME’s to have a voice with small budgets. Provides vital services, access to food, meds, clothing via online e-commerce sites now. Out of Home / Sponsorships - provides jobs in technology, supports and enhances city centres, provides local authorities with incremental investment and income through land acquisition and partnerships to use for other public services. Art - supports with creativity in individuals, mental health, well-being, reigniting and embracing public spaces bringing together minority communities. Art helps those most vulnerable impacted by war and conflict get through the darkest of days. The creative industries are an essential part of our communities and should be recognised as such, the creative industries were almost destroyed by the impact of government policy and regulation during Covid-19. It’s no longer a matter of “nice to have” it’s a must, it’s an essential service and we must continue to embrace and support the ever changing landscape that is our incredible creative industries community. 👇🫶

Yesterday I delivered a speech at Guildhall School of Music & Drama on People and Culture in Organisations through the lens of unconscious bias. As part of an incredible list of speakers including James Ainscough OBE, Dr Diljeet Bhachu, Dr Amy Blier Carruthers, members of the Trinity Laban Senior Leadership Team, Professor Jonathan Vaughan, Roger Wilson and Dr Charisse Beaumont (DMus) I had the great privilege of speaking about a critical topic: rethinking how we define and find talent, the relationship between bias and the impact that our own individual biases have on company culture. I was truly humbled by the applause and the reception I received from that audience comprised of #conservatoires and #orchestras. I was inspired and encouraged by their presence and the levels of #engagement and wanted to share a few takeaways: 👉 Talent can look like, sound like, act like and be like many things. We often limit ourselves with rigid ideas of qualifications, job titles, or traditional markers of #success. It’s time to expand our perspective because titles aren’t indicators of #success. True #talent can emerge from unexpected places when we start searching with creativity and open-#mindedness, focusing on skills based hiring you might find that your next Director may have only ever been afforded the title of Senior Manager but has all of the skills. 🤔 👉 Inclusion is a choice. It’s not accidental or passive, it’s an active decision. Challenging bias isn’t about waiting for #change, it’s about choosing change. STILL. 👉 Bias is not permanent. We often treat bias as an immovable obstacle, but that’s far from the truth. By engaging our prefrontal cortex, the decision-making, reflective part of our brain, we can actively question and #disrupt our default #patterns of thinking. This is how we go beyond the constraints of #unconciousbias and create space for real inclusion. This #work requires intention and effort, but the outcomes, innovation, #equity, and progress are worth it. Let’s commit to making those choices, to looking beyond the surface, and to unlocking the full #potential in #people. #blacklivesinmusic #BliM PRS for Music PRS Foundation

🎷 New Orleans - a city bursting with creativity and musical talent. You find yourself walking up and down Frenchmen Street enjoying the never-ending music as it flows over you. And you realize that the music is the epitome of teamwork, leadership, and followership. My friend Jack Reichert had just such an experience. He wrote a true tour-de-force post that brings the music of the city to life that explores how jazz performers—a smooth fusion of artists—create beautiful harmony from their individual strengths. He breaks down the synergy in a jazz team, reflecting a masterclass in effective teamwork. He puts a spotlight on the essential role of both generalists and specialists on any team. Their magic? Harmonizing their skills to tasks, just like a well-rehearsed jazz band. And the result? Joyful problem-solving and the sweet, sweet sound of harmony mixed with individualism. Leadership is about knowing these strengths and letting each player have their moment. Followership is about stepping up into the limelight when it is your time, but also playing backup and knowing how to support the other players when it is their turn to shine. So, let's strike up the band and make our teams sing the same sweet song of success! Hit the link in the comments and immerse yourself in the rhythm of Jack's insight! #BeCourageous - Make your teams jazz! 🎷🎸🥁🎺🎶🎹

Chappell Roan's journey to stardom is a fascinating case study in modern fan engagement and career strategy. Her rapid ascent highlights a unique dynamic where fans feel deeply intertwined with her success. This connection, bolstered by her team, has undeniably fueled her rise but also set high expectations. An interesting facet of Roan’s career is her "100% rule" for decision-making: every choice must be an unequivocal yes, or it’s a no. This reflects a deliberate and intentional approach, prioritizing authentic alignment over mere opportunity. However, the recent backlash over her show cancellations in favor of a VMA performance underscores a critical tension in the industry. Despite industry norms, the move felt dissonant to fans accustomed to her authenticity. The late notice and scant communication only widened the gap. This discussion on the /r/Fauxmoi subreddit is a reflection of the volatile nature of public perception, especially in the pop sphere. Artists must navigate these choppy waters to build enduring careers. ➡️ How crucial is transparent communication in maintaining fan trust? ➡️ Can artists balance industry demands with the expectations they set for their fans? The nuances of Roan's situation highlight the broader challenges and strategies necessary for sustained success in pop music. #ChappellRoan #FanEngagement #PopStardom #MusicIndustry #CareerStrategy #Authenticity #PublicPerception

Is your city hall a collection of soloists or a harmonious orchestra? "No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it." - Halford E. Luccock In municipal government, we often fall into the trap of departmental silos, each playing their own tune. But true excellence comes from bringing diverse strengths together in perfect harmony. Ready to transform your municipal team from disconnected players to a world-class ensemble? Today's Daily Snapshot shows you how to leverage strengths-based leadership to build your civic dream team. It's time to move from silos to synergy: https://lnkd.in/e9zqf87a #CityManagement #TeamBuilding #StrengthsBasedLeadership #CityManager

UK Music Chief Executive Tom Kiehl joined industry leaders at Un-Convention Manchester to conduct a strategic analysis of our sector's position. Strengths: Record £7.6bn contribution to economy Post-pandemic resilience Strong export growth (£4.6bn) Weaknesses: Limited government support compared to other creative sectors Lack of dedicated industry body support Opportunities: Potential for new government engagement United industry voice on key issues New Industrial Strategy potential Threats: Unregulated AI challenges International competition Grassroots sector sustainability The debate highlighted both our industry's impressive growth and the crucial challenges we must address to maintain momentum. Read more: https://lnkd.in/euC9kiV6

What a rush it was to take the stage at Washington’s during FoCoMX! I couldn’t see everyone in the house, but felt the energy — and the love! Thanks so much to Fort Collins Musicians Association and Washington’s for having us. We had a wonderful time (as did the audience, as I keep hearing good things from the community). When I first conceptualized the FoCo Motown Revue, I just wanted to get onstage while celebrating Classic Motown. Once I saw the overwhelming response to our shows, it became apparent that the band needs to be an ongoing concern. This is a 10-piece band. To keep it going, I realized that I’d need to take inspiration from Duke Ellington: “There is nothing to keeping a band together. You simply have to have a gimmick, and the gimmick I use is to pay them money!” So, I had to ultimately arrive at the conclusion that the band has to be run as a business (a side business, but a business nonetheless). That means defining who we are, what we’re about and how we’re going to engage with our audience. It also means building relationships in new spaces — especially that of corporate events. So, If you know of any event planners looking create compelling experiences with classic R&B, hit me up. #music #musicbusiness #fortcollins #corporateevents #eventplanning

We proudly congratulate Josh Love, an Entertainment and Media Group partner, for being named among Hollywood's New Leaders by Variety. This prestigious list recognizes the most influential and innovative executives, lawyers, agents, managers, and publicists in the entertainment industry. Read more here #ReedSmith #EntertainmentLaw #Variety #HollywoodNewLeaders