Tools of Professional Inquiry

I have been reading through course reader 6 before I start to carry out the tasks set. Here are my thoughts on the ideas and questions raised.

Professional Inquiry
In my current job there are similarities in what I do and professional inquiry. As Dance Captain it is my job to keep the show clean and choreography as originally intended. It has been helpful to research some of the Fosse and 60's style numbers on YouTube to see how it should look. Also, when new choreography has been created as it was recently for a Cher set we carried out research on the Internet to see the different moves that were done back then i.e. mashed potato, the pony, snorkel and swim, hitch hiker and we incorporated these moves into the number. As Dance Captain I have found myself collecting different views from managers and directors before making a decision. For example if I want to add an element to the show such as teaching the singers some of our choreography I will get managers opinions before putting it into action. Therefore in certain cases my job often includes aspects of professional inquiry.
I feel it is different in the way that I rarely need to conduct interviews or surveys for what I do. I think the most important factor when conducting professional inquiry is to make sure the research is valid with good detail and un biased.

Data Collection Tools
In preparation for my observation pilot I will need to ensure I have permission from the company manager to watch/record the relevant events. I will most likely need to inform all participants that are being observed. However, this can affect the way people behave. I will be focusing on the way the show is run by management. For example for each show there is a manager on duty that oversees everything to make sure things run smoothly. It would be interesting to observe this role. For this I would record using written notes as to follow with a video camera in the theatre when a show is on would not be suitable. For my final professional inquiry however, I wish to use video recording as a way to record my observations and interviews I may conduct.
Insider-researcher
I am currently working as a Dancer/Dance Captain at Celebration Music Theatre. Working in the theatre environment gives me a good opportunity to do some inside-research. As Dance Captain I have a great working relationship with many of the managers here as well as ushers, box office staff etc. As a fairly small theatre I feel my position would be a strong one for research in that I can conduct surveys and interviews with many different employees. It is a very new company and theatre that is just getting started, which will need to be taken into consideration. This is the first year it is open so there will definitely be some glitches in the operation of the theatre along the way. Please comment on my SIG with your thoughts on this matter: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=62&post=375&uid=145821545478191#post375

Interview
Using interviews as research is definitely a tool I think I will use. I intend to prepare for this by doing the following:
- Prepare a covering information sheet that explains the inquiry for participants to read before the interview
- Prepare consent forms to give to participants in order to use any information disclosed to me
- Write and email or talk to the manager of the theatre to explain what I am doing and ask to conduct interviews with employees
- Gain permission from participants if taping the interview
I definitely will conduct a one to one, face to face interview with various people at work with a semi-structured framework. This will allow the participant to elaborate on the questions which may uncover some interesting findings.

Focus Groups
I feel that a focus group would be a useful tool to use as it is often conducted by managers in organisations to gain ideas and in doing this I feel I would gain a new skill needed for management. I would be able to act as the authoritative figure in order to keep things on track. The good thing about focus groups is that  allows people to discuss topics with one another which can lead to more in depth discussion and raise other issues as well. It also allows you to observe participants beyond what they are talking about such as their emotions, facial expressions and the tone they use. The main disadvantages to this is that it can become dominated by a couple of people in the group who have a lot to say. If there are any sensitive topics participants may not wish to share this amongst the group. There is also the argument that the environment in which these focus groups take place can influence some of the responses. I think it will be important to have a focus group recorded so that all information can be thorally reviewed.

Piloting a Questionnaire
It is important to carry out pilot questionnaires to trial them out and highlight any potential problems. I plan to gain feedback on how people found the format and layout and the questions. I plan to find out how long it takes for people to complete them, how they found the questions and whether any questions needed to be explained further. Piloting also should allow me to see if any questions will need to be rephrased.

Analysing Questionnaires
Based on Hawe et al 1990:148-150, there are four basic steps to analysing qualitative data:
-Organise the data
- Shape the data into information
- Interpret and summarize the information
- Explain the information
questionnaires are often used in business to gain customer feedback. When I danced with on board Cunard Lines passengers had the chance to fill out a comment form on the entertainment. It can point out which areas are doing well and which need improvement. The data can then be analysed and used to re-plan aspects of the business.

5c Professional Ethics

5c Professional Ethics

The evolution of ethics has changed dramatically over the centuries. It guides the actions we take the decisions we make and the things we do. Codes of practice were developed to maintain a standard in the workplace.

Virtue Ethics

Virtue Ethics is an ethical system that focuses on what it is to be virtuous. It focuses on what kind of person you should be rather than how you should act. I am from a Christian upbringing and like Thomas Hobbes (1651) I believe we should adhere to a set of morals not only in our daily lives but professional practice. These morals have a mutual benefit to everyone and ensuring a business to run smoothly. I have been brought up by my parents under the deontology theory who like Immanuel Kent’s (1779) believe that lying is wrong in any circumstance.

Personal Virtues                                                               Professional Virtues

-          Loving                                                                   - Creativity

-          Openness                                                           - Diligence

-          Generosity                                                         - Enthusiasm

-          Honesty                                                               - Friendliness

-          Self-respect                                                       - Dependability

-          Kindness                                                              - Readiness

-          Empathy                                                              - Trustworthy

-          Loyalty                                                                  - Fairness

-          Sharing                                                                 - Helpfulness

-          Self-confident                                                   - Confidence

Many of my personal virtues carry on through to my professional practice. I recall my first professional contract after graduating. For one of the opening numbers it came time to try on the costumes- a white thong with a patent white top that had wings attached to the arms. As self-respect is one of my personal virtues I remember being horrified at the thought of running around onstage with my rear out for the audience to see. I just couldn’t understand why this was necessary for such an already beautiful number and felt this to be tacky. There was no way around it and I had to put my personal morals behind me and wear what I was contracted to wear. Another example is when I was offered a contract for ‘La Novelle Eve’ in Paris. It wasn’t till I got through the audition and offered a contract that we were told some numbers were topless. This had not been advertised or I probably would have not gone. Because of my virtue ethics I turned it down. Here you can see how your personal morals can overlap and affect your professional practice.

There are different ways moral dilemmas can be approached:

Consequentialist- what is morally right is determined by the outcome.

Deontologist- in contrast is not concerned with the outcome more with the correct motivation behind the action.

Virtue Ethicist- considers what a decision says about the character and behavior of that person

There are three theories on ethics which try to explain how we should act on our own or around others:

Meta-ethics- Asks what is good or bad. This is different from ethics in that it seeks to find a analysis of how we use our morals. It is not trying to find out how we should behave in a situation rather find the meaning behind the moral terms.

Normative ethics- This is concerned with what should one do and how we should live and act and concerns what people believe to be right or wrong. It tries to say what it is in order for us to live well. One element of this is virtue ethics as explained above.

Applied ethics- Is finding the solution of a moral problem such as professional ethics or research ethics. 

How does this affect ethics in my inquiry?

Using my current company I work at as research for my inquiry I will have to adhere to good ethical practice. The factor behind my inquiry is to gain insight into the management roles of the company and how performers can make a career transition from onstage to behind the scenes. I feel my inquiry will help benefit many other performers either coming to the end of their performing career or thinking about what to do after. I will need to adhere to my virtue ethics of being honest and respect anyone who takes part of my inquiry by making sure they understand fully what it will be used for. I will need to ensure any surveys done or data collected is accurate and feedback to anyone who took part. The most important part of my inquiry is to ensure any research carried out is truthful and accurate.

What have I learnt from ethics in a professional context?

Ethics applies to all aspects of the way a business conducts itself- the people that work there and the entire organization. Looking at different codes of practice has provided me with a better understanding of professional ethics. People can have many different values- religious values, financial values and learning about these can help understand how professional ethics work. They often start with common sense, then what is legal, then what is specific to a certain company. Code of conducts i.e. ethics in the work place; give guidelines for employees to help solve problems in an acceptable way. However, there will be times when as a professional you may have to make a decision as there is no obvious answer. In this case virtue ethics would come into play. Professional ethics are based on the requirements of your profession and sometimes you may have to separate personal and professional ethics as explained in my example above.

Core Values and Work Ethics

As we are currently looking at the topic of work ethics and codes of practice I thought I would share the core values our company have issued. These are posted up at the theatre and have been handed out to various employees. Many companies have a mission statement which expresses their goals and vision. The core values make up a part of the mission and reflect the deep held values the company has and should reflect in the way they operate i.e. hiring, firing and performance reviews. They also show how a company will treat customers, suppliers and the surrounding community.

The following reflect the work ethics, code of practice and values at Celebration Entertainment.

Core Values

1. Deliver WOW through service and SURPRISING value every day
2. Be a SUPER HERO. (Do the right thing. Seek solutions not blame. Be humble)
3. Be AUDACIOUS, wildly CREATIVE and slightly WACKY
4. Open MIND. Open HEART.
5. Be a CRUSADER for a change.
6. LEARN constantly. GROW exponentially.
7. Communicate with HONESTY and TRANSPARENCY.
8. Build a POSITIVE team and FAMILY spirit.
9. Do MORE with LESS
10. We CARE about and SUPPORT the COMMUNITIES where we work and live.
11. Be PASSIONATE and COMPELLED.
12. Raise the BAR!

These values really reflect the family feel they are trying to create and a company where we help each other  out and work as a team. As employees, it is our job to demonstrate these values everyday in work through decision making, interactions with each other and behaviour.

I think it is important to recognize the core values of your work place as they may differ to your personal values or even overlap. Being creative, passionate and constantly learning are part of my professional values, whilst honesty, an open mind and open heart are part of my personal values.

Demonstrating good ethics at work is vital to show you are professional and an asset to the company. People with bad ethics rarely get promoted or are liked. Employers expect you to do a good job and good ethics can lead to a successful career.

4a Questions???? Comments on Facebook SIG welcome!

I have started a new question on my SIG on Facebook on the Arts Management discussion page:

What is the difference between Leadership and Management?

This appears to have been a debate going on for many years. Warren Bennis (1989) wrote a list of differences in his book "On Becoming a Leader": 

– The manager administrates, the leader innovates.

– The manager is a copy; the leader is an original.
– The manager maintains; the leader develops.
– The manager focuses on systems and structure; the leader focuses on people.
– The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust.
– The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective.
– The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.
– The manager has his or her eye always on the bottom line; the leader’s eye is on the horizon.
– The manager imitates; the leader originates.
– The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it.
– The manager is the classic good soldier; the leader is his or her own person.
– The manager does things right; the leader does the right thing.

So a leader is the one with a vision and uses the managers to help carry out that vision and make it happen. In my current job we have an Artistic Director who makes the overall decisions on everything. He has the vision of what shows we are putting on, how we will develop these shows etc. Our producer is making this happen. He is the one who has staged the show and made any necessary changes i.e. the show running order changed to make it flow better.

This question then led me to ask these 2 sub-questions:

                                                    What makes a good Team Leader?
From looking at the above I can see a leader should possess the following attributes:
- Have a vision/innovation
- Be inspirational to people
- Focussed on a goal, have a mission to achieve
- Likable factor/ people's person
- Decisive- can make quick decisions
- Ethical- does the right thing
- Lifelong learning- open to feedback to seek improvement

What makes a good Manager?

Here is a list of attributes/skills I have viewed from good managers past and present:

- Good communicative/people skills

- Is able to motivate their team

- Is realistic about the goals they set

- Knows their strengths and weaknesses as well as their teams

- Encourages ideas from employees and listens to their employees

- Honest with employees and fair

- Good decision making skills

I feel that most people want a manager that will listen to them and communicate effectively to them. People skills for me is number one as you will have to deal with a variety of people and personalities. Learning how to keep your emotions in check and being able to stay calm in tense situations are skills you should possess. A good manager will be able to motivate their staff. This can be a simple "thank you", a small note to all the staff or a company party. For example at my current new job our Director wrote a note which stood in a huge barrel of candy. It read:

"To our new FAMILY at CELEBRATION MUSIC THEATRE and SUPERSTARZ! LIVE

Break a leg tonight! I can only imagine this magic happening with the special people who have made this dream a reality! I love each and every one of you! We are making history tonight. Let's have a Celebration tonight and every show for many, many years to come!

Much love, Greg London and the staff of Celebration Entertainment"

This meant so much to the whole company to have a special thank you and was followed by a meal at a restaurant after the show. By feeling valued as an employee it can make you want to really work hard to make the business a success. Every person currently working at the new theatre is not only thankful for their job but genuinely happy to be coming to work and backs the theatre 100%. Having employees like this behind you can make your business a success.

Because there are so many qualities that make a good manager I think it is important to continually develop your skills. You need to be willing to learn from you mistakes and always improve yourself.

What are your thoughts, opinions, ideas on these questions? Post them here or join the discussion on Facebook.



4d Award Title Rationale

I wish to propose my award title: BA (Hons) Professional Practice (Dance & Arts Management).

I graduated in 2005 with a National Diploma in Professional Dance (Classical Ballet & Contemporary). Since graduating I have had a successful career as a dancer, staying employed in the industry in a variety of different shows and with few breaks in between contracts. I have learnt so much from jumping right into the industry when I was 18 and from working with different companies and people from different cultures and backgrounds. I feel I can finally call myself a Professional Dancer as I have been in the industry for coming up to 6 years.

I decided to take the BAAP programme as I could study and dance at the same time and also because I feel I have gone as far as I can in my dance career with my Diploma. I am doing what I was trained to do and using what I have learnt from Elmhurst. It was not until last year when I started to think about the future and life after dance especially as I am due to get married this year. I know that I want to continue to work in the entertainment industry, but I felt I need more qualifications to achieve this.

I decided to include Dance in my title as I feel it takes everything I know from studying for my Diploma as well as the work-based knowledge I have gained. I have always wanted to eventually go into the management side of the arts industry. Arts Management combines a number of skills such as business, finance, marketing and managing artists.  By using these new skills learnt with the interdisciplinary skills gained from dance I feel I will be able to achieve such a title and go onto to a career managing in the entertainment industry.

There are many aspects of management I am interested in inquiring about. As of now I am unsure what the “big question” will be to my inquiry. I intend to use my colleges at the theatre for their insights and hope that what I learn and gain will help our new theatre to succeed.

5b Codes of Practice

Codes of Practice

I am currently a Swing Dancer at Celebration Music Theatre, performing 4 shows a week. I was recently made Dance Captain as well since I know every ones place. I thought therefore,  I would add to task 5b and include what I feel is now my current Code of Conduct and role.

Code of Conduct for Swing Dancer/Dance Captain

- Ensure show is kept as the original choreography was set

- Watch the show and take notes of any mistakes, things that go wrong etc
- Schedule rehearsals for blocking, notes and practice
- Ensure cast are well informed of rehearsal times
- Rehearse new choreography if Choreographer is not present
- Ensure I know all 4 places for role of swing
- Inform all cast members of any changes to the show

As there are no actual guidelines set at my workplace, I decided to do some research and found these guidelines from the Actors Equity Association. This reiterates my role of maintaining the show standard as it was originally intended to be done.
As I was dance Captain before I know the main duties involved and it can be a hard task. Your job never ends even when performing onstage as you can still be taking mental notes of what needs to be cleaned, changed, noted down. It is important to have respect from your cast and good people skills as you are giving people notes that don't always see what they are doing wrong.

I also found this article on Suzanne Hylenski who is a Swing and Dance Captain in Mary Poppin's on Broadway. She talks about the challenges of learning different parts and the skills and personality you need for this type of role.

Looking into the code of conduct and role of a Dance Captain has helped me to understand what is expected from me a bit more. I am hoping taking this on will help me more with my inquiry into Arts Management and I will be faced with issues that a Manager will come across.

Are you just too nice?

Are you just too nice??

As I am currently the Swing and Dance Captain at my work, I have needed to schedule rehearsals for blocking myself into the show. So, after scheduled a rehearsal for 5pm today, which had been approved and cleared by stage management I received an email from one of the dancers stating that a couple of them wanted to take ballet class at 4:30pm. To accommodate their request I decided to change rehearsal to 3pm giving them time to take class. I then had a message from some of the other dancers saying they were not going to Ballet. It had become a problem with the girls who didn't want to take class to come in, go home for a few hours then come back for the show. After debating it I decided to switch it back to 5pm as planned and let the girls know that next time there is rehearsal it will not be changed for any other extra activities outside of work.
Was I trying to be too nice? After being in this dilemma, I realised my mistake was to try and accommodate them. Work should take first priority and trying to get myself blocked into the show for next week is very important.
So, after learning my lesson and for those of you interested or already in the business side of things what do you think? Can you be too nice for business?

Related Articles:
Are you just too nice? (Article 324 from Innovative Leader Volume 7, Number 2, February 1998)
Are you too nice a Boss? (Forbes, Chaniga Vorasarun, Jun 2009)

5b Codes of Practice in my Workplace

Codes of Practice in my Workplace

I am currently dancing in the States in ‘Starz In Concert’ at Celebration Music Theatre. This former ‘Legends In Concert’ Theatre was just taken over by a new company. They have transformed the building and hired a great team to start this new show. We just opened (28^th February) and a theatre policy was put up for all cast and crew. This sets out to state our call times (dancers one hour prior to curtain up) and rules and regulations.

We must:

-          Sign in daily on the arrival sheet

-          Check show notes daily

-          Check scheduled PR events

Some of the rules include:

-          No cast member allowed in the lobby once doors are open to the public

-          No on shall leave the building once signed in without permission from the stage manager

-          Do not crowd the backstage area once show is in progress unless awaiting entrance

-          No one is permitted backstage

-          No smoking in the building, go to designated area

-          Cell phones should be silent during rehearsals and shows

-          No food or non-clear liquids allowed in the dressing room

-          No eating or smoking whilst in costumes

-          Maintain dressing rooms at a presentation at all times

(Any violations of these policies may constitute a finable offence. If the violation occurs more than three times within the run of a show, further disciplinary action may be taken)

As this is a new company they are trying to make it a good place to work therefore no fines have been put in place yet. Hopefully as long as everyone follows these rules above there should be no reason for this.  As I have worked in this theatre before I knew what to expect with the above. I feel my assumptions in task 5a were based more on dancers- what to wear, how to act, which most professionals know and it is presumed. The above is a general outline of the rules for everyone that works here.

Since we were all reading through our theatre policies yesterday I got talking with one of the dancers about code of conduct. She pointed out some further reading for me which is

The Dancers Forum Compact. This is a great read that I think many of you will find interesting. It sets out guidelines for a working artistic relationship between dancer and choreographer to help strengthen your relationship. I think it is a great guideline for dancers to check on if they are unsure of anything. When reading through this it made me think back to work I had done where so much was unclear and unprofessional in that sense. For example according to these guidelines;

“Identify the date compensation will be made available”

(The Dancers Forum Compact, 2002)

On my last contract it was unclear to us when we would receive our payment for the 2 weeks. Then we were informed on the last day. The last show came and we still had not received our payment. We got back to our hotel and were waiting on the choreographer to arrive back. At 2am we met him to receive our cash payment! Things were unclear and waiting to be paid the night before we flew home was stressful.

Another interesting find was from DANZ  (Dance Aotearoa New Zealand) which really touches on my views of how a dancer should behave in 5a.

5a Work Ethics/Code of Practice

Work Ethics/Code of Practice

Work ethics is the way in which you conduct yourself in the work place. Your attitude, behavior and how you get on with the people you work with can affect your career and how you are viewed. It really stems from your own personal ethics to the way which you behave. A trustworthy, reliable, loyal, self-disciplined employee will do very well in a company. People with good work ethics are normally hard working, do a good job and will succeed.

Attendance

We were all called for a 1pm run through of the show the other day and one of the lead singers showed up at 1:15pm delaying the entire cast run through. Our producer made a point of saying that being late is his pet peeve. He hates it. She had an excuse but he didn’t care. I have had many directors say the same thing and attendance was also drilled into me from Elmhurst. I feel it should be high on the list of work ethics.

Teamwork

I think as a dancer you HAVE to be able to work well in a team. You need to be able to get one with a variety of people from different backgrounds, cultures and with different personalities. You need to respect other people’s views even if they are different to your own. Helping people out and putting a smile on people’s faces is what our new theatre is trying to create- a fun, happy place to work, where we all feel like a large family. As established in the last module on professional networking, it is important to create a good working relationship with your colleagues/employers.

The following is a list which I consider are Codes of Practice as a Dancer/Performer:

-          Sign contract before starting work

-          Be punctual and attend all rehearsals and performances (sign in on timesheets etc)

-          Wear correct attire to perform/rehearse

-          Give notice if unable to attend rehearsal/show

-          In rehearsals listen and focus on the task at hand

-          Know your choreography/words/lines

-          Always show up on time (1 hour before curtain opens)

-          Warm up ready for the show

-          Be courteous backstage during quick changes, never push people around

-          Be helpful to others in the cast

-          Don’t be late onto stage, be on the ball

-          Do not talk loudly backstage during show

-          Hang up costumes at the end of the show

-          Respect the dressing rooms and leave them as found

Now I will consider what might be the code of practice as the Director/Producer/Choreographer:

-          Ensure contracts are signed by employees before work commences

-          Schedule rehearsals (where, when etc)

-          Teach performers choreography, give direction

-          Make sure privacy is respected

-          Be supportive of performers and encourage them

-          Be fair to all performers and fair in dealing with clients

-          Maintain confidentiality of performers

Codes of practice are different for each department. They are so important as making one simple error could impact the entire show. For example the technical directors job impacts the lighting and sound of the show.